It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Fujifilm’s Instax range of cameras, and the Instax Mini we bought for ourselves after reviewing the Mini 12 is always with us on holidays and at family gatherings. That instant analogue camera is perfect for capturing special moments, if you only have a few people in your shot that is. Otherwise, the Mini might fall short trying to get everyone in one frame, especially as one person needs to be taking the photo.
That’s where the Instax Wide range comes in, and the latest addition to Fujifilm’s Instax line-up: the Instax Wide 400. Following on from 2014’s Wide 300 (yes, it’s been a decade since the last entry in this series), the Wide 400 uses Wide-format film. Featuring an image size of 62 x 99mm – film size is 86 x 108mm –this is double the dimensions of the Instax Mini’s credit-card size prints, which it turn makes the Wide 400 particularly well suited for group shots and landscape photography, producing developed snaps in just 90 seconds.
The Wide 400 offers both a normal mode, and a landscape mode to ensure clear, in-focus pictures of scenery and subjects three or more meters away. Furthermore, the camera package includes a close-up lens, allowing users to capture subjects as close as 40cm without any blurriness or focus problems.
Where the Wide 400 will come in especially useful, though, is the self-timer function. Positioned on the front of the camera, just turn a lever and press the shutter button to start a countdown of up to 10 seconds (indicated by flashing LEDs), allowing you to get in front of the lens and into the group shot.
Helping to facilitate this, Instax also includes a camera angle adjustment accessory, which can be placed underneath the camera for shooting without the need for a tripod. This add-on offers two different angles that can be adjusted according to the height of the subject. The camera also includes a built-in automatic flash with a range of up to three metres, and comes with a shoulder strap, so you can head out to capture beautiful settings more conveniently. For the record, the camera body on its own weighs 616g, while the Instax Mini 12 by comparison is 306g, so this is a slightly heftier, more rugged piece of hardware.
Fans of Instax and analogue photography can look forward to the Instax Wide 400 arriving in South Africa in the near future (no confirmed launch date as yet), but hopefully it’s in time for Matric breakup to properly capture those important final group shots.
Retailing in the USA for $150, we’re estimating that the Instax Wide 400 will sell in South Africa for somewhere in the R2,800-R3,100 bracket, though local pricing hasn’t been announced. As for the all-important instant film, based on what is currently available, new Fujifilm Instax Wide Film should retail at an estimated R200 for a pack of 10.
Finally, if you just can’t wait for the 400, its predecessor, the Instax Wide 300, is still available locally, if you scrounge around. Expect to pay around R2,400 for this older Wide variant.