Instax update: I love my Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic

I love instant photography! The idea of watching film develop right in my hand has fascinated me ever since I was a kid. Up until a few years ago, owning my own Polaroid camera was a distant dream though - that is, until the event of the FujiFilm Instax!


The Instax film format is smaller than the traditional polaroids and the technology behind it is different (no shaking required!) but the basic idea is the same. My first Instax-type camera was actually a burgundy-colored Polaroid 300 (which is the same as the Instax 7s,  though I imagine you pay a few extra dollars for the venerable name) which served me well for a couple of years. Last fall though, it started acting up and I felt the prints were not as clear as they used to be, probably due to my rough handling. Luckily for me, the new Instax Mini 90 (dubbed "Neo Classic") came out at the start of this year. It was a little pricy at around USD $250, but SOOO worth it! The Mini 90 has lots of new features and shooting modes, and it is much more compact (and sturdy) than its predecessor. I have used it all year and I'm still completely smitten. I thought I would show some of my most recent shots!

These are a few of my shots from this spring/summer, locations include Stockholm, Gotland and my mom's house in the countryside outside Vingåker. Like most instant cameras the Instax really does best in natural (outdoor) lighting, but I am still learning how to use the different shooting modes one the Mini 90 to get better indoor shots.


I actually really like the credit card size of the Instax mini film, it's so convenient and fun. And I like that despite the smaller size, the photos still have a white space to one side, so there's room to write a date or caption. Not all markers will write on the film surface though - I learned this the hard way so decided to spring for some ultra fine tip sharpies to decorate my prints. Look at all the yummy colors...

Another fun way to dress up the individual shots is using frame stickers - individual stickers that wrap around the prints to look like the film itself is patterned:

I recently found a pack of these frame stickers for cheap on Ebay, and I've been playing around with them. I love the result!

I'm still trying to find a nice way to display my Instax photos. I might do another wall collage like my Instagram wall collage, or try to find a nice frame to display a few of them. If you have any ideas for displaying Polaroids/Instax photos, I'd love to hear them!