The Instax mini 99 camera is one of their most advanced yet you could say when it comes to features and comes in one colour only this time around which is odd however we are not complaining as we love all their old fashion styled cameras.
It is on the big side and differs from past cameras when it comes to how it is set up, there is no USB port on the camera so you charge with the little charge box provided that keeps your battery topped which you should do when not in use as these cameras do drain pretty fast especially if out on a shoot and you have plenty of film with you.
The most notable part of the camera is the lens like most of their cameras this twists open to turn on with 0.3-0.6m 0.3-3m and 3m and has a macro mode there is also a vignette setting on top of the lens. Also on front there is the flash and a shutter key.
The camera has two shutter keys this time around and can take photos in vertical or horizontal mode so this is kinda cool I think, There is also two dials this time around and this is where the new tech comes in with this camera, one controls the colours, you have several options here from FG WT LB SM SP and LL, the other dial controls the light with L+ to D- on it so this means you have two dials to compensate for that perfect picture and one giving Instagram like filters, inside the camera you can see how this works with the LED lights inside.
On the back of the camera you have the viewfinder battery compartment and an LCD display which is pretty neat. On the LCD display you have three options Mode, Self timer which is 10 seconds and Flash which has several options which is pretty self explanatory such as red eye and so on. Mode gives you indoor, sports, double exposure which means it blends two shots and finally bulb mode. This camera works quite well in low light.
Overall this camera is great to use whilst missing some features it has others, there is no selfie mirror so you aim and shoot at will here and I am not one to be posting selfies anyway but you can see the samples in the video review another option I felt odd was no charing on device but this is not really an issue, there is no app support like others in their range and other than that the rest is good with bulb mode for long exposure you have got vignette control with a wide lens a focus mode and sports mode which is ideally for those who are into sports.
There is times when some images are overcompensated or blown out but this has been an experience with me in general using these cameras and I am no expert but overall this is still a cool camera and their most advanced one yet with a fixed lens and looks cool even sitting on the table and after your friends or family see it they will want a photo of their own to take home and show off and get to play with all the new options on board.
INSTAX MINI 99 Product Features Include:
Brightness Control Dial: This feature offers five distinct levels of brightness: the Light (“L+”) setting indicates the brightest exposure, the “L”, “D”, and “N” settings offer the normal range of brightness, and the Dark (“D-”) setting represents the darkest available brightness level.
Shooting Modes: A variety of shooting modes enhance the user experience, with Indoor Mode designed for low light situations, Sports Mode, which increases the shutter speed to grab the perfect action shot, Double Exposure Mode, which lets the user combine two images into one, and Bulb Mode, which increases the amount of light let in when creating the image, creating a brightened effect on the print.
The camera’s Landscape, Standard, and Macro Focus Modes are easily accessible by adjusting the lens dial. Landscape Mode focuses on subjects positioned at a distance reference of “3.0m and beyond”. Macro Mode is perfect for close-ups and selfies at a distance reference of “0.3m to 0.6m”. Users can select Standard Mode for everything in between.
Self-timer: It is at hand to help create the perfect group image, and MINI 99’s flash controls include Auto mode, Fill-in (flash will always fire regardless of lighting), Red-eye Removal, or the option to turn the flash off, depending on the user’s lighting situation.
Grip and Tripod Mount: To enhance grip in even the most active image-making situations, MINI 99 comes with a precision-milled, Base Grip with Tripod Mount that also acts as a grip when attached to the camera (tripod sold separately).