On the 7th of April 2021, Fuji Film will be releasing their new camera, the Mini 40.
These are my predictions as to what the features of this camera may be. Given that I have not worked out the logic of the naming convention of Instax cameras, I am relying on what I know about Instax cameras to try and predict what features this new camera may have. I will try and mention everything that I consider relevant to this post. The next paragraph will contain some speculation as to the aesthetics of the camera and where I think this camera fits in the Instax Mini line.
Given that FujiFilm released the Mini 11 last year, which has become their easiest to use camera, I don’t believe that the Mini 40 camera will be another one for this line. In more recent years the Instax 9 (2017) was also released. However, given that the Mini 70 was released in 2015 and the Mini Neo 90 was released in 2013 that leads me to think about the new camera will be a refresh of the Mini 90. I believe this camera will be fully analogue, like most of the Mini range. Instax have a digital LiPlay Mini camera (2019), which strengthens my view that the Mini 40 will be an analogue camera. I have included crops of the three publicity photo’s released by FujiFilm. As you can see the camera is rectangular, and has a black leatherette covering. The Neo 90 had a similar look with both a brown and black colour option. It would be surprising if this camera only had one colour option, as every other Instax camera across all three formats, come in multiple colour options. My guess is that this camera will come in a minimum of two colours, black and brown, like the Neo 90. The Neo 90 was designed to look more like a vintage 35mm camera, so I am presuming that the Mini 40 will be similar. In all three photos the hand on the left hand side of the image seems to have a finger over the shutter button. The hand on the right hand side of the image in all three photos seems to just support the camera. As far as I can see from the photos below, the bottom on the camera is the long side that you can see on the right hand side of the image. The viewfinder seems to be placed in the top left hand side with the shutter button just below it. I think the Mini 40 will look very similar to the Neo 90. This is another reason as to why I think the Mini 40 will be a refresh of the Neo 90 and not the Mini 70.
Both the Mini 11 and SQ1 have a ‘selfie’ lens position, rather than the usual ‘selfie’ attachment that has come with previous Instax camera models, I am also taking for granted that it will still have the ‘selfie mirror’ that is now standard on Instax cameras. I don’t think it will have a ‘selfie’ mode, if the camera has a ‘selfie’ lens setting. The last number of higher featured Instax Cameras have had a ‘selfie’ mode. I presume that given that the Mini 11 and the SQ1 are the most recent Instax cameras released and have the ‘selfie’ lens position, that this camera will also have that feature, as it is far more convenient than having to carry the ‘selfie’ attachment with you. That being said, both the Mini 11 and SQ1 are the simplest to use cameras that Instax have, so they have very few controls for the photographer to pick from. This camera will use the Instax Mini film like all the other Instax Mini cameras. Instax cameras are not known for a massive upgrade in features when they update, so I am expecting this camera to have more little tweaks rather than massive changes.
The Mini range lens is usually 60 mm and ƒ/12.7, i’m not sure that this will change. The shutter speed may be improved on the Neo 90, so that the camera can improve its dynamic range. I hope it has a rechargeable battery, like the Neo 90 rather than a CR2’s, or AA’s that have been used in previous models. I hope FujiFilm have reduced the parallax error present in all Instax cameras, as this can be a bit difficult learning curve at the start of peoples time using an Instax. This range of cameras has softer operational sounds than some of the other Instax cameras, which is pleasant. Hopefully there will be a tripod socket on the camera, this useful feature is not something that all the Instax cameras have.
The Modes and features that I hope and think will be available on the Mini 40 are:
1. Automatic Exposure Control
2. Brightness Control +/-
3. Self Timer
4. Fill in Flash
5. High Key
6. Landscape Mode: 3m – ∞
7. Macro Mode: 0.3m – 0.6m (30-60cms)
8. Double Exposure Mode
9. Kids/Pet mode
Gallagher Photography 