The Instax Wide Rabbit Hole

This week, YouTube creator Kyle McDougall published a vlog about using his Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 camera with some Instax Wide Monochrome film.

The camera is fairly limited in its functions. It's an automatic camera, with no real exposure control beyond a lighter-darker slider. But Kyle has demonstrated what can be achieved with such a camera.

In the video, he shows some really quite lovely photographs. Each is a unique capture, and the results are better than you might think a camera like this could manage.

I have a bit of a Frankenstein's monster of a camera that also uses Instax Wide film. Mine uses a Chroma Camera Snapshot Instant Edition, which acts as a dock for the LomoGraflok 4x5 Instant Back. The camera has a lens cone that allows me to use a Schneider-Kreuznach Super-Angulon 90mm lens.

It's a ridiculous rig. It also cost a fortune.

The lens was £250, the Chroma Camera body came in at just shy of £300, and the LomoGraflok back cost £150. Oh, and I added a Voigtländer 28mm viewfinder for another £100.

Those of you doing the maths, please don't judge me. Yes, £750 for an instant camera is a bit spendy, and I agree that most people can't afford to spend that kind of money on one.

In my defence, I already owned the lens and the LomoGraflok back.

Unlike the Fujifilm camera, I have full control over aperture and shutter speed, allowing me to dial in the exposure and get results that are more closely aligned with my expectations.

Of course, that control comes with a responsibility. If I get the exposure wrong, I can't blame the camera. There's no automatic exposure system to point the finger at. I made the decision, I got it wrong, and that's entirely on me.

But that's part of the appeal. I have control over the process, and when everything comes together, the resulting photograph is much closer to the image I had in mind.

That's not to say you need to spend £750 to enjoy Instax Wide. As Kyle has demonstrated, you can get some compelling photographs with the Fujifilm camera and a bit of thought about what you're photographing.

And that's really the point. You don't necessarily need an expensive camera with a multitude of controls to make an interesting photograph. Sometimes, working within the limitations of a camera is part of the fun.

Just be aware that if the bug bites, it bites hard.

one from the expensive rig