Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo - Modern, Instant, Analog - My New Toy on the 4th of July

Image Source: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/instant_photo/cameras/instax_mini_90/

 

When I attended the Film Photography Project (FPP) Walking Workshop several weeks back, I sort of got re-energized about instant film photography.

 

(Click Here) to read about FPP. Support them - they're keeping film alive and available for us all, with the help of us all.

 

One of the many nice people I met there at the workshop had a Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo camera, the one shown above (and available from Amazon with the link below - please buy yours with the link!). This camera uses the newer Fuji Instax Mini film, which I hope will be around for a very long time. It produces prints that are about the size of a 6x9 medium format image. They seem to scan pretty well.

 

While most of the Instax cameras are completely automatic and not controllable to a large extent, the Neo has several features for more involved photographers. For example, it as a B setting for time exposures, for example. The following shots show you how I used the B setting to photograph our family fireworks on the 4th of July.

 

In B setting, the Neo has a maximum exposure time of 10 seconds. That proved to be plenty, since Instax film has a speed of iso 800. I also used an external flash to light up my daughter while the shutter was open.

 

 

In the shot above, a car drove by during exposure, leaving the horizontal streaks.

Areas with severe overexposure take on a crazy look, as shown above. I like it.

This shot is my favorite of the bunch.

 

I'll continue to explore the Fuji Neo in coming posts. It's a lot of fun for the money (~$150). In addition to the cool functional features, the Neo is styled after other Fujifilm cameras, and looks like a slightly mis-shapen X100.

 

So, join the modern world of analog instant photography! Buy your Neo and film with the Amazon link below.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

What to do on the 5th of July? Smithsonian Folkways Festival.

Image Source: http://startstudioarts.si.edu/2014/07/the-smithsonian-folkways-festival.html

 

Well, as I write this, it's the 4th of July, Independence Day here in the USA. I have time to get out and do some photography tomorrow, but where to go? What to do?

 

While it's not easy to get into Washington DC this weekend, I think I'll explore the Smithsonian Folkways Festival. An annual event, this year's festival is focused on Kenya and China.

 

(Click Here) to read the post on the S+Art blog that got me motivated to fight the crowd tomorrow.

 

I think I'll probably be able to find parking tomorrow if I get into town early enough. Unfortunately, the festival doesn't really start until 11:00AM, when the worst light of the day will be out. But, I'll just get in there early and make the best of the morning light before things get going.

 

Now to decide how and what I want to photograph. I'm sure that the performers will be a great attraction. Maybe I'll shoot Leica. Or, there's that new 35mm f2.8 pre-AI Nikkor that I recently got a deal on and haven't tried yet... Maybe I'll put that on my F2.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com