Instax recently announced its latest instant camera, the Instax Mini 99, but how does it compare to its predecessor, the Instax Mini 90?
The Mini 99 takes many of the features and manual controls fans loved on the Mini 90 and adds two new dials and a revamped design. Keep reading to learn how the Instax Mini 99 compares to the Instax Mini 90…
The Instax Mini 99 has six colour effects
One of the biggest differences between the Instax Mini 90 and the Instax Mini 99 is the increased number of manual controls on the latter. These come in the form of two dials – one for exposure and another for colour effects.
The Instax Mini 99 includes a total of six analogue colour effects which can be accessed using the Colour Effect Dial. These colour modes use four colour-changing LEDs inside the camera, allowing you to create a range of different styles and effects depending on the mode.
The six colour modes include Faded Green (FG), Warm Tone (WT), Light Blue (LB), Soft Magenta (SM), Sepia (SP), Light Leak (LL), and exist alongside a Normal mode which offers a more classic, neutral look.
The Instax Mini 90 is available in brown
The Instax Mini 90 is available in two colours, black and brown, whereas the Instax Mini 99 only comes in black.
The Mini 90 is also slightly smaller, more lightweight and features silver panels across two edges of the camera for a two-tone look.
The Instax Mini 99 includes an exposure dial
Along with the Colour Effect Dial, the Instax Mini 99 also includes a new exposure dial called the Brightness Control Dial. This dial allows you to control the exposure manually rather than relying on the auto exposure function already available on the camera.
The Brightness Control Dial includes five settings – L+, L, N, D and D-. N is the default setting, while turning the dial toward L+ increases the exposure for a brighter image and turning it toward D- reduces the brightness for a darker, moodier effect.
The Instax Mini 90 is cheaper
Finally, it’s worth considering the price difference between the two cameras. The Instax Mini 90 is priced at £134.99, while the Instax Mini 99 costs £174.99.
While the Instax Mini 99 does include a larger number of manual controls, both cameras offer a good amount of control and flexibility. For this reason, if you don’t feel as though you’ll get much use out of the colour modes or exposure dial, you may want to stick with the cheaper Instax Mini 90.
That said, those looking for the most creative control over their images will appreciate the additional dials on the Instax Mini 99.
