An Instant Revival

Fujifilm Spurs an Instant Film Photography Comeback but Where Does It Go Next? 
 

- Gary Pageau

INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY IS ENJOYING A RESURGENCE among both young snap shooters and even some pros, with several makers—from established brands to startups—offering cameras and films to scratch that instant itch. Most photo buffs know the Polaroid story; how the company went bankrupt and is now operating as essentially a brand licensing company putting the Polaroid name on everything from TVs to Blu-ray players to tablets to, yes, cameras and film.

True “Polaroid” instant film stopped production in 2008 but boutique makers such as the Impossible Project have kept the dream alive with new formulations. Yet, one classic photo company kept its own dream alive all along by quietly introducing the fun of instant photography and prints to a whole new generation.

And while teenage girls are a huge segment of the market for Fuji’s Instax line, “serious” photographers have also taken note.

If you are surprised, don’t be. Fujifilm has had a long history in the instant photography business, even providing OEM manufacturing services for Polaroid back in the heyday of instant photography. In the 1980s, Fujifilm was licensed by Polaroid to sell instant film under its own brand in Japan. After Polaroid’s 2008 bankruptcy, Fujifilm began to export the product to North America and Europe. By then, Fujifilm already had a decade of experience selling instant cameras to teenage girls in Japan.

Ten years earlier, the company developed the Instax format, similar in size to Polaroid’s Spectra format (though not compatible with Spectra cameras) with cameras called Instax Wide and a smaller version called the Instax Mini. It’s the Mini that’s gained popularity with casual snapshooters.