Tag Archives: Film Photography

{Instax Mini 90} Upgrade U

April 2, 2015 8:00 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

You know I procured an Instax Mini 50s last year, right? I wanted to test the waters of Instax Mini before investing in the ultimate Mini camera: the Mini 90. While I did enjoy the results I got from the 50s, I found some of the features (or lack thereof) to be limiting. Therefore, I decided it was time to give myself an UPGRADE. Enter: The Fuji Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic (which is quite a mouthful of a name for a small camera!)

Can you blame me? Phwoar!

About the Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic: 

  • Film type: Fuji Instax Mini (800 ASA)
  • Shutter speed range: auto range of 1.8s – 1/400s, maximum of 10s exposure in bulb mode
  • Two shutter release buttons (one on top for shooting landscape orientation and one on front for portrait orientation)
  • Focusing: 3 user-selectable settings: .3m-.6m macro mode, .6m -3m normal mode, 3m-∞ landcape mode
  • Exposure system: automatic, with the ability to choose to Lighten or Darken each exposure (+2/3 or -2/3, or +1 on extra Lighten)
  • Power supply: rechargeable proprietary battery (I believe the only Instax to employ a proprietary battery)
  • Flash: auto (with brightness control available,) forced flash (flash on,) flash off, red eye reduction mode
  • Modes and exposure settings achieved through buttons on the back of the camera or in conjunction with a mode dial wheel around the lens.
  • Double exposure mode
  • “Kids mode” (faster shutter speed to capture a moving object such as a child or pet)
  • “Party mode” (slow-sync flash)

mode buttons and LCD screen which shows battery power, mode selected, and the number of shots taken

The main draw to the Mini 90 for me, and for most people I know who have that camera, is the fact that you can switch off the camera’s flash. All the other Mini cameras only offer auto flash. I personally found this to be irritating, because there were times when using the Mini 50s that I KNEW the flash wasn’t needed but the camera chose to use it anyway.

The other reason I wanted the Mini 90 was its built-in macro setting. With such small photos, I often wish to fill the frame more thoroughly than was allowed by my 50s and its minimum focus distance.

I am going to admit right here and now that these features I was so keen on having in an Instax camera also have brought with them a learning curve. I wrote which settings I used on the back of each photo after it was taken so I could chart my successes and my failures. The thing I didn’t know about this camera’s macro feature is that it stops the lens’s aperture down to f/22. YIKES. My first attempts at using macro + no flash + bulb didn’t go too well.

Left to right, failed macro exposures: 1) flash off, auto exposure, Lighten, macro 2) flash off, macro, bulb, 2 seconds 3) flash off, macro, bulb, 6 seconds 4) flash off, macro, bulb, 10 seconds

flash off, auto exposure, macro, Lighten

no flash, auto exposure, Darken

flash off, macro, bulb, 6 seconds
My Tower Bridge platter – aka “the most beautiful thing I own.” Thanks Clark 🙂

flash off, auto exposure, Darken
Sonja moved during the exposure, so her eyes are blurry. But I like how vibrant and glowing her eyes are in this photo! Guest appearances made by my purse and scarf in the background.

flash off, auto exposure, Lighten

flash off, auto exposure, Darken
Oh, Wyatt

Pack two shot with the Mini 90 went MUCH better than the first pack did (plus it was my fave: rainbow frames!)

Flash off, auto exposure, macro, Lighten
Jar of conversation hearts

Left: flash off, macro, bulb, 6-7 seconds. Right: flash off, macro, bulb, 10 seconds
🙁 Trying to photograph my new candy apple red stand mixer. Bad luck with macro again.

flash off, macro, bulb, 2-3 seconds
Mini vegan pear pie ♥

flash off, auto exposure, macro, Lighten
Pie and conversation hearts

flash off, auto exposure, Lighten
Luv bots ♥

flash off, auto exposure (macro mode on shot #3 of the bikes)
Rainbow bikes and rainbow frames!

flash off, macro, bulb exposure, 10 seconds
Finally success photographing my new KitchenAid stand mixer! I had to draw the curtains back to try to get more light to the mixer.

Conclusion?

I have no doubt that the Instax Mini 90 and I are going to be good friends. I just have to learn how to make the best of the very features which were the reason I upgraded to this camera in the first place. Now that we are exiting the winter of our discontent and heading for spring, I hope to make better use of the Mini 90. Watch this space. I expect it to be filled with more Mini 90 photos soon!

Posted in: camera equipment, camera review, film photography, Fuji Instax ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

{Compilation} Holly Springs, Mississippi

March 30, 2015 9:18 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

This winter, I went to the town of Holly Springs, Mississippi for little photo excursions a couple of times.  The town is the county seat for Marshall County, Mississippi and has a really cute town square where I enjoy doing photography. I have shared a handful of photos from those photo excursions here on Shoot With Personality already, but I really wanted to compile those previously-shared photos with a lot of new ones I recently had developed!

Fuji Instax Mini 50s • Instax Mini Rainbow Frame film

Kiev 4AM • Kodak Gold 200

Kiev 4AM • Kodak Gold 200

Diana F+ • expired Fuji Provia 400, cross-processed

Kiev 4AM • Ilford FP4+

Fuji GA645i • Fuji Pro 400H

I really love exploring Holly Springs with my camearas, so I’m sure you’ll be seeing more photos of it here soon!

Posted in: film photography, travel photography ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,

{Snow Day} B&W

March 26, 2015 9:42 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

We had so much fun that day. Snow ball fights and lots of laughs…

Canon Sure Shot Sleek • Kodak BW400CN shot at 1600

Posted in: family, film photography, personal ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

My Favorite Faves: Olympus Stylus Epic

March 25, 2015 7:35 am ⋅ 3 Comments ⋅

The Olympus Stylus Epic. It’s an old friend of mine. Blogging about it has been a long time coming.

You can see that it’s an “old friend” of mine by how worn out it is. This is actually my SECOND Stylus Epic. The previous one was just as scuffed up as this one though.

First things first, here is some information about the Olympus Stylus Epic (aka Olympus Mju-II elsewhere in the world):

  • Compact, “clamshell” design
  • Weather-resistant design (not water-submersible, but safe for use in rain, snow, beach, etc.)
  • 35mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 (!!!)
  • Spot metering available
  • Flash modes: auto, fill flash, off (!!!), red eye reduction, night mode, red eye reduction night mode
  • Focusing as close as 1.1ft/.35m
  • Shutter speed range of 1/1000s-4s (that’s more than some SLRs give you!)

I’ve been having a difficult time writing this post. In fact, I first drafted this blog in January 2014, but I got no further than writing the title. This is the first time I’ve set “pen to paper” (keyboard to text box?) in order to complete this post. The reason I’ve been having a hard time getting this post together is that I have looked at the photos which would be included in it, and I’ve thought, “These are just the same old pictures that I’ve seen a million times.” I think that I’ve gotten to the bottom of that way of thinking though: They seem like “the same old pictures that I’ve seen a million times” because they are some true classics when it comes to memories I’ve captured on film.

Stretch Arm Strong in Augusta, Georgia. 2001.

Stretch Arm Strong. Augusta, Georgia. 2001.

This is actually the same photo as the one above it, but I printed it on black and white paper in the darkroom for the photo class I was taking at the time.

For some reason, my friends started jumping into each others’ arms one night. 2001.

Kayla, watching a band in the basement of of The Map Room. 2001.

A band playing in The Map Room basement. 2001.

Upstairs at The Map Room. 2001.

Downtown Memphis. 2001.

Underoath in Birminham, Alabama – January 2002

My niece was about to cry…2002.

Cody and Mel. 2002.

Never Cry Wolf at the Map Room. 2002.

twothirtyeight. 2002.

My niece on my brother-in-law’s lap at The Apple Barn. Sevierville, Tennessee. 2002.

An abandoned heart. 2003.

An 80s party at our DIY venue, The Caravan. 2003.

Annie and Carrie at Valentine’s dinner. 2004.

Nathalie at Huey’s. 2004.

Jason’s birthday party. 2004 (not pictured: Jason)

Nathalie’s apartment, before the girls and I went to see a play. 2004.

Monica, after our shared birthday dinner at Pho Hoa Bihn. 2004.

My niece outside their new house the first night they moved in. 2004.

Valentine’s Day at a Mexican restaurant. 2005.

My niece drawing in church. Late 2005.

My belongings. 2006.

Meredith. Food Not Bombs. 2006.

JayBay at Food Not Bombs. 2006.

Food Not Bombs. 2006.

Kesley with a giant strawberry. Food Not Bombs. 2006.

My niece and mom being lovey dove. 2006.

My niece’s car. 2006.

My bag and buttons. 2006.

Nathalie and Elizabeth at Rally Point. 2006.

Java Cabana. 2006.

Java Cabana. 2006.

Kelsey at Java Cabana. 2006.

My niece, dancing outside the FedEx Forum. 2006.

My niece at a wishing fountain. 2006.

My niece at the Orpheum. 2006.

The Orpheum. 2006.

My first time on a train, after a sleepless overnight flight to London. 2006.

A book I bought off a £1 sale shelf at a small London bookshop. 2006.

The door to the hostel where I stayed. London. 2006.

Trafalgar Square. London. 2006.

My first time seeing Big Ben. 2006.

Selfridges. Birmingham, England. 2006.

Birmingham, England. 2006.

Birmingham, England. 2006.

Vintage shop. Birmingham, England. 2006.

Champs. 2008.

Lunch at Garibaldi’s. 2008.

My mom’s fabulous shoes. 2009.

Curtains. 2009.

A very silly picture of my niece on her back stoop. Never-before-seen. 2009. 

I’ve included a lot of snapshots taken at parties, dinners with friends, and random nights on the town. They’re not great artistic masterpieces or anything, but I did want to showcase what a great tool the Stylus Epic is for situations like that. It’s honestly got the most balanced built-in flash I’ve ever experienced on a point-and-shoot camera. I used to have the Stylus Epic with me at all times, which is one reason I have so many casual photos of time I spent with my niece when she was younger. It’s one of the cameras that saved my bacon when I went to England for the first time and my primary camera, an SLR, kept malfunctioning! I won’t tell you that it’s the perfect camera (I have yet to encounter that,) but the Olympus Stylus Epic has a lot to offer in a cute little package.

Side note: For a camera I love so much, I haven’t used it much in recent years. I think that’s because I began using the Olympus XA in the Epic’s place. Which is quite alright. They are both great cameras which have seen heavy rotation in my photographic life. I suffer from a problem called “so many cameras, so little time!” But I’ve now loaded my Stylus Epic with film and tossed it into my purse to see if I can recapture the magic *fingers crossed*

Posted in: camera equipment, favorite faves, film photography ⋅ Tagged: , , ,