The camera itself obviously has to be large enough to accommodate the bigger prints, and Fujifilm has committed to a chunky aesthetic all round, with a large grip and an absolutely enormous lens. It’s probably fair to say that the Instax Wide isn’t the most attractive instant camera around. In fact it’s almost certainly the ugliest, which is a bit of a problem for a product category that’s driven almost entirely by aesthetics.
Still, it doesn’t affect how the camera actually functions, and the Wide 300 is pretty solid. Controls are simple: two levels of autofocus for the 95mm lens, basic flash settings, and the option to reduce or increase exposure slightly to brighten or darken photos. Given the wide prints it’s no surprise that the Wide 300 excels at longer ranges, picking up more detail in landscape and building photos than any of its rivals, but struggling to focus on close-ups or selfies – though the additional included close-up lens does improve things somewhat.
Portraits can turn out great though, as long as you get used to framing for landscape, with warm skin tones – though you have to take care with the flash, which can overpower some shots. The new orientation is also great for parties – it takes a lot less work to cram multiple people into the same shot now. Tech Advisor’s Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he’s a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
