Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo is a hybrid digital-instant film camera that mixes the best of both modern and classic camera tech – but the series is about to gain the ability to “time travel” to different eras. On Wednesday, January 7, Fujifilm Japan announced the Instax Mini Evo Cienma, which is not only the first Instax to shoot video but a Super 8-inspired camcorder with an “Eras Dial” to replicate common film looks from different decades.
While the camera was announced in Japan, where it will begin shipping on January 30, Fujifilm has not indicated if the Instax Mini Evo Cinema may come to other regions. It's possible that the new Instax could be a Japanese exclusive.
The Instax Mini Evo Cinema doesn’t look much like the earlier Mini Evo model without the Cinema in the name. That’s because the camera is modeled after Fujifilm’s Fujica Single-8 series of cine cameras, which launched in 1965. The Evo Cinema is vertically oriented, with a trigger-style button for recording videos of up to 15 seconds long.
But what’s perhaps the most unique feature on the camera is what Fujifilm is calling the “Eras Dial,” a dial that allows users to choose a decade to replicate a style of photography popular in that time frame. The dial starts at 1930 and climbs in increments of 10 all the way to what looks like 2020.
Fujifilm explains that the 1960s era replicates the look of Super 8, 1980 is designed to look like 35mm color negatives, while 2010 is meant to replicate photo editing smartphone apps. A dial around the lens allows users to adjust the “degree” to maximize or minimize the effect.
That Eras Dial even affects the video’s audio, such as the whir that comes from film reels.
Of course, as an Instax camera, the Evo Cinema can shoot still photos too, with a switch at the side. Instax prints spit out of the top, and QR codes allow users to “print” videos by using a still and linking to the video file. Prints are controlled with a tactile lever at the side.
A monitor at the rear of the Super-8-inspired camera frames the shot, but Fujifilm Japan also indicates that a viewfinder attachment will be available for converting that small screen into an electronic viewfinder. An attachment to make the grip larger and a dedicated case will also be available.
The camera is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and also functions as an Instax printer for photos captured from a smartphone.
The Evo Cinema isn’t the first attempt to bring Super 8 into digital videography – there’s also the Camp Snap CS-8. But, based on the images, the Evo Cinema looks quite a bit more compact. The ability to not only take but print still photos is something the CS-8 doesn’t have, then of course, there’s that unusual Eras Dial.
As far as I’m aware, the Evo Cinema looks like the first Instax hybrid capable of shooting videos – though earlier models like the Instax Mini LiPlay+ could record sound to pair with a photo slideshow.
With the Evo Cinema only announced in Japan, it’s unclear if the new camera will be released in other regions in the future. Fujifilm Japan also hasn’t yet shared a price or a full specification sheet, so factors like how much the camera will cost and what sort of sensor the camera is housing are still unknown.
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