Travel back in time with the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo cinema camera

Even though we love the latest technology, we still have a respect for retro. Fujifilm has attempted to marry the two with the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, a camera that lets you take (and print) photos and videos with the resolution and colors appearing as they might have in decades past, going back almost 100 years.

Set the camera to 1930s mode and you can get those grainy, faded-colored photos and videos from the pre-WWII era. Get closer to the 1980s and get the vibrant colors of that decade. Or go with the 2020s setting for the high-resolution images we have now. Everything is done with a body inspired by an old 8mm camcorder.

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Bing Liem, head of Fujifilm, said the new camera combines a vintage look with modern features. “Mini Evo Cinema delivers a seamless and unique photography experience that offers the user a myriad of ways to transform casual moments into unforgettable moments,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

But these retro moments won’t come cheap. The Instax Mini Evo Cinema will retail for a suggested retail price of $410 in the United States. Fujifilm has announced that the device will be available in early February.

Go back in time

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema features a Gen Dial, which lets you set your photo or video mode to a specific decade. “Each era is designed to capture the look and feel of images from that era,” Fujifilm said.

This could be a useful device for a Depression themed party or 1980s long hair party. Or string on some beads and take yourself back to the swinging 60s.

There is also a degree control wheel, which allows you to adjust color, contrast and noise expression up to 10 different levels for each epoch.

15-second excerpts

If you want to create a video instead, you can switch Cine/Still mode to Cine for a video up to 15 seconds long, in the decade of your choice. You can film a series of shorter clips and the camera will stitch them together for a continuous video lasting a total of 15 seconds.

By downloading the free Instax Mini Evo smartphone app, you can connect via Bluetooth and create videos up to 30 seconds long.

There are several other features. You can add a frame – with the characteristics of each era – to each photo or video, zoom in or out and access a storage gallery where you keep and classify your masterpieces.

Photograph and print

The Instax Mini Evo features an analog-style lever for printing your photos or video clip images, straight from the camera. If you take a video and want to play it, the camera can print a QR code that you can scan with your phone and then watch the video.

Other features include remote shooting (via an app), a 1.54-inch LCD screen, viewfinder and grips, a USB-C port for charging and transferring, and a microSD card slot for adding photos and videos.