We here at Macworld like to talk about the the cutting edge of technology, but we’ve got a lot of admiration for the tech of yesteryear as well. And that’s why we’re fans of this Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 instant film camera bundle that’s selling on Amazon for just $89.99. Its list price is $169.99, but in practice it normally sells for around $100, so you’re actually getting around a $15 discount.
Think of it as a modern old-style Polaroid camera. As dozens of user reviews attest, it’s good for parties and other social events where it’s fun to take photos in more memorable ways than the predictable selfie. It’s also a great conversation starter.
You’ll only get 20 sheets (meaning shots, in this case), and so it’s best to focus on quality over quantity with a device like this. As a bonus, the package comes with an attractive case, a cleaning cloth, and a recharger for charging the four AA batteries to takes to power the camera.
Currently extra packs of color film sheets cost $12.60 each (down from $20.75), but you can also pick up monochrome (black and white) sheets if you don’t mind paying $22.59.
The sheets themselves measure 5.4 x 8.6 cm, which is roughly the same size of a credit card. In other words, don’t expect the larger, boxy photos you get with a proper Polaroid. In Fujifilm’s defense, though, that’s a much better size for slipping one of these instant photos in your wallet.
Author: Leif Johnson, Contributing Writer
Leif is a San Francisco-based tech journalist. He's a big fan of fantasy RPGs, and you can find his previous work on IGN, Rolling Stone, VICE, PC Gamer, Playboy, Mac|Life, TechRadar, and numerous other publications.