Fuji tries to fill Polaroid's shoes

If you grew up in the 1960s, '70s or '80s, the sound of a Polaroid camera is probably one of your fond (or not-so-fond) holiday memories. Although Polaroid instant cameras are a thing of the past, you can still have some instant-photo fun this holiday season thanks to Fuji's Instax instant cameras.

The Instax line was introduced in the U.S. late last year after debuting in Europe and Asia, where most cool electronics seem to get their start. There are two models available: the Instax mini 7 (*Est. $90) and the Instax 200 (*Est. $50). Unlike the sleek Polaroid SX-70 of yore, the Instax cameras are chunky and plasticky -- as if Fisher-Price had redesigned the Polaroid -- and they don't fold. The mini 7 measures 5 inches by 5 inches by 2.5 inches, while the 200 measures 7 inches by 3.7 inches by 4.6 inches. Both cameras use four AA batteries, have a built-in flash, and provide very basic exposure controls. That's it.

Reviews for the Fuji Instax 200 are rather scarce, but we did find enough information to give us an idea of how it performs. We found a very detailed critique of the Instax 200 by Kentucky-based photographer Michael Sebastian, who says the camera earns a "qualified thumbs-up" for its limited controls, but loves the images it produces. We also found a handful of user reviews. Less than 10 owners post reviews of the Fuji Instax 200 at Amazon.com, but they're all very positive. They say the camera, while bulky, is fun to use at family events and at parties, and a couple users say the Fuji is ideal for their children or elderly parents. We also found a handful of positive user reviews at Adorama.com.

A handful of professionals also review the Fuji Instax mini 7. PC World has an excellent video review of the mini that shows the camera in action. Reviewer Sarah Jacobsson says the camera "would make a good stocking stuffer for people who want to play around at a party." She praises the mini's print quality and says its built-in image stabilization helps produce sharp images. Geoff Duncan of DigitalTrends.com also reviews the mini, saying, "As a camera, the unit isn't all that spectacular, but it'll do the job for fun-and-games and the younger set." Likewise, Wired's Geek Dad blog praises the mini as a fun camera that offers instant gratification, but says that at $90, it's a pricey toy. There are no user reviews at Amazon.com, and only one (very positive) writeup at retailer B&H's website.

Like Polaroid cameras of yore, the Fuji Instax cameras use proprietary color film packs (daylight-balanced ISO 800) with 10 exposures each, and like Polaroid photos, the per-print price isn't cheap. Amazon.com sells twin packs of FujiFilm Instax film for the Instax 200 (*Est. $16) and Fujifilm Instax mini film (*Est. $15) through third-party retailers. Unlike Polaroid film, the Fuji film produces rectangular, rather than square prints -- Instax 200 prints measure roughly 4 inches by 2.5 inches, while Instax mini prints are approximately 2.5 inches by 1.8 inches. But price aside, most reviews we found praised the film as producing vivid, colorful prints, but were a little on the soft side. InfoSyncWorld.com's review of the Instax 200 is particularly helpful, as the writers post scans of several photos they shot with the camera as well as nine shots of the camera itself, so you can judge photo quality yourself.

So is are the Fuji Instax instant cameras worth buying? If you're a serious photographer who thinks nothing of shooting 100 or 200 pictures at a time, you're better off sticking with your digital SLR or compact camera. But if you want a first camera for your child, or one that you can bring to parties and family gatherings, the Fuji Instax cameras are guaranteed to provide instant satisfaction. Just remember those prints aren't cheap.