DT Next Tech | A camera and fashion accessory rolled into one

CHENNAI: Printing your photos on the go is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re busy snapping selfies or sharing memories on Instagram. The Instax Mini 41 from Fujifilm allows you to capture the moment both digitally and as a printed photo.

The Mini 41 is a follow up to the brand’s Instax Mini 40 and sticks to its predecessor’s classic design. It adds a sleek and stylish appeal to that classic look with black and dark-toned silver as the base colors, accented with a touch of orange. We like the attention to detail in the design - the lower part of the camera is finely textured for an easy grip. The Mini 41 is pitched as camera and a stylish fashion accessory.

In a country where a whole new generation of storytellers continue to explore India’s fasciation of the visual medium, the Instax Mini 41 offers a cool new perspective on capturing these stories. Load the film in the camera and you’re good to go. The Mini 41 gives you a host of controls to customise your photo experience. There’s an Automatic Light Adjustment function automatically that senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed and optimises the shutter speed and flash output according to the lighting conditions. The camera can snap photos optimally exposed to the main subject and the background in different scenarios including bright outdoors, low-light indoors, close-ups and selfies.

You can activate ‘Close-up mode’ by rotating the lens. This mode is just what you need for selfies or close-up images. You can use the old-school Selfie Mirror beside the lens to check the composition of a finished print while shooting. The Mini 41 allows you to adjust the viewfinder field of view to match the actual printout area in close-up shots (parallax adjustment). You can easily enjoy close-up shots without having to shift the centre point seen through the viewfinder.

The Instax Mini gives you the option to share these memories digitally through the companion app by digitising these prints as high-res images that bridge the OG appeal of this camera with your social feed. At a time when we’re caught up with digital memories, the Instax Mini 41 is a wonderful throwback. (Rs 10,499)

(Ashwin Rajagopalan is a lifestyle writer and consumer technology expert. Catch the latest digital and tech updates in this weekly column.)