When comparing Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 vs Lomo'Instant Wide, the Slant community recommends Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 for most people. In the question“What are the best instant cameras under $150?” Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 is ranked 3rd while Lomo'Instant Wide is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 is:
This camera does a decent job of taking good quality photos without any additional tweaking. It generally does pretty well at setting the exposure needed, resulting in accurately exposed pictures. The flash will fire automatically in dim conditions, even if it is not turned on.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Good picture quality in automatic mode
This camera does a decent job of taking good quality photos without any additional tweaking. It generally does pretty well at setting the exposure needed, resulting in accurately exposed pictures. The flash will fire automatically in dim conditions, even if it is not turned on.
Pro Can adjust exposure compensation
The Instax Wide 300 has button for adjusting exposure compensation.
Pro Large prints
Photos the size of the credit card have become popular with these instant cameras, but the Instax prints larger photos, reminiscent of old instant film cameras.
Pro Mechanical lens cover
Has a lens cover that automatically closes when the camera is off.
Pro Comes with an attachment for taking selfies
This camera comes with an attachment for taking selfies.
Pro Creative control with settings and modes
While this camera does not give you full manual control, it still leaves plenty of room for creativity, with its shooting modes and the ability to take double exposures (i.e. expose the same sheet of film twice or more to blend the images). The bulb mode is great for long exposures and night photography. The fixed shutter speed mode is especially useful when used together with external flashes.
Pro Available in value packages with two extra lenses
There's the option of purchasing the Lomo'Instant Wide in a package deal that includes an ultra-wide angle lens (21mm equivalent) and a macro lens (up to 0.1m focus). These two lenses complement the default, general purpose, lens (35mm equivalent).
Pro Wide variety of accessories
This camera comes with an extensive array of accessories: a wide-angle conversion lens, a macro lens, a splitzer, as well as additional viewfinders and color filters. Other manufacturer and third-party accessories are also available for reasonable prices. It's worth nothing there's the option of buying the camera without any accessories, and then buy the accessory kit individually later, but this is less cost effective.
Pro Very good value per shot
This instant camera uses the Fuji Instax Wide film, which is twice as big as the Instax Mini format (the actual image size is 3.4” x 4.25" on a 2.1” × 3.4" card). A pack of Instax Wide film costs around $10 for 10 photographs, so one shot will cost $1. Considering that, when comparing to the Mini format, you get bigger photos for a very small price increase, this camera offers great value per shot.
Pro Commonly available batteries
Unlike some other cameras, that use uncommon battery types, the Instant Wide uses common AA batteries.
Pro Can be used on a tripod
This camera is mountable on a tripod.
Pro No selfie film wasting
The built-in selfie mirror makes taking self-portraits much easier, eliminating the risk of wasting film on wrongly framed guesses.
Pro Classic, attractive design
Design-wise, the Instant Wide has a classic feel, coming in five different color options.
Pro Wide film for big pictures
This camera uses the bigger-that-usual Instax Wide film cartridges, which is one of the reasons why it’s bigger than the alternatives.
Pro Infrared activated shutter
The shutter can be activated via an infrared emitter built into the lens cap.
Pro Focus can be set manually
This cameras focus is set manually, with markings between 0.5m-1m / 1m-2m / 2m-infinity.
Pro Possibility to sync with external flash
The camera can be synced with an external flash via a PC sync socket.
Pro Flash on/off can be set manually
The flash can be turned on or off manually.
Pro Sensor for properly adjusted exposure level
The Instant Wide camera uses an ambient light meter for exposure measurements, which works great under bright lighting, but struggles in dark environments.
Cons
Con Large, when compared to some of its competitors
The camera, while thin, is still large when compared to other cameras, due to its use of Instax Wide films and 4 AA type batteries for power.
Con Not comfortable to use with glasses
The viewfinder sticks out on the left side of the camera and is too tiny to comfortably look into while wearing glasses.
Con Defaults to the closer focus when shut off
Each time the camera is shut off, it goes back to the default 0.3m - 3m focus setting, which can be confusing and annoying.
Con Easy to understand controls.
The Instax Wide 300 only includes the basic controls. The shutter button is easy to access in landscape or portrait mode. There are only two buttons on the back, one to switch enable/disable the flash and a button for adjusting exposure compensation. A back display shows film count and current shooting mode. The focus mode can be changed by twisting the lens.
Con Counter-intuitive focusing mechanism
There are two focus settings: 0.9 - 3m or 3m to infinity. While the camera does a decent job at taking pictures in these modes, it does become confusing when the subject is approximately 3 meters away and you have to guess the mode that you need to use.
Con No autofocus
This camera doesn't have autofocus.
Con Sometimes the picture gets overexposed
In some cases the camera tends to overexpose the picture, necessitating adjusting the exposure control to darken the image.
Con Not the most handy camera to carry around
The Instant Wide is big and boxy (7.32" x 9.76" x 4.57"). If you plan to take it with you on a trip, you will need to reserve some space. The main reason for this is the fact that it uses wide film and AA batteries.
Con Limited exposure compensation
Exposure compensation is limited and can only be set to -1, 0 or +1 EV.
Con Light meter doesn't work properly in badly lit setting
The light sensor for exposure adjustment struggles in dark environments.