媒體報導

Mint Camera has announced the Sharpa Lens, a newly-designed replacement optic for the Polaroid SX-70 that it says is “the sharpest lens ever made” for the instant camera. The company says that its Sharpa lens solves what Mint calls a “fundamental limitation” with the optic that originally shipped with the SX-70. By making a brand new lens, Mint was able to use modern optical design technologies and produce a lens with seen layers of multi-coating that are also mold-free, haze-free, and scratch-free. The original SX-70 lens was last produced in 1977 and, as a result, nearly all examples available today suffer from serious problems, Mint says. The first is the condition of the coatings, which Mint says are often deteriorated. The original anti-reflection layers break down over time, causing flare and loss of contrast. Lens clarity is also affected by fungus, haze, and even blackening inside the lens elements, which the company says is “common in 50+ year old glass.” Finally, even if the lens doesn’t exhibit those issues, the consistency of the optics from that era is spotty. “Decades of wear cause each lens to perform differently, leading to unstable performance,” Mint says. With the Sharpa, that changes. “Every lens is built to the same standard, delivering the sharpest results every time.” The new lens, which is now available as part of its fully upgraded SX-70 cameras, is constructed of four elements and has the same 24.5cm (10 inches) to infinity manual focus range as the camera’s original lens. Below are a few sample images shot on Mint Camera’s SLR670, which is the upgraded version of the Polaroid SX-70 that it offers. The new Sharpa lens is available as part of Mint’s upgraded SLR670 Max camera, which it says includes all of Mint’s upgrades to the system. The camera also has Mint’s Time Machine attachment that adds both Auto and Manual shooting modes (with 16 shutter speeds). It also includes an external flash trigger, USB-C charging, compatibility with a range of film types, an improved light sensor for more accurate exposures, and a five-year warranty.

In many ways, the Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus is my favorite camera that I’ve reviewed this year. In a 2023 dominated by a ton of digital cameras and cheap film cameras, this is a welcome respite. So I’m going to say a few words — and know that all of them describe this camera. TLR. Manual controls. Square Format Instax Film. Clear viewfinder. Optics that Mint finally got right. Simplicity. To a camera reviewer that’s been doing this for the 15 or so years that I have, it sounds like a dream. And to many photographers looking for something different, you’re going to fall in love here. I’m not writing this review in the particular way that we approach camera reviews with all the headings and such. But instead, this is being written more as a letter of genuine appreciation for this product. The Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus is a proper TLR, just like the previous TL70 that Mint made. But while that one shot Instax mini, this one shoots Instax Square. And overall, it’s the perfect medium that more than just Golidelocks will appreciate. While the camera is pretty big, it’s innovative in that it’s only twin lens reflex camera that has an integrated instant film storage area. Load it up with Instax Square and you’ll be happy as can be. The camera has everything that you’d need too. There’s shutter control on the side that’s integrated in with the exposure dial. On the bottom, it has the aperture control. And then there’s the focusing dial that works well enough to get your subjects in focus. To aid that task, there’s an enlarger that lets you see the contents on the ground glass more clearly. Even so, I wish that this part of the loupe were a bit better. But it’s easy enough to shoot photos as long as you’re careful. There’s also an integrated flash and other controls that let you hook it up to an off-camera light. In many ways, the Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus is the dream camera that I wanted several years ago. And now that it’s here, I’m pretty stoked about it. Previous Mint cameras had issues with the coatings in the lens as they didn’t let the camera really show off how sharp Instax film can be. But this camera doesn’t have that issue. Instead, the Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus does a fantastic job rendering details as well as possible. But truthfully, that doesn’t matter much. All of the photos that I shot with this camera, I ended up giving away to the people I shot with it. Why? The more important part of all this is the big-ass smiles that it puts on everyone’s face. If your subject is a photographer or even just someone that’s an enthusiast, they’re going to love this. There’s a special fun that someone gets shaking an Instax print like it’s a Polaroid. And there’s even more joy in the reward that they get for when the image is fully developed for them to look at. Seriously, people hung these images on up their walls, on their bars, by their computers, etc. It made people happy. And overall, if I weren’t overloaded with tons of cameras and lenses to test, it would’ve made me even happier. You, reading this, don’t have that problem. So I’m pretty confident that the Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus will make you incredibly happy. My only qualm: I wish it were weather-resistant so that I could bring it with me everywhere. As it is, Mint’s products tend to be a bit delicate. So I’m not sure how long this camera will last me. We’re awarding the Mint Instantflex TL70 Plus 5 out of 5 stars. Go to Mint’s website to get one.

Come me with me the coast of Maine - a place incredibly dear to my heart and of my favorite parts of this Earth. I visit some of my usual spots, plus a few new ones to soak in the natural beauty of Maine and shoot some Instax Wide on my Mint InstantKon RF70. Lubec and the Bold Coast, Acadia National Park and the Harpswell area are the main stops on this trip. I hope you enjoy this visit around Vacation Land.

Hello, this is Gihwa who shoots film. Today's camera is the RF70, kindly lent to me by Gordon. Among finished cameras that use Instax Wide film, it’s the best-performing one (excluding medium-format cameras with attached film backs). Because it’s a folding rangefinder, it’s surprisingly accurate at focusing for such a portable camera, and it also offers aperture-priority. Except for the price (haha), it’s such an appealing camera that I’d want to buy one myself. Thanks.

Join me as I explore the vibrant Horticulture Festival at HortPark with my Mint InstantFlex TL70 twin lens reflex camera! In this video, we take a scenic walk through the event, soaking in the lush greenery, stunning floral displays, and unique garden setups, and capture some moments on Instax Mini film.

We go on a city walk through NYC shooting Polaroid pictures with our SX70 (Mint SLR670) and seeing all the famous sites like Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and even Trump Tower.

This Reel features the SLR670-X MING EDITION with 600 Polaroid film wild shots in KCMO: West Bottoms, Crossroads, Mid-Town, Waldo. #kevingarrisonartist #polaroidart

"Mint Instantkon RF70 really is the best instant camera I've ever used." Jack Stepping out in London with the Mint Instantkon RF70 was a game-changer! Using Fujifilm Instax Wide film, this camera offers manual controls and top-notch glass lens elements, making it my ultimate go-to instant camera.

Once again we're taking Polaroid photos at the beach! We're taking Polaroid photos at the seaside with the Mint SLR 670 S, an absolutely amazing camera.