Fujifilm Instax Mini 7

The name needs sorting out first. The rental listing that anchors our record labels this camera "Fujifilm Instax Mini 7 (Polaroid)". It's a Fujifilm product with a Polaroid tag on it, because that's the category people search when they want instant film. The camera itself is all Fujifilm, part of the Instax Mini line that also included the Mini 25, Mini 50, and Mini 9. "Cheki" appears as an alternate name in some listings.

What's documented is modest but real. It's a point-and-shoot instant camera using Instax Mini film. The cartridge loads 10 exposures, and the wallet-sized prints come out at 2-1/8 by 3-7/16 inches. The lens is a Fujinon, listed at 60mm with automatic focus. There's a built-in auto-flash for low light, and a brightness adjustment dial with four settings for exposure control. The viewfinder is optical. It runs on four AA batteries. One listing gives dimensions of roughly 3 by 5-1/4 by 5-3/4 inches and a weight of 11.29 ounces. Those figures come from a resale ad, not official documentation, so treat them as approximate. The lens is a pull-out design: extend the barrel and shoot.

Period documentation is thin. No production years and no introduction date have surfaced. One damaged unit was listed with an MSRP of $125+. A Portuguese-language video review from Tecmundo recommended it for former Polaroid fans and anyone wanting to play with analog images, and praised its accessible price and image quality. A forum listing touted "easy operation with High-Quality Fujinon lens." The most common failure reported in secondhand listings is battery compartment damage. Battery acid cleanup comes up repeatedly among thrifted units, and at least one seller noted a missing battery door.

Known specs:

Instant camera, Instax Mini film cartridge (10 exposures)
Photo size: 2-1/8 × 3-7/16 inches
Fujinon 60mm lens, automatic focus
Optical viewfinder
Built-in auto-flash
Brightness adjustment dial, four settings
Power: 4× AA batteries
Colorway documented: White

Be careful with attribution. A forum listing labeled "Instax Mini 7 Specifications" appears in a sales thread covering the Mini 7, 25, and 50 together, and the package list that follows describes the Mini 25. The specs quoted above follow the page's explicit label, but the ambiguity is real. The film format is not in doubt. It takes Instax Mini film, not 35mm, even though one marketplace listing sloppily calls it a "35mm point & shoot."