As you may have seen, the MiNT Instantkon RF70 leaked out to the film community and started a buzz. Why? Because it’s the first fully manual, large format instant camera. It’s not quite a 4×5 but the format measures to, approximately, 4×3″ (108x86mm), larger than your 120 format frame.
Gary Ho, MiNT Founder, states,
“I always thought a full manual large format instant camera was missing in the market. And I always wondered why nobody bothered to make a proper instant camera. So that night, we sat down, thought about it for a while, made a few drafts, drank a few cans of beer, and then decided to jump into it.
Upon embarking on the design of the RF70, Gary discovered the reason there’s such a massive void in the Instax Wide market: time, effort, and money to create it.
As always at MiNT, we don’t compromise design and quality. If it’s going to look ugly, no thanks. If it’s going to have light leaks, fix it. If it’s just a simple shutter and plastic lens, why not get a Fuji Instax 8? There was no reason for us not to aim high.
Prior to the RF70 leak, MiNT planned to begin sales in mid-2018. But Gary needs help making the RF70 a real thing. MiNT is a privately owned company and they haven’t taken any money from investors. They specifically want to maintain their own vision in designing their cameras. To raise funds, he’s released a line of wrist watches to help fund the development of the RF70. The watches sell for $99 US. All of the proceeds from the watches will go towards funding the RF70.
Specifications
Case size: 45mm
Case thickness: 8.5mm
Movement: Japanese Quartz Movement
Strap: Genuine leather strap
Strap width: 24 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Gary has a working prototype of the RF70 and shared some exciting results of the images:
If you want to help Gary make the Instantkon RF70 a reality, head over to his website, insert your email address, and you will be given a link to his blog where you can purchase the stylish watches.
Follow Gary Ho on Instagram: @gary228ho
*Edit*
For those wanting to know the price. At this point in time, no exact pricing is available. We’ve received an update from MiNT in regards to pricing. The pricing will be slightly higher than the SLR670-S which is $729.
Bill Manning
Host and Executive Producer for Studio C-41
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