Instax Mini 9 Tips And Tricks (for 2024)

By Emma Johnson •  Updated: 07/13/17 •  7 min read
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Are you looking for Instax Mini 9 tips and tricks? 

Today I will share with you tips on how to get the best out of your Instax Mini 9 camera and answer some of the most common instant photography queries that I receive from readers and fellow instant camera enthusiasts.

If you are new to instant photography or are not familiar with the basic functions of your Fuji Instax Mini 9 then please take a few minutes to watch the following video and familiarise yourself with the basic functions of your Mini 9:

Okay, let’s jump right in and look at some of the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 tips and tricks…

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Tips and Tricks

Instax Mini 9 Tips & Tricks

How to take a mirror selfie with Instax Mini 9?

Instax Mini 9

The Instax Mini 9 has been upgraded from the Instax Mini 8 to include a selfie mirror which helps you frame the shot before taking your selfie.

To take a mirror selfie with the Instax Mini 9 you should use the close-up lens, hold the camera at full arm’s length, and use the small selfie mirror (beside the lens) to get the right angle and composition. Simply click the shutter button and your selfie will be ready in minutes!

Can I shoot landscape photos with my Instax Mini 9?

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Tips and Tricks Landscape Photo

They say a picture speaks a thousand words! Yes, you can shoot in landscape mode with your Mini 9, all you have to do is rotate the camera 90 degrees and take your photo.

How to turn off flash on Instax Mini 9?

The flash is an automatic setting on the Instax Mini 9 and therefore cannot be switched off. 

One great tip I received recently from a reader was to cover the flash with black tape if you wish to shoot with your Instax Mini 9 and have no flash – I found this most useful when I want to take a photo of myself towards a mirror because with the auto-flash the picture is always over-exposed and not usable however once I covered the flash with a small piece of black tape it works perfectly!

Should I always use the recommended exposure setting on my Mini 9?

Good question! The automatic setting selection is a great feature of the Instax Mini 9 and most of the time it does a good job of choosing the best setting for the level of light exposure in which you are shooting.  

That being said, there are times when you will see that the photo is under or overexposed in which case you can experiment with choosing a different setting:

Overall, I have found that the Sunny, Slightly Cloudy mode gives the best photos with the Mini 9. What I like about this setting is that it gives a well-balanced photo with good detailing in both the foreground and background

If you find that your photos are coming out too dark, try turning the dial down one click e.g. if the illuminated setting is Sunny and Bright try changing the setting to Sunny, Slightly Cloudy.

Similarly, if your photos are too bright try turning the dial-up one-click e.g. if the illuminated setting is Sunny, Slight Cloudy try changing the setting to Sunny and Bright.

How can I capture great indoor photos with my Instax Mini 9?

A. When shooting indoors with your Mini 9, I recommend only taking photos in a room that is well-lit.  If this is not possible you can try turning the camera dial to HI-KEY mode to increase the exposure of the photo.

Can I take black and white photos with my Instax Mini 9?

Fuji Instax Monochrome Film

Yes, you can and the black and white photos look very artistic and fabulous!  Read our full Instax Monochrome film review to learn more.

Why is Instax Mini Film so Expensive and How Can I Reduce the Cost Per Photo?

The cost of instant film is, arguably, a necessary evil of the beauty and joy of being able to produce your photo instantly and something that our website readers frequently complain about.  

Here are a few useful tips to help you reduce the cost of shooting photos with your Instax Mini 9:

1. Don’t make the same mistake as me which is trying to take pictures into a mirror.  This won’t work because the Instax Mini 9 has an automatic flash so any photo taken into a mirror will always appear too dark

2. Take your time when shooting with your Mini 9 to minimize wasted film through blurred or poor-quality photos.

3. I always buy Instax mini film in bulk which saves more than 10% of the per photo cost, not earth-shattering but every little helps.

Where can I find an Instax Mini 9 gift set?

I was blown away by this gift set, which I recently purchased for my niece (who LOVED it), because it includes an Instax Case plus strap, 2 Fuji albums, 4 filters, a selfie lens, hanging and creative frames, 60 stickers, AND a gift box – all for under $20!  The gift set received 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon and is getting incredible reviews.

The Instax Mini 9 is a great camera and if you love yours as much as I do then you will want to keep it in pristine condition.  

To avoid exposing your Instax Mini 9 to dust, scratches, and sunlight while not in use I would highly recommend always using the camera case which not only looks fabulous but is functional too!

You will have lots of fun taking wacky photos with the color filters and can store photos in the album which could also make a great present for someone special.  I expect this set will sell out soon as it’s super popular and selling fast.  

Where can I find the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instructions?

If you are having difficulties with using your camera please refer to the Instax Mini 9 instructions you can download a copy here.  The section on troubleshooting is quite useful in case you are experiencing difficulties with your Instax Mini 9.

How to take pictures outside with Instax Mini 9?

fujifilm-instax-tips-and-tricks-instax-mini-9-high-key-mode

When taking pictures outside with the Instax Mini 9 I do not recommend using the “HI-KEY” mode because your photo will be over-exposed.

How to take good pictures with Instax Mini 9?

Hopefully, the tips and tricks in this article will help you to take good pictures with your Instax Mini 9. Here’s a summary of some important points to remember:

1. Shoot landscape photos by rotating your camera 90 degrees
2. Cover the flash with black tape if you want to shoot with no flash
3. Try using Instax monochrome film for nostalgic black and white photos
4. Don’t use “hi-key” mode when outdoors because your photo will be over-exposed
5. Use the double exposure feature to take creative photos

Is there a timer on Instax Mini 9?

No, the Instax Mini 9 does not have a timer which can be very handy when trying to take a group portrait shot of your family or friends without leaving somebody out to take the photo. 

If you are looking for an instant camera with a self-timer you can consider the Instax Mini 70 or Instax Mini 90.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my article on Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Tips and Tricks today, I hope that you have found some useful tips and tricks and would love to hear any neat tips you have discovered while shooting with your Instax Mini 9.

If you would like to get even more great Instax Mini 9 tips then you may like this awesome book by Leslie Cameron which I personally bought and found really useful because it provides some great tips on using your camera AND lots of creative ideas for using your Mini 9 at weddings, when traveling, kids parties plus decoration and gift ideas.

While it was written for the Instax Mini 8, the book is totally applicable for the Instax Mini 9 because the two cameras are almost identical.  It costs less than $5 and is great value!

Please add your own Instax Mini 9 tips in the comments below, so we can share tips and tricks amongst fellow Instax mini 9 camera enthusiasts.  Thanks 🙂

Emma Johnson

I have loved photography from a young age and more recently started experimenting with Instant Cameras from Polaroid and Instax. I also love dancing and hanging out with my friends :)

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