When Instax Mini 11 blurry photos constantly, well there is an issue so let’s investigate!
The quality of the photos that the Instax Mini 11 produces depends on the environment’s lighting, how are you holding the camera, and the quality of the film.
When all of the photos are coming out blurry, we could safely assume that there is an issue, so let’s dig deeper…
When your Instax Mini 11 only prints out blurry photos, test shooting the object from a greater distance or as far away as possible.
If the issue persists, install a new roll of film into the Instax camera and replace the batteries so the photos can regain their quality.
Why Are My Instax Mini 11 Pictures Blurry?
Here are the primary suspects for the blurry photos of the Instax Mini 11 camera:
- The camera is facing the object in very close proximity.
- You’re covering the sensitivity sensors of the Instax cam.
- There’s a problem with the lens of the Instax Mini camera.
- The film of the Instax Mini 11 camera has been damaged.
- A camera battery-related issue is causing blurry photos.
- The area you’re taking the photo in is too bright or dark.
Understanding the Blurry Images!
Photos taken by your Instax Mini 11 are most likely to be coming out blurry because the lens didn’t focus.
This primarily happens when the captured object is too close to the lens or potentially too far in the distance, whereby the dependency comes in.
- You must keep the camera stabilized for 2-3 seconds before shooting a picture!
- Jiggling the camera or moving while shooting, surely causes blurry images!
With the most important being said, let’s jump into troubleshooting!
Instax Mini 11 Blurry Photos Fixed in 7 Different Ways!
Try This First: Stand in a shady environment while testing the Instax Mini 11 camera.
When the camera lens is exposed to bright sunlight or direct flashes from a lamp/flashlight, the photos can come out blurry, black and white, or smudgy.
1. Shoot from a Greater Distance
Capturing an object from too close with your Instax Mini 11, will not allow the lens to fully focus, resulting in the images coming out blurry.
To make sure that you’re shooting the photos at the highest quality possible, you must learn what is the minimum focus distance.
- The minimum focus distance for Instax Mini 11 is ~12 feet / ~30 cm!
Our recommendation would be to capture a few photos, from different distances to determine whether the proximity influences the blurriness.
If yes, and some photos are good quality, and others are blurry, then you’re unaware of the Instax Mini camera modes, so let’s proceed…
2. Exit the Instax *Selfie Mode*
The Instax Mini 11 not only has a standard photo mode, but you could also shoot in the all-new instant “selfie” mode.
Modes on your Instax 11 are regulated by twisting the lens of the camera, which basically switches from one mode to another.
Well, one of the reasons why the images are coming out blurry, is simply due to a selected “selfie mode”, which utilizes different focusing instructions. Let’s see…
- One twist of the camera lens activates the “normal” mode
- Two twists of the camera lens activate the “selfie” mode
Info: Keep the camera in “normal” mode by default to avoid blurring out pictures!
When to Use Selfie Mode?
Selfie mode must only be used on photos that are taken 30-50 cm away from you.
The camera must be used at least 30 cm away from the object when shooting without the “selfie” mode on.
Note: While in selfie mode, point the camera lens directly at you for crystal clear quality.
3. Grip the Camera Properly
There are light sensors on the Instax Mini 11 camera that when covered, will prevent the device from adjusting its picture sensitivity.
Shooting with the sensors covered may also result in the pictures coming out entirely black or white, blurred out, or only with silhouettes.
Light Sensors on Instax Mini 11?
There are two large dots next to the “Instax” logo at the front of the camera that you should not cover while shooting.
Make sure to grip the camera on the sides and avoid placing your hand on top of the sensors, hence obstructing the light, hence the images come out blurry.
Pro Tip: Clean the Sensors Now!
If you have been using the camera for a while and the images start to come out blurry out of a sudden, it’s likely that the sensors are smudged.
Use a slightly wet cloth to clean the sensors!
4. Clean the Instax Camera Lens
The unclean camera lens is one of the primary reasons why the photos taken by your Instax Mini 11 are blurry.
When there is smudge, dust, or dirt accumulation on the lens of the camera, the pictures will be coming out blurry so you need to clean the lens before proceeding further!
Here’s how to clean the camera lens of the Instax Mini 11:
- Get an anti-fiber cloth or a cleaning cloth.
- Spray the cloth with some rubbing alcohol.
- Apply the cloth to the lens of the Instax cam.
- Thoroughly clean the front part of the lenses.
- Allow the Instax camera lens to fully dry up.
- Take a test picture to determine the blurriness.
Alert: Wet camera lens causes blurry images!
5. Don’t Handhold the Camera
Since there would be no other explanations as to why the pictures are still coming out blurry, we could only assume that it is due to the camera being handheld.
When held by a person, slight shaking of the hands or involuntary movements could cause the pictures to become blurry.
- Shoot a test photo, without holding the camera!
How Does This Work?
Simply, place the camera on a flat surface, aim at an object 8 – 10 feet away, and press the “Shoot” button to test.
This will help you understand whether the blurriness has something to do with the way you hold the camera, which translates to shaking and vibration.
6. Reset the Instax Mini 11 Camera
One of the most helpful solutions, used against any sort of photo issues with the camera would be the factory reset.
In order to perform a reset on the Instax Mini 11, the batteries must be ejected until the camera completes the reset.
- Simply eject the Instax Mini 11 batteries for at least 5 minutes!
If you don’t wait long enough, the Instax camera won’t reset completely and the solution might fail.
This is why, be patient for a full 5 minutes, and check whether the photos are still blurry.
7. Install a New Set of Instant Film
The film of the Instax Mini 11 could have been damaged as a result of being exposed to sunlight.
Instant film is too sensitive to environmental factors, including water/rain, bright sunlight, and even cold weather in some rare cases.
- The solution is to purchase and install a new set of film into the Instax Mini 11.
How to Replace Instax Mini 11 Film?
- Access the film packaging compartment on top of the Instax Mini 11.
- Take the current film out of the Instax camera’s film compartment.
- Unbox your new set of instant film and position the cartridge.
- Place the new set film into the Instax Mini 11 and close the latch.
- Shoot several test photos using the new instant film in the device.
Best Instant Film for Instax Mini 11?
The Fujifilm Instax Mini film is your best choice when purchasing the instant film.
It comes in a handy cartridge and is compatible with all of the Instax cameras available for purchase. It also comes in bulk and at an approachable price for all instant photographers out there!
Reminder: Don’t forget to shoot a test photo from a shady environment to test the blurriness!
Need More Help?
In case your Instax Mini 11 only makes blurry photos without proper reasoning, the next step would be to seek qualified assistance.
First, check the camera’s warranty and go to Instax Fujifilm Support and report the issue with the blurry images. Good luck!
Quick Recap:
The best solution in response to Instax Mini 11 blurry photos is resetting the camera and shooting the object from farther away.
If the photos are still blurry, clean the camera lens and install a new set of Instax instant film, to regain the original camera photo quality.
Follow us for more Instax camera tips and tricks!
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.