Hands-On

The instax WIDE 400 makes get-togethers memorable

No one is left behind when taking a group photo

Published

August 15, 2024

MJ Jucutan

There comes a time in our lives when having a digital footprint just doesn’t cut it anymore. Most of my friends–those in their 30s and above–are settling down, staying off the internet, and living life offline.

Even in my late 20s, my friends appreciate that I share the same sentiment about keeping memories to ourselves. This is why I opted to bring my instax Mini 99 on a Sunset Cruise in Boracay Island to celebrate my birthday a few weeks ago.

Instead of receiving gifts, I decided to capture my friends on film so they would have something to remember. These instant photos always find their way onto their fridges, wallets, phone cases, and wherever they want to keep their memories.

But the problem lies in being unable to fit everyone for a single frame. Thankfully, when I returned to Manila, a package was waiting for me: the Fujifilm Instax WIDE 400. I thought it would be the perfect way to bring everyone together again.

Rosé flowing with your chosen family

Previously, I was happy using the Instax Mini or Square variants. But realizing that I am surrounded by people who love me for who I am, I knew a camera that could accommodate my chosen family would be more suitable for special occasions.

The Instax WIDE 400, though quite bulky, shoots in a wide format of 86mm x 108mm. This is twice the size of the Instax Mini format, making it ideal for group photos and landscape shots.

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When I first used the Instax WIDE 400, I was relieved not to have to squeeze in with my friends and worry about the film coming out unfocused. The wide format can comfortably fit two to three people in a selfie.

It comes with an ergonomic grip, making it easy to hold and carry, whether taking a selfie or capturing a photo. However, it is somewhat hefty, and I found it challenging to press the shutter button while holding it.

Fortunately, it includes a self-timer with an adjustable lever for setting the timer length. This feature simplifies taking selfies or group photos. If you prefer to place it on a flat surface, the Instax WIDE 400 includes an extra accessory that adjusts the camera angle.

This accessory acts as a mini tripod, elevating the camera and providing a better vantage point. Now, no one will be left out of the photo. I wish I had this when I went on the Sunset Cruise.

Say you’ll remember me

I’m an overly sentimental person, clinging to every moment as if it’s the last time. I gift instant films as souvenirs on my birthday and capture candid shots of my platonic and romantic dates.

I became a photographer simply because I’m always in awe of how we can freeze a moment in time and cherish the memories created.

The Instax WIDE 400–despite its larger body–allows me to capture a slice of life with its adjustable lens. In landscape mode, it can shoot subjects from 3 meters or more.

I used it to take photos of sights I enjoyed (treating them as postcards to send to loved ones) and of my companions who make life an adventure.

It also features a close-up mode with a close-up lens, capturing subjects easily without blur. I used it to take candid moments of people I admire and gifted them the prints.

There’s an inexplicable joy when someone appreciates a small gesture you make. Perhaps life is made up of little moments that tug at our heartstrings.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Fujifilm Instax WIDE 400 makes room for more. It lets you bring people together and closer, without leaving anyone behind.

If you’re looking for an instant film camera for group adventures, vacations, or get-togethers, look no further.

The Instax WIDE 400 is perfect for those who love to bring friends and family together and turn every moment into a tangible memory.

It’s easily the GadgetMatch for the overly sentimental life-of-the-party who cherishes the people around them.

The Fujifilm Instax WIDE 400 retails for PhP 9,999 and is available at Fujifilm’s official and authorized stores.

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

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But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

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The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

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The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.