Fuji Bene

The Fuji Bene, a viewfinder camera from Fuji, was developed in the late 1980s and sold in Japan under that name. Internationally, it was available as the Fuji FZ-5. For fans of the famous mouse, there was also an edition called Fuji Hi! Mickey Mouse. Production of the camera has since been discontinued.

The lens of the Fuji Bene is fixed and does not have autofocus. The focus is fixed and cannot be changed. A cover protects the lens from dirt and damage when the camera is not in use.

To achieve better pictures in low light conditions, a flash is built in. This flash can be triggered automatically either with every picture or only when needed.

The camera is a compact camera with dimensions of 13 x 7.4 x 4.4 cm and a body made mostly of plastic in the color black.

Films for the Fuji Bene

The Fuji Bene uses 35mm film, which is transported automatically. After each shot, the film is rewound by a motor. At the end of the roll, the film stock is returned to the cartridge.

35mm film is still produced and can be developed in most photo labs. An example of a color film is the Kodak Ultramax 400*, while the Ilford Delta 400* is a possible black and white film. However, there are many other types of film that can be used with this camera, including many beautiful photo films from Fuji itself.

The camera requires two AA batteries (eBay / Amazon*) for operation. These batteries are easy to find and inexpensive. One charge is enough for a good number of pictures. However, the usage time is mainly affected by the flash. It is recommended to use rechargeable AA batteries, as they are not only cheaper in the long run, but also more environmentally friendly.