In this hyper-digitalized world, some of the most lingering kind of happiness comes from shooting analog film. It goes without saying that this is a process that could take infinitely longer than normal, more so when shooting with 120 film and bulkier medium format cameras. A couple of years ago, NONS gave Hasselblad users a faster way to satisfaction when they introduced their Instax Back. They’re back again with a new edition of this model, and the NONS H1P is something most, if not all, Hasselblad users will fall in love with right away.
The Big Picture: NONS H1P Instant Back Review
Using the NONS H1P on my Hasselblad feels like classic 6×6 with a cheeky fast-forward button. I compose on the Hassy, hit the shutter, and an Instax Square develops itself in my hand. No unwanted black border like what the previous NONS model used to give, just a clean, edge-to-edge print that looks finished straight away. It’s a great way to start a conversation on the street: make a portrait, chat while it develops, then gift the moment. The instant feedback is addictive. People marvel at the fact that a bulky camera that takes 1 photo during a span when most phones today would take 20, can still evoke such happiness. I shoot, tweak, repeat. The whole process brings back that playful, generous side of photography we’ve all been conditioned to forget about, with digital photography taking over our habits and lives. You won’t go out and buy a Hasselblad just to use the NONS H1P, but for those of you who have one, this is worth checking out for sure.
- When it comes to taking photos of passersby, this one is much easier to break the ice with than a digital camera
- No more long waits to see results
- The Instax picture size is pretty much the same 6×6 size as 120 film
- No having to hand crank the shots out, it’s all electronic
- Rechargeable battery that is compatible with the USB-C cables you already have at home
- The back is almost a perfect square and doesn’t have any chunky edges like its predecessor.
I’m giving the NONS H1P four out of five stars. NONS will hopefully bring this kind of back to more medium format film cameras like the Mamiya RB67. A good product like this needs a wider audience.
Experience
Pick up the NONS H1P and you feel it before you experience it. Metal, tight seams, no rattle – it locks to the V body like it belongs there, and the rig gives you the confidence you need when strangers are watching. Seasoned Hasselblad users will miss the satisfying and reassuring click that their regular A12 and A16 backs give them, so don’t think you’re over-checking if you juggle the H1P back a bit to ensure it’s firmly attached. The back is quite modern where it should be – no hand crank ritual. An electronic motor handles ejection, and a built-in counter keeps track of shots – 10 for the Instax back. During the first hour of usage, expect a few wasted frames. You do need to remember the dark slide. Everyone forgets once. With the NONS H1P, forgetting to remove the dark slide doesn’t end in a tragically wasted frame. Just take a deep breath, wind the body lever to re cock and remove the dark slide before taking another frame. Winding does not spit the Instax since the ejection of an exposed frame happens with that button. What’s brilliant is that you have to hold it for a few seconds to eject the exposure, meaning you can’t accidentally ever release one. It is simple, and it is clever.
The first change you notice is the image itself. The older back left a thin black border nibbling at the picture area. The H1P removes it. What you get now is a clean, edge-to-edge square inside the familiar white Instax frame. That small tweak matters more than it sounds. It looks finished, intentional, and magical.
Speed is the second key factor when using the H1P. Instax Square develops in roughly a minute or two, although the frames I shot took around 3 to 4 minutes. This waiting period makes you have to adjust your shooting style in a good way. You take a portrait, you chat while the tones settle, and you can gift the photo by the time the conversation is almost over. It turns strangers into collaborators, but it also becomes a learning curve. Instax film is also more forgiving; you can end up with a slightly over- or under-exposed film, but the thrill of the process lets you get away with slight errors.
You need to consider a couple of add-ons when ordering the back. The first and most important is the NONS Viewfinder Frame Spacer (NVFS). This is essentially an add-on to your waist lever viewfinder that shows you the exact field of view that will be exposed to your Instax film. The second one is the NONS Focus Range Converter (NFRC). This is a series of filters that helps your Hasselblad 80mm, 120mm, or 150mm lens focus at infinity correctly when the NONS H1P is mounted to your Hasselblad. Not so much of a problem if you intend to shoot close-ups and portraits, but definitely essential for wider shots. You can’t use a 90-degree eye-level viewfinder with this back
Quality
I used the NONS H1P back, which was sent to us along with the NVFS and NFRC filters, with my Hasselblad 500cm and my Hasselblad 120mm f4 Makro-Planar T* CF lens. I used regular Instax Square film packs for the review. Because each print costs a little, you slow down just enough to make better choices. You watch your corners and clean your backgrounds before each thoughtful click. You commit to a moment. It feels like film craft with instant encouragement.
The square format gives you a picture area close to the 6 by 6 aesthetic that Hasselblad shooters love. It is not the same as a color positive, yet the sizing makes it comfortingly familiar. Centered subjects feel anchored, and leading lines have room to breathe. You focus, meter, and shoot as normal, and then you watch the instant part do its thing. The H1P adds a sturdier shell and a more refined feel, which makes a difference if this becomes a daily carry. The dark slide can leave silver marks on the side, as you sometimes fiddle to insert it properly, but one quick wipe on the back and they’re gone
Gadgets like the NONS H1P do something rare in a screen-first world. This instant back does more than give you a clean method of adding instant film to a legendary camera. It restores the fun that first pulled many of us into photography, shrinking the time gap between idea and result. More importantly, it invites conversation and rewards your decision to invest in that age-old Hasselblad camera that your friends and family might have thought you were nuts to buy today.
This tactile process slows the moment just enough to invite people in. Non-photographers see the Hasselblad and wonder what it is. Then they watch a small square slide out, and the picture begins to appear like a secret being revealed. That little transformation makes photography feel like a performance. You are not hidden behind a menu or a histogram. You are present, your subject is awestruck, and the results give them a keepsake for the rest of their lives. When was the last time you knew well enough where an old digital photograph was stored away? Thanks to the full image without that old black border, every print looks like something you would be proud to share. If film taught us patience and digital taught us speed, this back meets both in the middle. It keeps the Hasselblad soul, adds a smile to your process, and compliments from viewers and subjects. This is by far the best Instax back for medium format cameras out there.
