The legendary Coney Island Beach in New York probably isn’t the first place you’d expect to see a billboard about AI, but the sand, water, and sky create an unusual backdrop for Polaroid’s newest message: “Go jump in the water before the data centers drink it all up.”

The words are just one of Polaroid’s continued push to embrace analog in what the company calls an “over-digitized” world. The billboard, installed at Coney Island beach on June 18, re-ignites the analog photography brand’s radical campaign that last year put sayings like “AI can’t generate the sand between your toes” outside major tech stores.

Along with the billboard in Coney Island, Polaroid is sharing a similar message in London, England, including a tube station billboard at King’s Cross, as well as in Bethnal Green and Hackney.

Along with the striking statement about growing concerns over AI’s water use, the campaign also includes phrases like “You can’t bask in blue light” along with “dance like no one is recording” and “What a glorious day to stare into various screens for hours on end.”

The new campaign, “The best of summer is analog,” is both a rebellious celebration of a slowed-down summer with fewer screens and a way to promote the new Polaroid Go Generation 3, Polaroid's smallest instant camera yet.

“For Polaroid, the simple act of existing is already an act of rebellion,” said Polaroid Creative Director Patricia Varella. “While our campaigns are provocative and challenge our relationship with technology, we’re not anti-digital. We know we have to live alongside it, but we’re deeply pro-human, and know what humanity gives us. And we know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it. That’s a fight worth fighting.”

The billboards aren’t the only rebellious way Polaroid is pushing analog – the company also convinced a dozen influencers to go offline. The company sent influencers a Go Gen 3 camera in a box that resembles a miniature garden.

The Coney Island billboard isn’t just an advertisement; Polaroid calls it “a metaphor for our over-digitization and the increasingly human need to step away from it.” The campaign, Polaroid says, encourages a break from scrolling for “imperfect” but tangible photographs.

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Take a look at the best instant cameras for more analog inspiration.

Some heritage brands nowadays are in fact ‘heritage’ in name only. Decades of history crammed into a logo that might connote quality and evoke a sense of nostalgia but, in reality, has been licensed out and slapped onto a product that bears little or no tangible link to the brand’s illustrious past.

And while I never thought Impossible Project’s acquisition of Polaroid fit that category, I had no idea just how much genuine Polaroid DNA courses through its modern films and cameras. A delightful documentary film by instant camera aficionado Ben Fraternale (In An Instant) takes viewers on a tour through the Polaroid factory, accompanied by his guide for the day, Senior Vice President of Film Manufacturing, Andrew Billen.

This isn’t just any old factory; it’s the world’s last Polaroid factory. A bastion of instant camera history that opened in the early ‘70s in the city and municipality of Enschede in the Netherlands. And while there’s a lot of new machinery, there’s still old machinery and throwbacks to decades gone by. Remarkably, although the company has replaced all of the old cassette molding machines, it still uses the original tooling.

Another thing that struck me is this modern iteration of Polaroid’s mantra regarding film. Andrew explains the complexities of the chemistry behind Polaroid’s instant film and that, despite incremental improvements being made to the formula every day, a generational overhaul is a huge, potentially catastrophic task.

One major upgrade to the formula can cause huge ramifications further down the line. As he puts it: “A generation change is multi-million, right? And it’s a huge commitment of resources; it’s not something you do lightly. You’ve got to prepare well for it, very clear scope, and then roll it out.”

Ultimately, Polaroid’s goal is to make the most user-friendly, robust and consistent instant film possible, but these aren’t changes that can be made overnight. The team is also aware that Polaroid film needs to look like Polaroid film; the goal isn’t perfect image fidelity.

And it doesn't seem like the team will be swayed by modern 'retro' aesthetics. As Andrew puts it: “When you photograph a red Ferrari it should look red, not orange, right? You can call it pastelly and analog, but we prefer it a little bit more red.”

What I’ve mentioned here is just the tip of the Polaroid iceberg, so make sure you watch Ben's full video to find out more about the production line and the incredible team of people that’s keeping Polaroid's unique brand of instant film alive.

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Have you ever wondered how instant cameras work? Perhaps you’re torn between the two giants: Instax vs Polaroid, which instant camera is right for you? And if you’re looking for something even more traditional, check out the best film cameras.

In 1976, Polaroid built a massive instant camera that stood 6.5 feet / 2 meters tall and weighed 235 pounds / 107 kg – roughly the size of an average refrigerator. That camera would go on to be used by names like Ansel Adams, Sally Mann and Andy Warhol.

Now, fifty years later, the camera is once again being used by modern artists.

The oversized bellows camera uses specially made 20x24 Polaroid film. Polaroid originally built five of the cameras, designed to be an eye-catching piece at shows and events. But when it found new ownership through the Impossible Project, one of the massive cameras was discovered collecting dust in a storage room.

Polaroid decided to not only refurbish the oversized camera, but also make the large 20x24 sheet film for it. Now the Polaroid Foundation is taking the camera on tour, giving artists around the world the opportunity to use the rare camera while filming an ongoing documentary called the 20x24 Project.

The camera follows the classic design of a field camera with folding bellows – but it sits on a wheeled base and, unlike field cameras, was only ever meant to be used in a studio.

The film creates a 20x24 image. Like smaller Polaroid cameras, the its rollers rupture a chemical pod to develop the film without a dark room. But unlike the more classic instant film, these 20x24 images are cut from rolls after the image is exposed.

The 20x24 Project, with the support of Polaroid, is now taking the restored camera around the world. John Reuter, a former Polaroid employee, is accompanying it with protégée Harriet Browse. Traveling with the camera is no easy feat, however, as it’s too large to even fit on an airplane.

The organization has been taking the camera across the globe to be used by artists, including visiting the oldest art exhibition in the world – the Venice Biennale.

The organization’s modern goal in 2026 echoes the camera’s past. While originally built as a showpiece, the camera went on to be part of the Polaroid Artist Support Program. The program provided Polaroid cameras and film to both emerging and established artists.

The program was established in 1949 and, while modern camera brands now offer ambassador programs, the concept at the time was unique. The photos that the artists created using the free film and cameras would go on to be part of what later became called The Polaroid Collection.

According to the 20x24 Project, that history means the newly restored camera now on tour with modern artists was once used by artists like Robert Maplethorpe, Mary Ellen Mark, William Wegman, Chuck Close, Richard Prince, Peter Beard, Jullian Schnobble, Barbara Kassen, Lucas Mars, Helen Chap, Carrie Williams, Luigi Gary and others.

The Guinness Book of World Records notes that the 20x24 Polaroid, first built in 1976, still holds the world record for the world’s largest Polaroid camera. Film fans and camera nerds can watch the oversized camera’s travel adventures on the 20x24 Project’s YouTube Channel.

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Polaroid recently made its smallest instant film camera yet! Or, read about the best instant film cameras, as tested by our in-house instant film experts.

The Minions are bringing their legendary mischief to the Fujifilm House of Photography in London, England. A Minion-Instax event will mix the mischievous characters with instant film, including photo opportunities, giveaways and even the chance to customize an Instax camera for free.

The event, which is set for June 18 to July 12, celebrates the upcoming Illumination Minions & Monsters movie (opening on July 01) by allowing the characters to take over the first floor of the Fujifilm House of Photography located in Covent Garden.

Guests will be treated to Minion-themed photo opportunities, including monster Irene. Fujifilm’s new Spot AR photobooths will also be available to try with Minion-themed templates for the instant film.

For two days only, on July 1 and 2nd, viral creator Matt B Customs, a Manchester-based artist known for handcrafted sneaker designs, will be on hand to customize cameras, free of charge.

Fujifilm notes that the customization is only for Instax cameras, and guests will need to choose between a variety of Minion-themed designs. Guests are welcome to bring their existing Instax or purchase a new camera at the House of Photography – no doubt including the Instax Mini 13.

It's not the first time that Matt B Customs has customized Fujifilm cameras – he previously also offered customization during a Fujikina event in 2005.

The event will also include several giveaways, including a trip for two to Rome (which is, of course, also Minion-themed), custom Instax camera giveaways and other Minions merchandise.

The event is free to attend and will continue from June 18 to July 12, with the customizations available only on July 01 and 02. The Fujifilm House of Photography is located at 8-9 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH.

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I’ve taken a lot of selfies with gear from tripods to, yes, an iPhone with an outstretched arm. But I recently snapped a selfie with an unusual accessory: a camera strap. The Instax Mini 13 has an unusual selfie feature that’s unexpectedly hidden right in the instant film camera’s strap.

As the photographer in my family, I wouldn’t be in my own family albums without selfies – but I have to admit, I hate the awkward outstretched arm in the corner of the photo. But Fujifilm’s newest instant camera has an unusual hack for selfies without the awkward hold or bringing a tripod.

The instant camera’s strap has what looks at first glance like just a cute Instax logo. But this plastic piece is actually a wedge. Placing this wedge underneath the camera, I could actually prop the camera on a tabletop and still angle the camera just right to take a selfie without hauling a tripod along.

That unusual but clever feature comes along with the Instax Mini 13’s selfie timer. Instax’s higher-end cameras have had selfie timers before, but Fujifilm is now finally bringing it to the most affordable, party-ready instant film camera.

That’s a welcome change, as the Instax Mini 13 is the camera that’s more likely to wind up in the hands of casual users. Those selfie-focused changes have arrived as the camera maintains its simple point-and-shoot use and iconic instant film images.

No, the images aren’t going to be perfect. Timing a selfie on instant film is a challenge. But a slowed-down imperfection is the point of shooting with a retro format in the first place.

The Instax Mini 13 was originally unveiled back in March, but wasn’t expected to start shipping to the US until June, with no expected shipping date for the UK. Now, the ship month is here – and UK availability has finally been announced with pre-orders open today.

I’ve long loved the Instax Mini series and, while I think pricier options like the Mini 99 or the hybrid Mini Evo are better for serious photographers, I think the Mini 13 is an easy favorite for parties and snapshots. Instant film is a fantastic way to buck the modern tech trends and AI in a classic format – and the perfect way to slow down while taking snapshots.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 retails for about $94 / £79 / AU$129 / CA$110. Pre-orders for the camera have now opened in multiple regions including the US, UK, Australia and Canada. Shipping is estimated before the end of June.

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Read my full Instax Mini 13 review, or take a deep dive into the best instant film cameras as well as the best hybrid instant cameras.

What's better than having the smallest analog instant camera in the world? Having the smallest analog instant camera in the world but with longer, sharper lenses and a more powerful flash!

The Polaroid Go Gen 3 takes everything that was great about the Polaroid Go Gen 2 (which is one of the best instant cameras you can buy – and I've bought a couple of them!) and further refines the micro-sized shooting experience.

The main thing here is that the lens system has been revamped. Where the Gen 2 had a 34mm equivalent focal length, with fixed f/9 and f/32 apertures, the Gen 3 replaces this with a longer 42mm equivalent focal length and apertures at f/14 and f/32.

The result? Sharper shots and slightly more reach – which means slightly more flattering portraits (albeit slightly less width for selfies, unless you have long arms).

Polaroid has also amped up the "genuinely powerful flash" for "better shots in any lighting" and more even exposure. This is what has enabled the lens system to stop down to f/14 to enable those sharper shots – and it also pushes the shutter speed to 1/500 sec (from 1/300 sec). The stronger flash doesn't affect battery life, though, so you still get about 120 shots / 8 packs worth.

All of this has slightly inflated the weight and dimensions of the Gen 3 – so technically the latest model isn't the world's smallest, but I guess the product line itself is. That said, the new camera measures a still-diminutive 106.5 x 83.8 x 64.6mm (up from 105 x 84 x 62mm) and weighs 251.9g without film (up from 239g).

Obviously it still takes the same micro-sized Polaroid Go film, with prints small enough to fit in your phone case. And it still packs the same key features that made its predecessors essential party companions: a self-timer, selfie mirror, double-exposures and that "Oh my god your camera is so small!" factor that makes it an instant talking point.

While the Instax Mini 13 remains the most ubiquitous, for my money (literally) the Polaroid Go is a far more fun camera to use – and the latest version is an instant purchase for me. I'll have a review on the site soon.

The Polaroid Go Gen 3 is on sale now, priced $89.99 / £79.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). It comes in five colors: black, white, and two-tone purple, teal and light blue.

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Check out my Polaroid Go Gen 2 review and my original Polaroid Now review to see how the previous generations compare. And take a look at my Polaroid Flip review if you want a slightly beefier camera.

If you’re in the business of technology it pays to not only move with the times but, if you can, get ahead of them.

At the end of the 1990s, when digital cameras started to become both affordable and ‘good enough’ to be a mass market proposition, Fujifilm chose to bring out its first Instax instant camera (alongside initial attempts at digicams): the credit card-sized print-outputting Instax Mini 10.

It was a point in time that coincided with Fujifilm and Kodak becoming concerned that digital photography would kill off their traditional film businesses.

As it has turned out, though, Instax is precisely what Fujifilm now largely owes its continued existence to – and what helped it through that dark period, when consumers abandoned the digital point-and-shoots that the company piled high and sold at volume through the 2000s.

Yes, its mirrorless cameras have been critical successes. But even considering recent viral hits like the Fujifilm X100VI, sales of Instax still massively outstrip mirrorless. Indeed, Instax alone is said to contribute up to two-thirds of the company’s annual income.

Famously, Fujifilm could only launch its Instax range when Polaroid’s instant print photography patents expired in the late 1990s (though there are differences in the chemical formulae involved).

But it has provided a steady stream of sales alongside the APS-C mirrorless and X100 compact cameras we all tend to focus on. It's become an absolute goldmine for the brand, with little innovation required, bar a few tweaks to filters and formats here and there – including eventually making the obvious introduction of an instant film / digital camera hybrid with the SQ10.

Instax is one of those famous cases of a company not necessarily initiating or inventing an original concept, but nevertheless being the one to most dramatically benefit from it. See also Kodak’s early doors development (and just as rapid shelving) of a digital camera prototype way back in the mid-1970s.

While Kodak kicked itself as it faced bankruptcy at the height of digital’s popularity, decades later, Fujifilm has reached a cumulative milestone of 100 million Instax units sold.

By contrast, the original Polaroid company also went bankrupt in 2001 – though the brand has been revived by a group of investors headed up by the Polish Smolokowski family since 2017. Despite the nostalgia factor being in its favor, the modern ‘Polaroid’ has some distance to go to hit the heights of success and sales enjoyed by Instax.

And though the principles and chemistry remain the same, Fujifilm’s offerings have become incrementally broad, now encompassing Instax Mini, Square and Wide camera and printer combos – plus standalone Instax Link portable printers enabling smartphone users to output an Instax print, even if they don’t own an Instax camera.

Add Instax photo booths not just camera in stores but high street retailers, and it seems that world domination is now complete. Surely, I believe, personalized Instax cameras for Gen Z users, not just prints, are the next step in Instax’s ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ formula.

Check out our full guide to the best instant cameras

Recycling is typically associated with green – but Polaroid is turning waste into psychedelic purple images. Polaroid Purple 600 Film is a limited-edition instant film created using reclaimed materials from Polaroid’s last remaining factory.

The new film is part of Polaroid’s Reclaimed series, a series of limited edition films created using leftover chemicals from the Polaroid film factory in the Netherlands. The line of limited-edition films typically comes from experiments by Polaroid scientists, like earlier limited edition films for Reclaimed Blue 600 and Reclaimed Green 600 that, as the names suggest, created strong blue and green-toned images.

Now, Polaroid has concocted an instant film that creates a largely purple image. Polaroid calls the results “dreamlike” and psychedelic” – and also says the look is completely new. The film comes from mixing Acid Red dye with the Blue 600 chemistry from the earlier film in the series.

Like the other runs in the Reclaimed Series, the film uses reclaimed materials from the Polaroid factory, which the company says gives waste a second chance at life.

As a 600-type film, the new film is comparable with cameras like the Polaroid Now, Now+, I-2, Flip, and the Polaroid Lab.

Because the film is experimental and made with reclaimed materials, the Polaroid Purple 600 is a limited edition film, and it’s unclear how many packs of film Polaroid will sell of the unusual chemical concoction.

The film is currently a Member Exclusive at Polaroid’s online store, but some retailers, including B&H in the US, have opened pre-orders for the limited-edition film. The film sells for $18.99 / £16.99 for a single pack (8 exposures).

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Cameras take photos – that’s pretty much the very definition of a camera. But I recently came across a camera that does not, in fact, take photos – it writes poetry.

Instead of spitting out instant photos, Poetry Camera prints out AI-generated poetry using a thermal printer. Those poems are based on what the camera’s lens sees, but the Poetry Camera doesn’t store any photos.

Poetry Camera started out as an art project by co-creators Kelin Carolyn Zhang and Ryan Mather. But, Poetry Camera gradually became more than an art project, and after several reiterations of making custom orders by hand, the creators worked with Seeed Studio and the MIT Research at Scale residency to manufacture the camera rather than making each one by hand.

The current version of Poetry Camera uses an AI model from Anthropic’s Claude generative text model – and an internet connection is required for it to work. The dials on the camera don’t adjust things like shutter speed and aperture, but allow the user to change from haiku to sonnet to free verse.

As both a photographer and a writer (though admittedly not much of a poet), the Poetry Camera immediately grabbed my attention. It’s not the AI-written poems – one review at The Verge says the camera writes “bad poetry” – that intrigues me.

The camera itself feels like an experimental mix of both art and technology, and the result of humans asking weird questions like, “What would happen if a camera didn’t take photos but wrote something instead?” Asking weird questions feels essential to creating art, and while the poems that the camera spits out lack a human soul, creating the Poetry Camera itself feels like an art project.

“What I’m not trying to do is have AI write a poem that I could’ve written on my own or draw a picture that I could’ve drawn on my own,” Zhang shared in a social media post. “These technologies are so new that it’s really easy to come in with a unique perspective and make something that the world hasn’t seen before. I’d encourage more artists to do that, like engage with AI with an open mind and then think about what they might want to do that wasn’t possible before without it.”

The Poetry Camera is available to preorder already built for $349, but the design is also shared as open source, so DIYers can build their own with parts from Raspberry Pi.

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Want a camera that actually prints photos? Take a look at the best instant cameras or the best hybrid instant cameras.

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini cameras have a certain look about them – and the latest Instax product looks like a supersized Instax Mini camera. The Instax Spot is a new photo booth built around instant film.

The Instax Spot is both a photo booth and a print station in one, delivering the longstanding photo booth format in instant film but also allowing guests to print their smartphone photos using a QR code.

The Instax Spot looks like it takes much of its design inspiration from the existing line-up of Instax cameras. The top of the photo booth looks like an oversized Instax Mini, complete with pretend film coming out of the top. The oversized circular screen even looks a bit like a lens, and it’s surrounded by a functional ring light.

The Instax Spot will be available in both a standalone and a tabletop version. The base of the standalone version even reminds me of the Instax Mini Link 3 portable photo printer with its lines and curved edges.

The Instax photo booth takes part of the experience of the Instax app and integrates it into the photo booth as well. Guests can use Instax’s AR capabilities and add 3D physical effects to the prints. The owner of the photo booth can also customize the borders and stickers to their brand.

The Instax Spot will spit out prints on either Instax Mini or Instax Square, depending on the version.

The new Instax photo booth is designed for businesses with a lot of foot traffic – so Instax fans may expect to see the Spot out in the wild at museums, theaters and other locations after the May 14 launch.

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If any camera qualifies as a "unicorn camera", it's the TTArtisan 203-T Folding Instant Camera.

I first encountered it, in protoype form, at CP+ 2025. It's a beautiful retro camera, patterned after the "pop-out" folding models of yore, but it fuses that throwback design with instant camera technology – Fujifilm's Instax technology, to be more specific. And I think this might be the cause of its unicorn-ness.

You see, after it was revealed to the world on the CP+ show floor in February 2025, the TTArtisan 203-T vanished. Pre-order pages had popped up at the likes of B&H, but nothing more was said or heard of it.

Earlier this year, some websites were positing that the project had been scrapped – and some went further still, speculating that it may have been due to complaints from Fujifilm about the use of its Instax license.

Either way, the camera was absent from the show floor at CP+ 2026 in February – so color me surprised when, at the beginning of this month, it quietly went on pre-order in China… well, in the form of a "beta" program.

And color me flabbergasted when, over the weekend, I saw it open for a similar "invite-only beta sale" worldwide.

"It's finally here!" reads the post on the company's social media (in all caps). "TTArtisan 203T Folding Instant Camera / Beta Sale Now Open / Invite-only purchase. Selected applicants will receive a private purchase code on March 27. Price: $400 Limited beta units available."

The post invites you to follow a Bitly link to the "TTArtisan 203T Beta Program Application", where you are informed that colors will be shipped at random and that returns are only accepted for quality issues (and only within seven days).

The application also includes a series of questions, including:

• How experienced are you with manual lenses and rangefinder focusing?
• Have you ever used a folding / bellows camera?
• Do you understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO?
• What ISO is Instax Mini film rated at?

All of which suggests that TTArtisan is trying to curtail attempts to return the camera due to inexperience with film or focusing.

Still, the question remains… why sell a beta version of a camera? I don't think I've ever encountered such a thing, even on Kickstarter – it's a very strange situation.

As noted in my previous story, I have to wonder whether production on this camera was halted – whether it was due to Fujifilm or something else – and TTArtisan was unable to sell this product commercially.

However much of the production run was completed, perhaps selling the units as "beta versions" by "invitation only" skirts whatever issue prevented them being sold at retail.

Either way, if you fancy your chances in this lottery process for a $400 (approximately £300 / AU$575) for a gorgeous-looking Instax Mini camera with "Cooke lens design", battery-free mechanical folding operation, an equivalent 50mm f/3.5-22 lens, and manual aperture and shutter operation, this is the camera for you!

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Take a look at the best instant cameras from all manufacturers (except, sadly, TTArtisan), and don't forget to check what type of instant film you need along with the different instant camera film sizes.

The Fujifilm Instax line tends to come in a wider range of colors than the X Series – but there’s good news for instant film photographers who would rather blend in with a classic black camera. The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 will soon come in black.

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is one of the best instant film cameras, particularly for photographers who want something larger than the credit-card-sized Instax Mini film and wider than the classic square. But when the instant film camera launched in 2024, it came in just one color, a sage green.

Now, retailers are listing a black Instax Wide 400 for pre-order.

Launching cameras like the affordable Instax Mini 13 in a wide range of colors makes sense – it’s a party camera designed for sharing physical prints. Now, I love a good camera in an unusual color, but many photographers want to fly under the radar and use a more subtle camera that doesn’t scream “hey, look at me” when trying to take candid photos.

One of our complaints in the Instax Wide 400 review is that it only came in one color – so adding another color option is certainly welcome to see. After all, if the budget Instax Mini 13 comes in five colors, why shouldn’t a pricier camera get a little variety?

While the Instax brand typically conjures up the colorful options like those on the budget Instax Mini cameras, the Instax Wide 400 will now join options like the Instax Mini 99 and Instax Wide Evo in coming in the longstanding camera color.

The new look on an old camera is already starting to pop up at retailers. In the US, the new color variant is listed at Adorama and B&H as a pre-order. In the UK, Amazon has the new color listed with a March 31 release date.

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A new color isn't the only Instax news this week! I tried out the new Instax Mini 13, and it's made for selfies.

Fujifilm has a new budget Instax camera. Fujifilm announced the Instax Mini 13, the newest budget model in the Instax Mini series, on March 16. I got my hands on an early sample of the new instant film camera, and if I had to sum up the changes in only one word, it would be this: Selfies.

While the changes to the Instax Mini 13 compared to the 13 go a little beyond selfies, the biggest updates are meant for snapping photos of yourself. The biggest change is that the budget Instax finally has a selfie timer, a feature that was previously reserved for pricier models like the Instax Mini 99.

The Mini 13 also gets an unusual new accessory built in, a wedge meant to help prop up the camera on a table for selfies. The Instax logo attached to the camera’s hand strap doubles as a wedge to prop the camera up, so it’s an accessory that comes in the box and that you don’t have to remember to bring along.

Outside of those two selfie features, the Instax Mini 13 takes on a new design with a bubbly design in four sections. This reminds me a bit of the seams on a puffy coat.

Sometimes photographers get frustrated over camera updates that seem to focus on selfies, but the selfie focus doesn’t feel misplaced here. The budget Instax Mini series is a popular camera for taking and handing out photos at parties and events. It’s a camera meant for casual users, where more advanced models like the Instax Mini 99 are meant for more serious photographers.

I’ve used the Instax Mini 12 – as well as other Instax models like the SE, the Mini 99, and the Evo – and the Mini 13 feels like a minor yet welcome addition to the series. It makes far more sense for a casual consumer camera to have a selfie timer than a more advanced model like the Instax Mini 99.

The Instax Mini 13 comes with all the quirks of instant film, including some unusual colors and less-than-perfect sharpness. Like the predecessor (and competing mini instants like the Polaroid Go), the film can often overexpose in bright sun, which is my biggest complaint about the new instant film camera.

The Instax Mini 13 comes in at a similar price point to the earlier Mini 12, at about $94 / CA$110 / AU$139, which should be around £80. While the camera was announced in March, it’s not expected to begin shipping until the end of June.

Several major US retailers have already opened pre-orders, including Adorama and B&H, as well as Camera House and Ted's Cameras in Australia.

For more insight, read the full Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review.

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Fujifilm’s affordable Instax Mini cameras have long been a party favorite, but the budget instant film line is finally capable of taking selfies beyond those outstretched arm snaps. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 is the brand’s new under US$100 budget instant film camera – and it finally brings a selfie timer to the longstanding film favorite.

The Instax Mini 13 continues many of the loved features from the Mini 12, including a simple design, automatic exposure, and a budget-friendly price. But Fujifilm has tweaked the design and added a selfie timer, among other changes. I tried the newest budget Instax – and it’s a charming albeit imperfect camera to rival the best instant cameras.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Specifications

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Price

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 carries a similar price to its predecessor. It retails for $93.95 in the US, $109.99 in Canada, and AU$129 in Australia. UK retailers have not yet announced availability, but if the price remains similar to the previous model, it should be around £80.

The camera is expected to begin shipping in June of 2026 in the US and Canada; Fujifilm UK hasn't yet shared an estimated shipping date. Check major retailers like Amazon, Adorama (US), B&H (US), Wex Photo (UK), London Camera Exchange (UK), or Camera House (Australia) for pre-orders.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Key Features

I could sum up the changes between the Instax Mini 12 and the new Mini 13 in one word: Selfies. Okay, so there are a few other small differences, but the biggest upgrades are meant for selfie-takers.

The Mini 13 has finally gained a selfie timer, which can be set to two or ten seconds. That’s a nice upgrade considering the most affordable Mini is geared towards casual users anyway, so it makes sense not to keep the selfie timer reserved for just more advanced models like the Mini 99.

The strap also has an unusual feature: a built-in wedge meant to help prop up the camera when using that selfie timer.

The Mini 13 continues the updates from the Mini 12 as well, including a close-up option and automatic flash control.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Build and Handling

The updated design on the Instax Mini 13 reminds me of a camera wearing a puffer jacket. The Mini 13 continues the bubbly, rounded shape of the 12 but adds more contours down the camera body, which immediately brings to mind the lines on a puffer jacket.

Those contours still don’t give the little camera much of a grip, but Instax is designed for snapshots, not long shoots, so the shape didn’t bother me much.

The shutter release sits at the front of the camera underneath the viewfinder, and it’s surrounded by a lever that turns on the selfie timer. That selfie timer is the only feature I had to dig out the instructions for. A quick twist of the lever turns on the two-second timer. Turn the lever and hold for two seconds to activate the ten-second timer instead. The light around the shutter release will flash, press the shutter to start the timer, or turn the lever again to turn off the timer.

A small mirror around the lens aids in framing those selfies. This is helpful to see if you’re fully in the frame, but not large enough to, say, show that your pose is giving you a double chin.

A quirky new feature hides in the camera strap – and if you don’t read about it, you may not realize that it’s there. A plastic Instax logo is built into the strap. But, this also doubles as a wedge to help angle the camera right if you place it on a table or another similar surface for selfies. There’s no tripod mount, so this is a nice way to quickly, if a bit imprecisely, adjust the camera angle for selfies.

The back of the camera houses the film door – just line up the yellow spot on the camera with the yellow on the film pack, press inside, shut the door, and take one photo to eject the protective cover.

The back also houses the viewfinder and a small dial that shows how much film is remaining.

The camera uses replaceable AA batteries rather than rechargeable ones, so there’s a cost to keeping the camera running alongside the price of Instant film.

Like the predecessor, I found the Mini 13 fairly easy and straightforward to use. The only feature that may not be obvious is how to switch between the two-second and ten-second timer, and that the little logo dongle doubles as a wedge.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Performance

I’ve used several Instax cameras over the last few years, and the images coming from the Instax Mini 13 were exactly in line with what I expected. The credit-card-sized instant film prints aren’t the sharpest or most color-accurate images, but they have the charm of real film.

The film spits out the top of the camera and takes around 90 seconds or so to appear. Waiting for the chemical reaction to finish inside the photo is part of the magic of instant film. So too are the colors, which are close but a bit more retro than real life.

The added features make selfies simpler, though the .3m minimum focusing distance is still enough to take the standard arm-out-selfie.

The viewfinder on the Instax Mini 13 isn't 100 percent accurate. I caught some edges of objects that I didn't spot in the viewfinder, and sometimes shots of the subject that I thought were dead center were slightly off-center on the final print.

The flash on the Mini 13, like the predecessor, is always on, even outdoors in bright sun. It’s a powerful little light that adds a direct flash look to the shots, particularly indoors.

If I have one complaint about the Mini 13, it’s this: Photos taken outdoors in bright sun are often overexposed. The camera can’t quite handle the bright sun and washes out skin tones. The Instax Mini film doesn’t have the widest dynamic range, and the brightest portions of the image can wash out, particularly with bright sun.

But, this is similar to the Mini 12 as well as competing brands like the Polaroid Go, so it’s not uncommon for cheap instant film cameras to get a bit too bright sometimes. If you do intend to take a lot of photos outdoors, I would recommend looking at something like the Mini 99 or the digital-instant hybrid the Instax Mini Evo, which tend to do a bit better in bright sunlight.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Verdict

The Instax Mini 13 levels up one of the brand’s most affordable instant cameras with new selfie tools, including a selfie timer and a wedge to help prop the camera at the best angle.

The charm of the affordable Instax hasn’t changed. It spits out shareable, fun, and quirky credit-card-sized prints. The camera bundles all the fun and unpredictability of instant film into an affordable and simple-to-use camera.

I do wish the camera did a bit better in bright sunlight, as the camera tends to blow out the brightest spots in the image. This is something the predecessor did as well. But, it speaks volumes that the tiny camera still actually does decently indoors, as long as the subject isn’t super far from the flash.

My few complaints with this camera are lessened by one thing: Price. I wish that I could turn the flash off, charge the batteries, and take double exposures. But Instax already has a camera that does that (the Mini 99). The Mini 13 is just quite a bit more affordable than the more fine-tuned model.

Buy the Instax Mini 13 if you want an affordable way to take party snaps on real film. Avoid it if you plan to take lots of photos outdoors in the sun, as the pricer models can do a bit better.

Alternatives

So, you've shelled out your money on one of the best instant cameras – but no matter how good your shots, unlike digital images, your physical photographs will deteriorate over time.

But Ashisei, a manufacturer of film preservation products, unveiled a new solution at CP+ 2026 to help protect Instax and Polaroid prints from discoloration and warping due to the effects of age and atmospherics.

After a brief period of exclusivity at Amazon, the catchily-named Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent has gone on sale at retailers across Japan – and I suspect may make its way overseas before long.

For ¥1,100 (approximately $7 / £5 / AU$10) you get a pack containing 4 sachets of mixed polymer, good for 20 sheets of instant film. This protective agent rapidly dehumidifies your photographs and offers long-lasting humidity control.

Ashisei showed off some samples of Instax Mini prints stored in different conditions, both with and without the Siglo agent, to demonstrate things like 365 days of ageing, 21 days sat on a car dashboard, the effects of 122°F / 50°C and 70% humidity and so on.

The effects were quite pronounced, with the Siglo-treated photographs exhibiting far less physical warping to the print itself as well as far less fading to the colors.

The below graph illustrates the change in color difference for the CMYW tones with (the left of each pair of color bars) and without (the right bar) the Siglo treatment.

As you can see, magenta and cyan fade rapidly without the chemical protection. While yellow and white don't deteriorate as much individually, they are mixed to express other colors – so Ashisei says that the overall image is still likely to fade without being treated.

As somebody who still has boxes of 40-year-old Polaroids from my childhood, I can assure you that instant prints really do fade and deterioriate. Storing photos in a cool, dark place is the best way to preserve them, but that obviously isn't ideal if you want to actually look through them or display them.

So personally, while there are a whole lot of Instax and Polaroid accessories that are just junk, this Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent is something I would actually use – even though it has a daft name!

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A year ago, I got to use a prototype of the TTArtisan 203-T Folding Camera at CP+ 2025 in Yokohama, Japan. However, it was conspicuously absent on the show floor at CP+ 2026 – and, indeed, it was conspicuous by its absence pretty much ever since its initial reveal.

So what exactly is going on with this camera?

Well, not long after its CP+ debut last February, the 203-T began appearing on sites like B&H for preorder. But then it seemed to vanish, with no more word from anyone – least of all TTArtisan – on what was happening.

There were even rumors that Fujifilm had slapped a cease-and-desist order on TTArtisan over the 203-T's use of Instax film, presumably without authorization. But there are plenty of instant cameras that use Instax film (such as a personal favorite of mine, the JollyLook Auto) and I'm fairly certain that none of them are paying a license.

I was hoping to see the camera on the show floor in Yokohama this year, but it was nowhere to be found. I tried to ask TTArtisan what was happening, but didn't have much luck.

However, the 203-T Folding Camera has suddenly resurfaced and can now actually be purchased… with a huge caveat: only "beta versions" of the camera are being sold, and they're only being sold via a lottery.

Chinese outlet, the Independent Photographers Association, posted new images of the camera announcing "First batch on sale by invitation only".

This was followed by further information courtesy of Asobinet. "You register your personal information and wait for the results (kind of like a lottery?)" wrote the Japanese site.

"I thought the project had completely failed... but it appears to have been completed. However, it is described as a "closed beta," so it is not yet an official production version. The beta version was priced at ¥2,780 [approximately $400 / £300 / AU$575], so the finished version may be a little more expensive."

Of course, the assumption there is that anything more than the beta version of this product will ever go on sale. Have you ever heard of a camera company selling off prototypes of a camera, ahead of launching the final production models?

Did Canon sell beta versions of the EOS R6 Mark III before the final camera arrived at B&H? How about the Sony A7 V? Heck, I can't even remember Kickstarter cameras selling beta models ahead of the finished versions.

My read on the situation is that for whatever reason, Fujifilm or otherwise, production on this camera was forced to cease. And it feels likely there was a ruling that the manufactured stock could not go on commercial sale.

Selling "beta versions" via "invitation only" might be an elegant way of skirting whatever issues arose that prevented the camera going on sale at general retail.

I may be completely off-base. But given all the volatility in China right now among third-party manufacturers (such as Nikon apparently forcing Sirui and Meike to withdraw lenses from sale), there does seem to be a crackdown from Japanese companies on unlicensed product.

I'll keep digging and share more on this situation as I have it.

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Imagine, if you will, a bright, ambitious young man, entering Harvard University at the age of 17. He went to study chemistry and was fascinated by polarized light, used to research chemical compounds. After a year there, he found himself bored and the established curriculum stifling.

So he quit and went into business with a partner, which rapidly transformed into a technology and manufacturing organization that employed tens of thousands of people.

His firm was fuelled by relentless research and remarkable innovations. He invented products that we didn’t know we wanted and was the first to introduce them in major consumer magazines rather than trade publications. He was a master of marketing.

By the time of his death, he had collected over 500 patents. He was a driven man who worked hard, drove his employees hard and seldom listened to advice from others. But, in the end, he was fired by the firm that he had built.

By now you’re probably thinking I’m talking about Apple’s legendary CEO, Steve Jobs. But despite the parallels, I’m actually talking about Edwin Land, inventor of both polarizing film for sunglasses and the “Picture-in-a-Minute” camera that bore his name – the Polaroid Land Camera.

After leaving Harvard, he moved to New York to continue his research. He realized that instead of making one large polarizing crystal – as was normal at the time – he realized he could line up millions of microscopic crystals in one direction and embed them in a transparent plastic sheet. He was right. And it worked.

He patented his invention, which he called Polaroid Film, in 1929 – the same year as the great stock market crash and start of the Great Depression. He then formed a company with one of his professors, George Wheelright III. Thus, Land-Wheelright Labs were born in 1932.

This new polarizing technology was a huge success, so in 1937 the corporation’s name was changed and the Polaroid Corporation came into being.

In 1943, while on vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his three-year-old daughter Jennifer, he took a picture of her using a film camera of the era. After she asked why she could not see the photo that her father had just taken of her, he began to think.

Within an hour, he'd already had the idea for how an instant film camera might work! Immediately after the trip, he started to research the idea.

To say he was a brilliant researcher would be an understatement. But Land was also a difficult researcher, like a dog with a bone, when he had a problem he could not solve.

Famous (or infamous) for his marathon work sessions, he’d work around the clock. He once wore the same clothes for 18 consecutive days while solving problems with the commercial production of polarizing film, and needed a staff who worked in shifts to bring him food and remind him to eat.

Worse, once he could see the solution to a problem in his head, he lost all motivation to write the solution down or prove his vision to others.

Still, a little more than three years later, on February 21 1947, Land demonstrated an instant camera and associated film to the Optical Society of America. Now called the Polaroid Land Camera, it was put on the market as the Model 95 less than 24 months after that.

Polaroid originally manufactured 60 units of this first camera, with 57 demonstrated at the Jordan Marsh department store in Boston before the 1948 Christmas holiday. Its marketers incorrectly guessed that the camera and film would remain in stock long enough to manufacture a second run based on customer demand, but all 57 cameras and all the film sold on the first day

That’s remarkable, given that the camera sold for $89.95 – or about $970 / £710 / AU$1,370 in today's money. A roll of Type 40 film, which produced 8 sepia-toned black-and-white images, sold for $1.75, or about $23.00 / £17 / AU$33 in 2026 money.

The 95 was followed by many models, culminating in the SX-70 series. In April 1970, after years of development and an investment of $600 million, Edwin Land took the stage, pulled a camera from his jacket pocket, unfolded it and took 5 photographs in just 10 seconds. Something previously impossible with a Polaroid camera.

It was said that the S stood for "secret", while the X stood for "experimental". The number 70 was an arbitrary choice "that sounded good."

Land considered the SX-70 his ultimate achievement. It was the culmination of a camera-and-film project to create full-color, self-contained, develop-before-your-eyes, "garbage-free" prints. It went on the market at the end of 1970 and the rest, as they say, is history.

See our guide to the best instant cameras today

Read more of David Young's ongoing series on classic cameras

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Having written about photography for the best part of 25 years, it’s exciting when a product arrives that appears to be the result of some blue sky thinking on the part of its developer. Even if said product has me thinking: ‘what?!’

That was my initial reaction to the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema, the manufacturer’s mash-up of 1960s Super 8 film camera – or to be specific the Fujica Single-8 – and present-day Instax instant printer. It’s charmingly deliberately clunky.

But really, I shouldn’t be surprised the range is expanding in hitherto unexpected directions. Fuji’s Instax series has been a lifesaver for the brand, so more variations on a winning formula makes sense. However, this variation? It’s either absolute genius… or bonkers.

A patchwork of disparate parts brought to life by a lightning bolt of inspiration, I got to spend time with Franken…Fujifilm’s creation at its London unveiling and a subsequent period of assessment.

While Fuji told me its core audience is broadly aged 20 to 35, the camera’s inclusion of digital filters to ape decade-defining film effects – allowing us to go on our own ‘eras tour’, from the 1930s to the present day – is a stroke of marketing genius. Everyone with money in their pocket, from Gen Z to their grandparents, can feel a nostalgic pang, or feel like they’re time-travelling.

And its low tech meets high concept nature is entirely deliberate. Instax has been popular precisely because it gives us an experience our smartphones don’t – the thrill of tactile image creation and an instant print to show for it.

So what if results are poorly defined and washed out? Seemingly against all rhyme and reason, the Instax Mini Evo Cinema even allows us to degrade the image further and control the degree of said degradation. It’s not about quality; it’s about the experience.

What especially appeals to me about the three-in-one stills, video and print device is the plethora of levers and dials that are not only appealing tactile but also make operation feel reassuringly mechanical. That’s an experience I’ve almost lost in an age of touch sensitive screens. The clockwork-like functionality extends to the audible whirr and sense of internal cogs turning as a print emerges from the camera top. The theatricality of it all is the real hook.

We all have our own mental image of the past. As it slips further into our rear-view mirror, it’s typically clouded, scratchy, and low-resolution, while the present is bright, clearly defined, and very real.

Instax lets us climb back into that safe, warm, nostalgic bubble – delivering something reassuringly knowable in times of great uncertainty. But yes, it is all rather bonkers.

Time to embrace the madness!

There’s a new compact camera with the Kodak name on it – the Kodak Printomatic+ is a new budget compact camera with a built-in inkless printer.

Announced and launched by Kodak licensee C+A Global, the Kodak Printomatic+ is a 10MP compact camera with a built-in ZINK, or Zero Ink, printer.

Photos of the colorful compact camera show off a screenless back that houses just a viewfinder and a door to load the paper. That suggests a simple, low-tech design that’s all about the prints, not the digital files.

The printer spits out those prints automatically, much like a traditional film instant camera. Competing digital print cameras with screens give users the ability to choose which shots to print off, but the Printomatic+ goes the simpler auto print route.

The compact camera houses a ZINK printer, which uses paper that has dye crystals embedded inside, allowing users to forgo ink cartridges and only load the sheets of paper. That paper is a 2x3 size – about the size of a credit card – and has a peel-off sticky back. Zink is also smudge and tear-resistant.

C+A Global says the camera has a 10MP resolution and an upgraded lens, but did not share specifications like sensor size.

The Printomatic+ has licensed the Kodak name but is not made by the longstanding photography company.

The Kodak Printomatic+ is already available on Amazon, where it retails for $80 / £80 / CA$130. (Australia availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but that converts to about AU$120.)

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Science hasn’t yet taken time travel out of science fiction, but Fujifilm’s newest Instax camera can travel through nearly 100 years of camera history. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is the first Instax with video, but it’s the decade dial that has captured the internet’s attention – and my heart.

The Fujifilm decade camera feels a bit like a combination of the hybrid Instax Mini Evo, the 1965 Fujica Single-8 cine camera, and a time machine. The camera itself is a digital-film hybrid that spits out instant film, but unlike the original Mini Evo, the Cinema also takes video, is styled like a vintage Super 8, and has ten decade-themed filters built in.

I “time-traveled” with the Fujifilm decade camera – and I’m predicting this little camera will be a hit among retro camera fans, but potentially loathed by pixel peepers.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Specifications

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Price

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema retails for $409.95 / £329 / AU$599 / CA$479. Pre-orders have already opened, including B&H in the US, London Camera Exchange in the UK, JB Hi Fi in Australia, and Amazon Canada.

The price point puts the little Instax Cinema at a steep jump from the original Instax Mini Evo, but a closer match for the Instax Wide Evo.

The camera was originally only announced in Japan, but Fujifilm announced its availability in additional regions on January 13. The camera is expected to begin shipping in the US and Canada in early February 2026, and at the end of January in the UK and Australia.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Design & Handling

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema design is inspired by the 1965 Fujica Single-8 series of cine cameras, and like the inspiration, the Evo Cinema takes on the form factor of a small Super 8. The camera is held vertically, with a trigger-style record button.

Hold down the trigger, and the camera will record a video for as long as the button is pressed, or 15 seconds, whichever comes first. That does present a challenge when trying to use the Evo Cinema for selfie videos – but thankfully, the smartphone app has a remote that works around that issue. A perk of this design, though, is that you can shoot right or left-handed.

Above that trigger is the camera’s lens. A dial around the camera lens controls the intensity of the different decade filters. Topping the lens, there’s a flash which, surprisingly, also works as a constant light for video. A red light indicates when the camera is recording. Sandwiched between the recording indicator and flash, there’s a small mirror to aid in those selfies.

But let’s be real – the most unusual features on the Evo Cinema are housed on the side of the camera. A Gen Dial allows creators to select a decade-themed preset spanning every decade from 1930 to 2020. Below that, a small toggle controls the digital zoom. There’s a switch to go from video to stills.

A second switch, indicated by a frame icon, offers another unusual feature, but one that I’m really glad exists – it allows you to turn the decade frame effects on and off. For example, if you don’t want the time and date stamp on for the 1980s or the YouTube-esque overlay for the 2010s, this simple switch turns them on and off.

The final control on the side is for printing. But, in keeping with the retro style, this isn’t a button but a tab that pulls out and turns. This is a little finicky; I had to make sure I turned it all the way and held it for a second before I heard the printer begin to whir to life.

On the opposite side from that time machine – I mean Gen Dial – there’s nothing but a door to load the Instax film cartridge. Like with other Instax cameras, there’s a yellow mark to help you know which way to put the film in. Line up the yellow mark on the film and the camera, and you’re golden.

At the back of the camera, there’s a small non-touch screen. But, Fujifilm actually includes an accessory here that converts the screen into an electronic viewfinder, if you want the full retro experience. The viewfinder adapter isn’t quite as sharp and is a bit harder to see the edges, but it’s an unusual way of fitting in both a screen and an EVF.

Underneath the screen, there’s an assortment of buttons for the menu along with a control wheel. The Gen Dial is also placed at the edge so you can use your thumb to twist it from the back, and the decade will also pop up in the viewfinder. That means you can adjust the decade without turning the camera to the side to read the labels.

The bottom grip part of the camera is relatively small, but I didn’t find it too uncomfortable, with my index finger on the trigger, two fingers around the grip, and my pinky underneath. But, I’m a petite person, and those with larger hands may find the grip too small. Fujifilm includes an add-on grip in the box, which screws into the tripod mount and gives the grip more height as well as a rest for the fingers at the bottom. I preferred shooting without it, but those with larger hands will likely find it a welcome accessory.

Along with the viewfinder accessory and add-on grip, the Evo Cinema also ships with a wrist strap, plus a second, smaller strap to connect to the viewfinder accessory.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Performance

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema puts fun before specifications – and it shows. The decade dial had me grinning the way few cheap cameras can, at the same time, sparking some ideas using those retro presets.

Most cameras today are all about the tech, but Fujifilm’s decade camera is unabashedly about having fun. As entertaining as the decade dial is, I loved that there are ways to customize those looks. The ability to turn off the overlays or leave them on is well thought out, plus there’s a dial to control the intensity of the retro look. There’s even exposure compensation and white balance adjustments inside the menu.

But like the Fujifilm X Half, cameras that prioritize experience over tech have some limitations, and the Evo Cinema has a long list. The 1/5-inch 5MP sensor is plenty for credit-card-sized instant film prints and social media shares, but not for much else.

Videos are similarly low resolution and measure just 600 x 800 pixels. But, as strange as this is going to sound, I didn’t really notice the lack of resolution between the years of 1930 and 2000. These film effects are all intentionally sprinkled with noise, grain, and glitches, so it’s hard to notice any pixelation.

The more modern decades past the millennium have fewer of those intentional imperfections, which makes the camera’s low resolution and soft plastic lens a bit more obvious. The 2020 mode does bump up the resolution to 1080 x 1440, but this high-quality mode is only available when recording to a microSD card, not the internal memory. It’s also off by default, so dig into the camera’s menu to switch it on if you want the higher resolution.

The camera does have zoom, but it’s a digital, not optical type, and cropping an 800-pixel video even further isn’t going to be super useful. (It does, however, exaggerate the historic but terrible picture quality of some of the earlier decades.) The zoom also stops and starts, so it’s jittery if you zoom while recording.

Another key limitation for Fujifilm’s decade camera is that the videos are limited to a maximum of 15 seconds. The camera is designed for more quick clips that almost feel like Live Photos, just with sound and fantastic time-traveling presets.

The Evo Cinema also seemed a bit on the slow side, with a spinning wheel that pops up for a few seconds when you swap modes. It’s nothing major and almost feels like a reminder that old tech also had some pretty significant annoyances.

The battery on the Evo Cinema also felt a little short-lived – Fujifilm indicates a 100-print battery life, but doesn't hint at how many photos and videos you can take on one charge. Regardless, I had to charge it a few times during my review, which was surprising considering it can't take more than 15 seconds of video at a time.

I tried the Evo Cinema ahead of the launch, and the performance was a bit buggy. Initially, the camera froze on me repeatedly, and I had to resort to pushing the tiny reset button with a pin, but this only happened when using one specific memory card that hadn’t been formatted inside the camera. Once I swapped cards, that bug didn’t happen again.

A few times, the screen would go to strange colors and only take up a quarter of the LED. Hitting the record button seemed to clear the odd screen glitch after a slight delay. Then later, the camera stopped recording sound. I updated the camera’s firmware in the app, but I still have not gotten my sound back.

The Evo Cinema isn’t made for long videos. It’s not made for pixel peeping. But it is made for time traveling, and at that, the camera does fantastic. There are a few early bugs to contend with, though, hopefully those will have a quick firmware fix.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: The App

The Instax Evo app adds a few notable capabilities to the Instax Mini Evo Cinema.

First, the app connection is required in order to “print” videos. A printed video works with a QR code that, when scanned, will play the video on the device’s screen, complete with an Instax white border. You’ll need to connect to the app for the feature to work, as the app needs to upload the video online for that QR code to have something to link to.

The other key component of the app is for taking selfies. With that trigger-style record button, the Evo Cinema can’t really record selfie videos from a tripod because once the button is released, the recording stops. Thankfully, the app has a workaround, and there’s a remote record button that works without holding down the trigger on the camera.

The app also allows you to print photos taken on a different camera, along with housing tools for firmware upgrades and editing images before you print.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Verdict

As a vintage camera collector, I immediately fell deeply in love with the Instax Mini Evo Cinema and its time-traveling decade dial. The effects are not only highly entertaining but also creatively sparking. This camera brought me joy.

But, don’t let the Cinema in the name fool you. The Evo Cinema isn’t a high-tech video camera with its 800-pixel videos. At just 15 seconds long, the videos feel more like moving pictures than videos.

I also ran into a few early bugs – hopefully those will have a quick firmware fix, but those initial glitches may warrant waiting a bit until a firmware update eases those oddities. Then again, this is a Fujifilm, and there’s the chance the uniqueness will have it selling out. Still, I’m going to hold off on giving this camera a star rating until I can get the bugs fixed.

That brings me to the price. The list price is a bit disappointing, though not exactly unexpected. I wish I could turn back time on camera prices, too, but, alas, the Evo Cinema doesn’t have a dial for that. The list price is in line with the Instax Evo Wide, but significantly steeper than the photo-focused original Instax Mini Evo. Like with the X Half, I think trends (and in the US, tariffs) are playing a role in a higher price point for a camera with limited specs.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is the strangest camera that I’ve ever used, but its inherent weirdness is 100 percent why the decades camera is so entertaining. As a camera, the specs are a bit ‘meh,’ but as a time travel machine, well, there’s really nothing like it.

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Fujifilm is no stranger to retro designs and dials – but the company’s newest camera adds a dial that feels ripped not from a vintage camera, but from science fiction. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is an 8mm-cine-inspired camera with a decade dial that allows the compact camera to replicate cameras from earlier eras.

Originally announced only in Japan, Fujifilm has now bestowed the strange camera on the rest of the world in a January 13 announcement. US and Canada shipping is slated to begin in early February 2026, and UK and Australia retailers list availability as early as January 28. Besides the unusual decade dial, it’s also the first Instax camera to shoot video.

I tried the new Evo Cinema, and I'm torn between the fun of the decade dial and its flaws, which include a high price, low resolution, and some bugs. I haven't had this much fun with a retro camera in a long time. But the price is higher than the original Evo, and the camera froze up on me a few times.

The camera’s name feels a bit oxymoron-ish. Instax is associated with affordable instant film cameras, while Cinema tends to delineate a high-end video camera (such as the Fujifilm Eterna). The Instax Mini Evo Cinema definitely skews towards the Instax side, with a small 5MP sensor and 600x800 pixel videos across most modes. There’s a high-quality mode that’s 1080 x 1440, but that’s exclusive to the Year 2020 mode (and even then is off by default and needs to be switched on in the settings).

The other key shortcoming is that the Evo Cinema is meant for short clips and can take video for only about 15 seconds. The short clips from the decade camera feel more like living photos than videos because of that brevity (although there is still sound). I understand that the Super 8 style camera isn’t meant for hours-long videos, but I feel like a 90-second limit similar to Instagram Reels would be more useful.

Like the original Instax Mini Evo, the Evo Cinema favors a retro shooting experience over megapixels. In an industry still very much engaged in the megapixel race, the Evo Cinema is a weirdo – but delightfully so. I couldn’t help but smile as I “time-traveled” back to the home VHS tapes of the Nineties to 8mm home cine films of the Sixties to the old color films of the Forties.

The camera industry tends to focus on final results over the actual shooting process. But the Evo Cinema is a reminder that photography and videography are supposed to be fun. The Evo Cinema prioritizes entertaining retro design over technical specifications.

Perhaps in keeping with the retro theme, I did come across a few annoying bugs. My screen would glitch on occasion, and halfway through testing, I lost sound and haven’t been able to get it back yet.

Serious creators may roll their eyes at the 5MP photos, the 15-second video recording time, and the tiny sensor. But retro compact cameras are trending in a big way – and I suspect the nostalgia factor will spark a lot of demand for this weird little camera.

As fun as the Evo Cinema was to use, my biggest wish is that I could also turn back time and go back to the camera prices of the 1990s or even the 2010s. The Evo Cinema will retail for $409.95 / £329 / AU$599 / CA$479, with pre-orders already open.

That’s nearly twice the cost of the Instax Mini Evo. A higher price point is expected with the video capabilities and decade dial, but that’s a fairly steep price for a camera with 5MP.

While I found the price disappointing, I haven’t had this much fun with a camera in a while – I suspect the retro charm may make the Evo Cinema a trendy option.

Read more on my experience with the decade camera in the Instax Mini Evo Cinema review.

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After launching the unusual X Half last year, Fujifilm said it would continue to introduce more “concept cameras.” Not even a full ten days into 2026, and the brand is already making good on that promise with what looks like the strangest Fujifilm camera yet: a digital-instant cinema camera hybrid that “time-travels” with effects modeled after different decades.

The Fujifilm Instax Evo Cinema has, so far, only been launched in Japan, with no word yet on if the first Instax camera with video capabilities will be available in other regions. But while the availability of the Evo Cinema is unknown, its strangeness is not – and Fujifilm Japan recently shared a spec sheet that suggests that, like the original Instax Mini Evo, the new camera isn’t about megapixels.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema’s most unusual feature is a dial at the side that appears to allow creators to choose a different decade, which then applies a look to stills and videos inspired by that decade. Videos shared on Fujifilm Japan’s YouTube offer more insight into what, exactly, those modes look like.

When I saw the Japanese announcement earlier this week, I knew the Evo Cinema was odd – and now that more information is gradually becoming available, we know a bit more about Fujifilm’s latest gamble.

According to specifications translated by Google from Fujifilm Japan, the Evo Cinema uses a 5MP, 1/5-inch sensor. That’s relatively tiny and low tech, but matches what the original Instax Mini Evo offers.

Video is new for Instax’s hybrids, though, and the spec sheet lists a normal mode at 600x800 pixels and a high-quality mode, which is only available with the “time travel” dial set to 2020 at 1080x1440 pixels.

Above: this Fujifilm Japan YouTube video gives an idea of what the Evo Cinema is about

That resolution offers another insight into the Evo Cinema: the images measure the longest on height, suggesting a vertically oriented sensor, like Fujifilm’s other recent concept camera, the X Half.

Megapixels aren’t everything – and that’s especially true when applying a retro filter where image and video quality are supposed to be terrible. Instax Mini cameras print out credit-card-sized instant film, which certainly doesn’t require a high resolution.

I can’t help but look at the Japanese launch of the Evo Cinema and think about the X Half. Fujifilm’s early teasers hinted that specs weren’t everything, and, sure enough, the X Half focuses more on the joy of photography than the technical aspects. The sensor is much larger than the Instax Mini Evo’s at one inch and with a much higher 18MP resolution, but there’s no RAW shooting.

Of course, it’s worth noting that not all of Fujifilm’s “concept cameras” are low tech. Fujifilm also referred to the GFX100RF as a concept camera, which, with a 102MP medium format sensor, is about as opposite from the Instax Mini Evo Cinema as you can get. The experiment with the GFX100RF is the form factor, cramming such high-end tech into a travel-friendly compact camera.

Fujifilm’s concept cameras focus on the experience of shooting more than the technical aspects of image making – the question is, is such a gamble going to pay off? Both retro cameras and compact cameras are trending as younger generations look for ways to snap photos without the distraction of a smartphone. Computational photography and AI is pushing “perfect” photography aside for authentic, emotional images.

Last month, the original Instax Mini Evo was the top-selling compact camera in Japan. That Instax hybrid was launched all the way back in 2021, and the fact that it’s hitting top sales charts again is a good sign that the new Instax Mini Evo Cinema could sell like hot cakes.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema certainly doesn’t look like something I could add to my pro kit – but honestly, I still want one. The decade dial just looks FUN. I’m just hoping this unusual camera isn’t going to be a Japan-only exclusive.

Above: this Fujifilm Japan YouTube video gives a more detailed view of what the Evo Cine's features

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Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo is a hybrid digital-instant film camera that mixes the best of both modern and classic camera tech – but the series is about to gain the ability to “time travel” to different eras. On Wednesday, January 7, Fujifilm Japan announced the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, which is not only the first Instax to shoot video but a camcorder with 1960s cine camera design with an “Eras Dial” to replicate common film looks from different decades.

While the camera was announced in Japan, where it will begin shipping on January 30, Fujifilm has not indicated if the Instax Mini Evo Cinema may come to other regions. It's possible that the new Instax could be a Japanese exclusive.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema doesn’t look much like the earlier Mini Evo model without the Cinema in the name. That’s because the camera is modeled after Fujifilm’s Fujica Single-8 series of 8mm cine cameras, which launched in 1965. The Evo Cinema is vertically oriented, with a trigger-style button for recording videos of up to 15 seconds long.

But what’s perhaps the most unique feature on the camera is what Fujifilm is calling the “Eras Dial,” a dial that allows users to choose a decade to replicate a style of photography popular in that time frame. The dial starts at 1930 and climbs in increments of 10 all the way to what looks like 2020.

Fujifilm explains that the 1960s era replicates the look of Super 8 cine cameras, 1980 is designed to look like 35mm color negatives, while 2010 is meant to replicate photo editing smartphone apps. A dial around the lens allows users to adjust the “degree” to maximize or minimize the effect.

That Eras Dial even affects the video’s audio, such as the whir that comes from film reels.

Of course, as an Instax camera, the Evo Cinema can shoot still photos too, with a switch at the side. Instax prints spit out of the top, and QR codes allow users to “print” videos by using a still and linking to the video file. Prints are controlled with a tactile lever at the side.

A monitor at the rear of the 8mm-cine-inspired camera frames the shot, but Fujifilm Japan also indicates that a viewfinder attachment will be available for converting that small screen into an electronic viewfinder. An attachment to make the grip larger and a dedicated case will also be available.

The camera is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and also functions as an Instax printer for photos captured from a smartphone.

The Evo Cinema isn’t the first attempt to resurrect the spirit of Super 8 into digital videography – there’s also the Camp Snap CS-8. But, based on the images, the Evo Cinema looks quite a bit more compact. The ability to not only take but print still photos is something the CS-8 doesn’t have, then of course, there’s that unusual Eras Dial.

As far as I’m aware, the Evo Cinema looks like the first Instax hybrid capable of shooting videos – though earlier models like the Instax Mini LiPlay+ could record sound to pair with a photo slideshow.

With the Evo Cinema only announced in Japan, it’s unclear if the new camera will be released in other regions in the future. Fujifilm Japan also hasn’t yet shared a price or a full specification sheet, so factors like how much the camera will cost and what sort of sensor the camera is housing are still unknown.

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It all started in late November 1966, when I was just 19 years old. I was a
thousand miles north of home, and it was my first real job. I was, by then, the manager of the photo department in the now long-gone Hougen's Department Store in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

I had a regular customer – a very decent chap of East Indian descent, by the name of Raghu. He was a fine young fellow, both handsome and very likable. It was not long before the Christmas holidays when Raghu came to me and asked to purchase a Polaroid 100 camera and some 100 packs of Polaroid color film.

The total cost was just over CA$1,100 and he put it on his charge account. That was over three month's wages for me at the time. Today, it's roughly equivalent to just over CA$11,000 (around $8,000 / £6,000 / AU$12,000). So it was a substantial sale!

He then flew home to India. When he had not returned by late January, my boss came to me expressing concerns that he might be gone for good – and would the bill ever be paid? Without any idea of Raghu's plans, I blithely assured him that all would be well and to be patient. Call it faith in humanity.

Eventually, near the end of February, Raghu did indeed return. He promptly paid his bill, in full, and told me that he'd come home without a single photograph to show for his trip!

He explained that the people in his home village were very poor and almost nobody could afford to have a photograph of themselves. That was a luxury that was simply out of reach, financially.

So he had taken photographs of everyone he knew – their families and friends, and the families of their friends – and gave all the photos away!

He said it was the best Christmas he'd ever had! I think there might be a lesson in there for us all.

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Fujifilm is about to increase production of Instax film – for the third time in four years. On Thursday, December 18, Fujifilm announced an investment that would increase production in one of the brand’s instant film production facilities by 10 percent by the fall of 2026.

The ¥5 billion investment – which is about $32 million / £23.95 million / AU$48.5 million / CA$44.2 million – will be used to expand production facilities for Instax. The funds are being directed towards the expansion of the Ashigara Site at the Kanagawa Factory in Japan.

But the expansion, which is expected to begin in the spring of 2026 and be fully operational by that same fall, is the third time that the company has expanded Instax production in almost as many years. The company first expanded Instax production in 2022, then again in 2023.

Combined with the investment announced at the tail end of 2025 that will be put into place before the end of 2026, that’s an ¥11.5 billion investment, or about $73.8 million / £55.1 million / AU$111.7 million / CA$101.8 million.

While the expansion to be completed in 2026 is expected to increase production by 10 percent, the total increase since the 2022 investment is now about 50 percent.

Instax film is made of 18 layers that work together in order to create a color image. When the camera (or portable photo printer) ejects the film, a pod of built-in chemicals breaks and spreads over the surface of the film. As the film reacts with the developing chemicals, an image appears, a process that takes about 90 seconds.

When the first Instax camera launched in 1998 in Japan with the first Instax Mini camera, the smaller film format was a hit and bolstered the company through the early 2000s. Like the compact camera, however, the instant film camera took a hit when smartphone cameras became popular.

But, the format bounced back and in 2015 expanded to global markets, including the US, bolstered by younger generations and the absence of Polaroid (who later returned, thanks to the Impossible Project). Ten years later, and the format remains popular – and is likely being impacted by the resurgence of nostalgic tech trends. Earlier this year, Fujifilm shared that it had exceeded $100 million in sales of Instax cameras.

The Instax series now has three main film sizes with Instax Mini, Instax Square, and Instax Wide. While Instax still has some simple, easy-to-use models like the Mini 12 and Mini SE, the series also includes cameras with more advanced tools like the Instax Mini 99. Hybrid cameras like the Instax Mini Evo and Wide Evo take both digital images and spit out prints on instant film, while portable printers like the Instax Mini Link 3 turn digital images from any camera into instant film.

Fujifilm says the expansion aims to cater to growing demand for Instax film.

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Polaroid cameras have always held a certain magic. Whether it's the premium, manual-friendly Polaroid I-2 or the tiny, travel-ready Polaroid Go 2, each model brings its own charm. But the Polaroid Flip stands apart – and this year, it's done more than spark nostalgia.

Earlier this year, the Flip earned a spot on Time's Best Inventions of 2025, making waves for blending retro design with forward-thinking features. It's not just another nostalgia-driven camera dressed in vintage styling; it introduces technology that Polaroid retired decades ago – now refined for modern creators.

By merging classic analog charm with smart connectivity and genuinely useful innovations, the Flip brings a level of ease, reliability, and creative control that makes instant photography feel fresh again. For seasoned shooters and complete beginners alike, it's a standout option in a crowded market.

Tech you don't usually see anymore

The Flip's signature feature is easy to spot: its bold, flip-up flash module. This isn't just a stylistic nod to Polaroid's classic 600 series cameras – it houses one of the most powerful flashes Polaroid has put into an instant camera, capable of lighting subjects up to 4.5m away. This means cleaner, sharper, more balanced photos indoors and at night.

What really sets the Flip apart, though, is something we haven't seen in decades: sonar autofocus. Borrowed from Polaroid's legends like the SX-70 Sonar, it uses sound waves to determine subject distance with surprising accuracy.

Paired with the camera's four-lens hyperfocal system (with preset focal distances from 0.65m to 2.5m), the Flip delivers noticeably more consistent sharpness than most instant shooters.

And just when it feels like the Flip is leaning fully into its retro roots, it reveals its modern side. Flip open the flash, and the camera instantly connects to the Polaroid App via Bluetooth, unlocking manual exposure control, creative modes, long-exposure settings, and even firmware updates!

How it compares to other Polaroid cameras

The I-2 remains Polaroid's best performer in pure image quality thanks to its glass lens and LiDAR focusing. But at around $599.99 / £499.99 / AU$946, it's a specialist camera for those willing to invest.

The Flip, priced at $219.99 / £199.99 / AU$416, sits at a far more accessible level while still offering a shooting experience that feels both fun and capable – making it an instant favorite for everyday use.

However, Polaroid cameras are currently on offer – and the Flip is available for $184.99 / £179.99 / AU$379 for non-members, or $166.50 / £162 / AU$341.10 for new Polaroid Members (plus the membership is free).

Compared to the Now+ and Go, the Flip stands out for its autofocus reliability, stronger flash, and much more useful connectivity.

Instant photography is all about character, and the Polaroid Flip brings that in abundance. But what makes it exciting is how confidently it bridges the past and present. It revives older Polaroid camera features that many longtime fans loved while giving newcomers an easy, intuitive gateway into the format.

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The Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print is a playful and compact camera aimed at children aged 3–12. Unlike a standard kids’ digital camera, this one brings something exciting to the table: instant prints.

Gofunly, the brand behind it, has a focus on fostering creativity in young photographers by combining simple digital functions with tactile, screen-free fun. Their mission is to create cameras that are easy for children to use, safe, and engaging; and this model sits at the budget end of the instant camera market, priced affordably for parents who want to encourage photography without committing to more expensive devices.

I took this camera on a local park and duck pond trip with my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She’s a budding little photographer, and I was curious to see how she’d respond to the combination of digital shooting and instant printing.

Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print: Specifications

Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print: Price and Availability

The recommended retail price is $39.99 / £45.98, though it’s often on sale for less. For the features it offers: instant printing, creative tools, and a digital camera, the price is fair. That said, like all budget kids’ cameras, image quality is basic, so expectations should be modest. It’s very much at the 'toy camera' end of the spectrum, but that’s exactly what it’s designed for!

Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print: Design & Handling

Out of the box, the camera immediately felt easy to handle. It’s small, lightweight, and fits comfortably into tiny hands. My daughter loved the pink edition, though other colors are available. The included lanyard was perfect for wearing around her neck, keeping the camera secure during our trip.

Unlike the silicone-covered cameras featured in Gofunly’s line, this model is made from hard plastic. It doesn’t have shock-absorbing protection, and it isn’t water resistant, but it feels solid and well put together.

The USB-C port for charging and microSD slot are easy to access via the bottom of the camera, and the built-in thermal printer is cleverly integrated into the design; it only requires sliding the rear of the camera to open it up.

The lens is a fixed focus lens that claims to have a 10x optical zoom; however, I would take this with a pinch of salt as the image quality deteriorates the further the zoom. The lens is also stated to be macro suitable for close-up photography, such as plants and bugs. Again, another pinch of salt is needed here.

The menu system is simple to navigate with the use of large tactile buttons on the rear interface, with clear menu icons for camera mode, video mode, playback, settings, and creative tools. Switching between digital capture and instant printing is easy with a dedicated print button.

I did notice there’s no playback button, much like the Gofunly Kids Camera, so reviewing photos requires a few extra menu taps, but it wasn’t a problem for me to help my daughter with this. The emphasis is clearly on taking photos and printing them instantly, which is where this camera really shines.

Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print: Performance

Using the camera, it’s obvious that ease of use is a priority. My daughter took to it immediately, even with the shutter capture button located on the front of the camera instead of being on top.

She could switch modes, press the shutter, and even print her shots all by herself. The instant-print feature was the highlight. Seeing a photo appear on thermal paper seconds after taking it felt magical to her, and she loved holding the physical result in her hands. We spent a long time at the park photographing the scenery, printing each frame as she went.

It was extremely refreshing to capture images and print them instantly, before they had a chance to get lost in the sea of digital hard drives. The instant print meant that we could collect them as we went and, upon returning home, place them in a scrapbook for a tactile memento of our trip. This is the main reason why I believe that we will continue to use this camera time and time again.

The camera encourages creativity in other ways, too. The included colored pens enabled my daughter to decorate some prints, and the coloring illustrations included on the camera provided a fun coloring activity. This felt far more engaging than the generic games included on some other kids’ cameras.

Image quality on the digital screen is soft, and 12MP photos lack sharpness, but for this age group, that’s not really the point. The prints are more than adequate for their size and for keeping in scrapbooks or handing out to friends and family. The 10x zoom is fun to experiment with for small details, and the timer and burst modes work well for group or action shots.

Battery life lasted several hours, and the included 32GB microSD card is generous, providing plenty of storage for digital images. Replacement paper rolls are easy to source, too and have lasted a reasonable amount of time.

The Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print also claims to take 1080p video. This isn't the 1080p you're probably thinking of, as the footage is pixelated and choppy, more akin to the very first digital cameras or, dare I say, VHS home videos.

Of course, you will have to take my word for this, as I'm sure you will notice there are no video samples here. Extracting the videos to upload them to this review seemed impossible, or at least too difficult for a professional photographer to figure out! The videos I shot with it seem to only be available to view through the camera's playback menus.

Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print: Verdict

The Gofunly Kids Camera Instant Print stands out in the budget kids’ camera market because of its instant-print feature. It transforms photography from a screen-based activity into a hands-on creative experience that young children genuinely enjoy.

While the digital image quality is limited and it lacks shock protection or water resistance, it performs exactly as intended: giving toddlers and young children the joy of capturing and creating their own memories.

For parents looking for a creative, fun, and tactile introduction to photography, this is a great option. It’s not about perfect photos; it’s rather about fostering curiosity, independence, and creativity. My daughter loved every moment of using it, from taking shots to printing and coloring them, which is ultimately what matters most.

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Fujifilm’s Instax digital instant camera hybrids mix digital files with real instant film – and the series’ newest member is here. The Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay+ is a cheap compact camera with dual formats (film and digital) and dual cameras (traditional and selfie).

The Mini LiPlay+ updates the original Instax Mini LiPlay with a secondary selfie camera, along with a refreshed look. Like its predecessor, the LiPlay+ is a digital camera that’s still capable of spitting out instant film prints thanks to the built-in printer. The LiPlay+ brings dual lenses to that dual format.

The ability to spit out real film isn’t the only nostalgia the LiPlay+ has going for it. Photos are 2560 x 1920, which is roughly 4.9MP. That’s more in line with the early 2000s digital compact cameras that have been returning among retro fans than the specs of a modern camera.

The rear-facing camera has the same resolution as the front-facing one, but has a slightly wider view at a 23mm equivalent compared to a 28mm equivalent.

The Mini LiPlay app enables the camera to print out smartphone photos on instant film as well. The camera will also transfer digital files over a smartphone for social sharing, but only the ones that have already been printed out on instant film.

Beyond the addition of the secondary camera, the update to the LiPlay series also has a refreshed design, which is a bit boxier than the earlier camera. The LiPlay+ ergonomics are meant to hold the camera vertically, in line with the vertical Instax Mini film frame, though horizontal images are still possible too.

Fujifilm sent me the Mini LiPlay+ ahead of launch to try out – and the camera was exactly what I expected after using previous Instax hybrids. The film prints are bright and colorful, and the digital images have the sort of lo-fi quality that you’d expect from a low-resolution camera with a small sensor.

My biggest complaint on the LiPlay+ isn’t really with the camera itself, but the price. The Instax Mini LiPlay+ retails for about $235 / £190 / CA$280. (Australia pricing has not yet been announced, but that translates to about AU$361.)

That’s still relatively affordable, but it’s about the same price as the Instax Mini Evo, which with its retro looks, more controls, and wider range of creative effects, feels like the better buy, unless you really want that selfie camera. In comparison, the previous generation retailed for about $200 / £150.

The camera is expected to begin shipping in late October. For my full thoughts, read my Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay+ review.

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As a product of the 1990s, I’m fully on board with the resurging trends from the era, from The Super Mario Bros Movie to the return of disposable cameras. But there’s a new collab that makes my '90s heart happy: Nintendo and Fujifilm.

The Special Super Mario Question Block Case Bundle pairs the existing Instax Mini Link 3 printer with a base that makes the instant film look like the prize out of a question block. I love a good power-up or Yoshi egg popping out of a prize box, but a real film photo may just be my favorite prize yet.

The new Mario-themed bundle launches alongside an update to the Instax Mini Link app for Nintendo Switch, which originally launched in 2021. The update enables users to create their own instant film prints using interactive Instax AiR Studio elements from the Mushroom Kingdom.

The update also adds the Click To Collage, which creates a photo-booth-like experience from the Mini Link 3 printer. The collab brings characters, frames and stickers from licensed Nintendo characters to the Instax app for printing.

Users will also be able to print screenshots snapped on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 by transferring screenshots to a smartphone and then printing from the app.

“This app is a great example of the continued synergies between the digital and analog worlds,” said Bing Liem, the Fujifilm North America Imaging Division president. “We’ve created a strong connection between gaming and photography and, as always, we’re excited to see what our users create.”

The updated app is free to download. The new bundle that mixes the Instax Mini Link 3 with a Super Mario case retails for about $150 / CA$200. International pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

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Fujifilm’s hybrid digital instant cameras are the instant film equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too, taking both digital images and spitting out prints on real instant film. Its newest hybrid, the Instax Mini LiPlay+, takes that dual format and adds dual lenses, incorporating a rear-facing selfie camera along with the usual front camera.

Like its other hybrids, the Instax Mini LiPlay+ enables me to save the film for the best images that I really want to keep, and offers the ability to retake the shot to get it just right without wasting film. The LiPlay+ takes everything I loved about the original Instax Mini LiPlay and adds a refreshed look with a second rear camera.

The Instax Mini LiPlay+, however, arrives at a time when compact cameras are making a comeback. Retro fans are buying up old 2000s-era digicams, tired of the increasingly “perfect” smartphone snapshots.

The Instax Mini LiPlay+ may not be a 20-year-old camera, but its megapixel count in the single digits – mixed with the nostalgic charm of instant film – could very well make this camera a win among shoppers looking for a cheap camera with retro charm. The biggest catch? The LiPlay+ is priced nearly identically to the even more retro Instax Mini Evo…

Instax Mini LiPlay+: Specifications

Instax Mini LiPlay+: Price and availability

The Instax Mini LiPlay+ retails for about $235 / £190 / CA$280 and is available from a variety of retailers (Australian pricing has not yet been announced).

That puts the LiPlay+ in a bit of an awkward spot in the Instax lineup. The previous LiPlay was the budget option compared to the brand’s other hybrid cameras, the Instax Mini Evo and Wide Evo. The LiPlay+ is now about the same price as the Mini Evo, making it less of a budget choice and more of a selfie-focused alternative.

The LiPlay+ is still significantly less than the newer Evo Wide, which takes a larger film format.

Instax Mini LiPlay+: Design & Handling

The Instax Mini LiPlay+ looks noticeably different from the previous generation with a boxier, more modern design paired with simple controls. Rather than a two-tone color like the Mini Evo, the LiPlay+ is one solid color – but there are two different textures to add a bit of subtle detail.

The LiPlay+ measures just under 5x3 inches or about 8x12 cm. The camera is just under 1.5 inches / 4cm thick. I would still call the Liplay+ a compact camera, but building the space for the instant film cartridge does make it bulkier than compacts that can’t print. It’s pocketable, but more so for a jacket pocket than a jeans pocket.

The LiPlay+ is designed to be held vertically, rather than the more traditional horizontal. The front of the camera has a square framing the lens and a shutter release to take the photo on the front. This is similar to the previous LiPlay, but bucks the traditional shutter release on the top right of the camera.

This unusual arrangement is done on purpose because the Instax Mini frames are a more natural fit to vertical images, where printed horizontal images feel a bit sideways. Hold the camera vertically and the control layout makes much more sense: there’s a thumb rest on the back and you can take photos one-handed with the right index finger.

Of course, the LiPlay+ is both a digital camera and an instant camera, and you can still shoot horizontal images. The ergonomics just feel a bit out of whack shooting horizontally, as you’ll use your left index finger to snap the photo instead – which also makes it a bit more awkward to shoot one-handed.

Where most cameras have the shutter release on the top near where the right index finger rests, there is the on-off button and a button to switch to the rear selfie cam. (It’s admittedly easy to accidentally press this when snapping a horizontal photo, as the right-hand trigger finger is muscle memory.)

The back of the camera is dominated by a large screen. This is really one of the hybrid camera’s biggest perks: you can choose which photos to print, so you don’t waste film on bad images that you don’t want.

Under that screen, if held in that proper vertical position, there’s an array of menu controls including a print button, back button, playback and mode button. The menu button is wrapped with a rotating dial to move up and down the menu, and those arrow keys also double as shortcuts to access filters, flash, frames and a selfie timer.

At the top of the screen, there’s a small selfie camera – held horizontally, it’s easy to block this with your hand, but again the LiPlay+ is best shot vertically.

Next to that selfie camera, there’s a small switch that pops open the door to load the film cartridge. A yellow mark on the camera and the film matches up to make sure you’re not installing the film backwards, though the film doesn’t really fit if you try to install it backwards, so there’s little room for error. Instant prints pop out of the top of the camera (or the side, if you’re holding it horizontally).

The battery life on the LiPlay+ is rated to 100 prints, which feels a bit on the low end, though to be fair, that's comparing the camera to others without a built-in printer. I took around 150 images and printed about 10 of them when the battery icon started showing red.

Instax Mini LiPlay+: The App

The camera connects to smartphones using the Mini LiPlay app, which is available on iOS and Android. Connecting the camera to the app was fairly straightforward and quick – tap on connect camera, then in the camera menu go to the Bluetooth Settings and Pairing Registration. After the first time pairing the camera, the camera will automatically show up in the list of options if powered on.

Inside the app, you can send images from your smartphone to the camera to be printed on Instax film. The opposite is also true, except that only the images that you’ve printed can be transferred to the smartphone. These printed photos show up as digital images with an Instax frame around them.

The inability to send unprinted images is a strange limitation, as Fujifilm’s non-Instax cameras can send much larger JPEGs over to a smartphone via Bluetooth. If you want to get the photo on your smartphone without printing, you’ll need to use a microSD card reader on your phone.

The app can also be used to trigger a photo remotely for taking a selfie on a tripod.

The mobile app also has some customization options for the camera. For example, you can pick out new frames besides the ones that come pre-programmed into the camera. Instax even enables users to create their own frames by using an image, and PNGs with transparent backgrounds are supported, so there are a lot of possibilities for creating your own looks – perhaps for a special event, or maybe you want to bring your favorite Photoshop brushes into the Instax.

The app also serves as a way to access other settings, along with using the app for future firmware updates.

Instax Mini LiPlay+ review: Performance

The Instax Mini LiPlay+ is about fun prints and classic charm, not megapixels. The camera captures stills that are about 1920 x 2560 pixels, which is just under 5MP. Images from the rear selfie camera carry the same resolution.

That’s plenty of resolution to spit out credit-card-sized instant film prints. The prints coming from the LiPlay+ are surprisingly vibrant. Prints still carry some of the unpredictability of film, with charming colors and occasionally more washed-out colors.

As any camera with megapixels in the single digits, however, the LiPlay+ certainly sits in the lo-fi digicam category – you probably shouldn’t view the digital files at 100%, where details quickly muddle and noise becomes readily apparent.

The digital files aren’t meant to be printed large or pixel peeped – they’re more meant for social sharing. After all, Instagram downsizes images to 1080 x 1350, so there’s still plenty of resolution to have both the physical instant film and social share too.

With such a small sensor, noise quickly muddies indoor images. But the camera’s built-in flash helps, provided the subject isn’t too far from the front of the camera. These low-light images still print fairly well on film, but are less appealing to look if you're inspecting them closely.

The camera’s small sensor means that the LiPlay+ is fairly limited at capturing a wide dynamic range. If you take a photo in bright sunlight, there’s fairly good odds that you’ll have some overexposed white highlights. Thankfully, the LiPlay+ does have exposure compensation, which enables you to lighten or darken the image by up to two stops, so it’s possible to fix a photo that’s skewing too bright or too dark.

Part of the fun of the Liplay+ lies in the different filters and frames. The camera has a handful of profiles, including vibrant, black-and-white, and even a fisheye lens effect. Frames are overlays, like balloon drawings and banners. The frames are more cutesy, but there is a light leak effect that I love and you can create your own and add them using the mobile app.

Frames can be applied before you take the picture, or after in playback mode. The camera also allows you to rotate and crop an image before printing as well.

The LiPlay+ also has a handful of different shooting modes. Frame-in-frame uses the front and rear cameras to overlay two images. This is less picture-in-picture and more one photo used to frame another, as most of the image taken with the front camera is blocked by the second photo.

A sound picture enables you to record sound with the image and add a QR code to the print that will lead to a recording – a tool for sending friends messages, or recording someone’s voice with their portrait. A similar sound album mixes several images with sound, and creates a video playable from the QR code that animates those photos into Instax frames and plays those sounds.

The camera’s autofocus system is aided by an AF illuminator light. That enabled the LiPlay+ to perform fairly well indoors, still locking on the focus. However, the camera repeatedly refused to focus in a handful of scenarios – all of them extremely high-contrast shots, like this attempt at capturing the pattern made by the shadows here:

If you pick up the LiPlay+ expecting a fun, low-fi camera, you’ll likely be excited by the colorful prints this camera spits out. Nostalgia seekers browsing single-digit early 2000s digicams will love the low-fi images mixed with the ability to create colorful prints on real instant film and the (limited) option to send images to the smartphone app for sharing.

If you’re expecting images that rival those of a good smartphone camera, you’ll be disappointed – the under 5MP specs for this camera aren’t meant for high resolution pixel peeping.

Instax Mini LiPlay+ review: Sample Images

Instax Mini LiPlay+: Verdict

If you are looking for a compact camera that takes photos at least as good as a decent smartphone camera, walk away. That isn’t the kind of camera that the Instax Mini LiPlay+ is – it’s a low-resolution camera that’s more about the fun than the megapixels. (Although I admire your reading tenacity for making it this far.)

But if the retro camera trend has sent you browsing eBay for single-digit megapixel cameras, the Instax Mini LiPlay+ is worth considering. It creates charming lo-fi digital files, prints on instant film and is relatively portable and affordable. The dedicated camera is more fun to use than snapping photos with a smartphone.

The other type of photographer that I recommend the LiPlay+ for is kids and teenagers. My kids, nieces and nephews are all fascinated by instant film and love watching the image appear and decorating their room with prints.

The problem with giving a kid an instant film camera is that once they take ten photos, they can’t take any more without buying more film. That’s not true with a hybrid like the LiPlay+; you can continue taking photos once you run out of film, and you can choose not to print those accidental pictures of feet and fingers.

The inability to send digital files to the smartphone app without printing them first is a bit disappointing, though, and the camera occasionally had trouble focusing on high-contrast scenes.

My biggest problem with the LiPlay+ isn’t a problem with the camera itself, but rather an issue with the price. The LiPlay+ is set to retail at about $235 / £190. That’s the same price as the Instax Mini Evo in the US and slightly more in the UK.

If I had to choose between the LiPlay+ and the Mini Evo, I wouldn’t even have to think about it. The Evo’s retro design, abundance of controls and built-in creative effects make it my favorite cheap camera – and, like the LiPlay+, it’s a hybrid that takes digital photos and spits out instant film.

With the older LiPlay, there was a significant price gap between the two cameras. But if these two cameras are going to come in at the same price, then the Evo’s added creative tools and retro design win hands down.

The biggest thing that the Instax Mini LiPlay+ has that the Evo doesn’t is the second rear camera, instead using a small mirror on the front to help frame selfies with the front-facing camera. If you want a selfie camera, opt for the LiPlay+, but the Evo’s retro style and creative tools will still win out for most.

Alternatives

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The launch of Google Gemini’s latest photo editing capabilities, codenamed Nano Bananas, has sparked a number of trends, from the AI action figure to generating time travel images of your younger self alongside your current self. One of the AI’s trendy capabilities? The ability to generate a Polaroid-like image.

But turning a smartphone snapshot into something that looks like instant film isn’t something that’s only newly possible with advancements in AI image generators. One of my favorite affordable photo accessories is actually a mobile printer that converts digital photographs into real instant film, not ink on paper, but real instant film that I can watch develop just as if the image was spit out of a camera.

My portable photo printer of choice is the Instax Mini Link 3, a compact printer that has earned a spot among my favorite tech accessories because it turns photos from my smartphone or digital camera into real instant film, not Zink or ink on paper.

Instax’s line of Instax printers uses Bluetooth to receive images from a smartphone. The printer then exposes that image on real film, then spits out that instant photo. Just like with an instant camera, you get to watch the image slowly appear on the once white surface as the photo chemicals embedded in the instant film work their magic.

Because it uses real instant film, the Instax printer has some of the same quirks as instant photography, including wacky yet retro colors. There are some quirks that are from the camera, not the film, like that forced flash look and soft focus, so it doesn’t quite feel as retro as an actual instant film camera, but mobile photo printers tend to be more affordable than some of the cameras, and you can have both a digital image and a physical print.

The instant film printer that I use is the Instax Mini Link 3, which spits out credit-card-sized prints. If you want a bit larger print, Instax also has the Square Link and Wide Link printers.

Polaroid has its own take on turning smartphone photos into real instant film, too. The Polaroid Lab works a bit differently – it doesn’t use Bluetooth, but instead snaps a photo of the image on your phone screen. That also makes it a bit larger, but it spits out authentic Polaroids with that iconic square format.

Can AI generate an image that looks like instant film? Sometimes, yes. But most of the charm of instant film comes with being able to actually hold the print in your hands, watch it develop, and see the colors and imperfections that come from a real photochemical process. An AI-generated image on a screen can’t replicate that physical print to hold in your hands.

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I tried out Gemini's new ability to make photos that look more like you – and was both impressed and terrified at the same time. Or, browse the best portable photo printers, or for an even more analog experience, the best instant cameras.

There’s a reason so many of us still reach for an instant camera even when our phones can do everything faster, sharper and cleaner. Polaroid is about chaos, connection and that feeling when a messy moment feels more alive on one frame of film than in fifty digital frames. That’s why this new collaboration between Polaroid and Thrasher makes perfect sense.

Two icons of counterculture, one born from skateboarding’s grit, the other from photography’s spontaneity, have teamed up for the Polaroid Now Generation 3 Thrasher Edition. And it’s not just a logo slapped on the body: each camera is hydro-dipped in Thrasher artwork, meaning no two look alike. The camera feels like it rolled straight out of a '90s skatepark, sticker-bombed and sun-bleached.

The camera itself is classic Polaroid Now territory, a simple, rechargeable instant shooter designed for bright light. You’ve got a self-timer, double exposure for layering chaos into chaos and compatibility with Polaroid’s i-Type film. At $149,99 / £139.99 / AU$269, it’s not cheap, but then again, instant photography never pretended to be practical. That’s half the charm.

What really elevates this release is the accompanying film. Polaroid has enlisted Neckface, a legendary artist and longtime Thrasher collaborator, to design 11 unique frames for the Polaroid Color i-Type Film – Thrasher Edition. They’re bold, unhinged, and funny in that way only skateboard culture seems to nail, with the frames themselves feeling like part of the photo.

At $21,99 / £20.99 / AU$34.95 a pack, it’s more expensive than regular i-Type film, but you’re paying for something that doubles as a little piece of design history.

I’ll admit, on paper, this is just another special edition camera. But Polaroid has a history of creative collaborations – and this one feels less like a cash grab, more like a genuine meeting of cultures. If you’ve ever flipped through old Thrasher magazines and spotted a Polaroid taped to a wall or crammed into a spread, you’ll know this partnership has roots.

Tony Vitello, publisher and owner of Thrasher, commented, "The skateboard community is experience-based and shares that through imagery. There are sprinkles of Polaroid throughout Thrasher's deep archives. These moments have guided generations and brought us together, not only capturing the chaos but capturing history".

For me, that’s the appeal: it’s not about whether this is the 'best' camera. It’s about holding a small object that feels like it belongs to a scene and captures the moment.

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Take a look at our guides to the best instant cameras and the best digital instant cameras on the market in 2025. If you're stocking up on film, be sure to check out instant camera film sizes and confirm what type of instant film you need.

Fujifilm’s popular instant compact, the Instax Mini Evo has long stood out as a fan favourite in the digital instant camera world – and for good reason. It doesn’t just blend digital convenience with retro-style instant prints – it also looks gorgeous. With its vintage-inspired controls and premium finish, the Mini Evo is arguably Fujifilm’s most stylish Instax to date.

Until now, though, there have been just two choices when it came to colorways: an understated black with silver trim, or a classic brown with its leatherette-style wrap. Both are undeniably sophisticated, but perhaps a little too serious for a brand so synonymous with fun, youthful creativity.

That’s about to change. This October, the Instax Mini Evo is getting a fresh new look with the launch of a Gentle Rose finish. Soft, playful, and just the right side of tasteful, it injects a welcome splash of character into the lineup without losing the premium feel that makes the Evo stand apart.

If you’re new to the Evo lineup, they are more than just instant cameras; the Mini Evo offers three distinct ways to shoot. You can shoot and print instantly, you can also save shots to an SD card and review them on the rear LCD before committing them to film, or switch the Evo into a smartphone printer to print out your phone snaps.

The Instax Mini Evo also packs in creative options, with 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, giving a total of 100 different combinations to experiment with – perfect for creators who like to experiment.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Gentle Rose edition will be available from early October 2025, priced at $234.99 / £174.99 (Australian availability to be confirmed), with a matching case also on sale for $19.99 / £24.99.

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Take a look at the best instant cameras, along with our Instax vs Polaroid comparison guide. You can also check out the different instant camera film sizes to determine what type of instant film you need.

From the Outkast song Hey Ya to Taylor Swift album covers, Polaroid’s instant film has remained both a piece of photography history and a part of pop culture. But is that iconic white border around a square photo part of a trademarked aesthetic, or just integral to how instant film works? The courts are poised to examine that question and several others as a trademark infringement case between Polaroid and Fujifilm that originally initiated in 2017 will soon likely come to trial.

The trademark infringement case dates back to 2017 and has been in and out of courts since, but a judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has recently dismissed Fujifilm’s requests for a summary judgment. Last month, Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald partially dismissed Fujifilm’s motion for summary judgment, a move that likely means the case will be headed for a trial.

Polaroid’s longstanding square format instant film became such a key part of the brand’s reputation that it is now part of the brand’s logo, referred to in the lawsuit as the “classic border logo,” which first started appearing on some Polaroid products in 1972.

The lawsuit questions whether or not Fujifilm’s Instax Square film infringes on Polaroid’s intellectual property, which includes two trademarks, one for the logo and one for the design of the film itself. Fujifilm has three Instax film formats (and a line of portable printers and instant cameras to go along with them): Instax Mini, Instax Wide, and Instax Square. The court case concerns the latter and examines whether or not the square Instax infringes on Polaroid's trademarks.

While on the surface the case appears as a question of intellectual property, the case goes beyond whether or not Instax Square is different enough from the original Polaroid Square film. When Fujifilm began developing Instax Square in 2014 and then later launched the product in 2017, Polaroid had already announced in 2008 that it had stopped making instant film.

But the same year that Instax Square launched, the Impossible Project, the company that had bought Polaroid’s film factory in an attempt to save the format, became the largest shareholder for PLR IP Holdings, LLC, the company that owns the Polaroid trademark. In essence, Impossible Project eventually became Polaroid Originals and, eventually, Polaroid, although PLR IR Holdings LLC remains a separate entity.

Common law rights describe “abandonment of a mark”, where three years of non-use and lack of intent to resume use “constitute a forfeiture of a property right”. Fujifilm says that Polaroid abandoned its rights when it stopped producing film in 2008, while Polaroid says that a statement from the new owner and licensing deals as early as 2011 made it clear that Polaroid intended to resume the use of that format.

That’s not the only question that the courts will debate over, however. The court looked at factors like whether or not the two products can be easily confused with one another. According to the court document, the court examined an “email from a Fujifilm executive stating, ‘I’m looking at a square instax on my desk and am not sure how to tell it’s different [from Polaroid’s film].’”

Another issue that the court examined is whether or not the white border on instant film is functional and an essential part of the ability to put both film and developing materials into one pouch, or aesthetic. Fujifilm argues that the film’s borders are dictated by function. Polaroid argues that Fujifilm’s application for a design patent for Instax Square, filed in 2017, implies that the design is aesthetic, not functional, as design patents are only issued for “ornamental designs,” unlike standard patentsThe lawsuit was originally filed in 2017 by Fujifilm in response to Polaroid’s claims that Instax Square infringed on their trademark and requests for payments to license the square film format. While the judge granted the motion for dismissal for the elements of the court case dealing with the film’s promotional materials, the judge denied Fujifilm’s request for a summary judgment on the remainder of the trademark infringement claims.

The denial of the summary judgment means the judge has deemed that there’s enough of a dispute for the case to head to trial. A court date has not yet been announced.

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Kodak is doubling down on its legacy of innovation with the launch of the MemoShot Era MS100 – a quirky, all-in-one gadget that’s equal parts instant camera, pocket photo printer and label maker.

Taking design cues from Kodak’s iconic 35mm film canisters, the MS100 blends nostalgia with everyday practicality and adds a dose of fun that might just make it a sleeper hit as a kid's camera or for scrapbookers, journaling fans and anyone who loves personalizing their space.

The cylindrical shape is a playful homage to the 35mm film canisters that helped define Kodak’s brand legacy for decades. And at just 308g, with dimensions of 60 x 150 mm, it’s light enough for kids to handle comfortably yet substantial enough to feel like a real piece of kit.

The built-in smart LCD screen located at the end of the body makes framing and reviewing shots a breeze.

The MemoShot Era MS100 is more than just an instant camera, however. Kodak has equipped it with the ability to print black-and-white adhesive labels straight from the device or through the Kodak Memo app.

Capture a moment and print it instantly, or connect your phone to import your favorite images from your gallery. In the app you can overlay text, choose from a variety of fonts and add stickers or emojis to create fully customized designs; ideal for scrapbooks, school projects, small business packaging, or simply decorating your everyday life.

The device uses Kodak’s exclusive one-touch cartridge system for quick, mess-free roll changes, with each roll yielding 30 adhesive-backed prints measuring 2.7 by 1.8 inches. The printing process is thermal-based, which means there’s no ink to replace, and the monochrome output lends photos a crisp, classic feel.

The label paper is BPA-free, medical-grade, and manufactured in Korea, making it safe for users of all ages and durable enough to handle daily use.

While the instant camera market is crowded with playful, kid-friendly designs, the MS100’s unusual blend of instant photography, mobile photo printing, and label-making sets it apart. It’s as useful for a crafter organizing their workspace as it is for a parent capturing family memories or a teen adding flair to their journal.

The Kodak MemoShot Era MS100 is available now for $49.99 / £46.99 / AU$132.91 and comes with one label roll to get you started.

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The iconic Polaroid SX-70 isn't just one of the best instant cameras ever made, it's one of the most iconic cameras of all time – and it's being brought back from the dead.

Boutique Chinese manufacturer 10Art.CC, maker of curios like Polaroid backs for Hasselblad cameras, has announced a new instant camera, the Pocket Fold 66 – a camera that "pays tribute to Dr Land, inspired by the Polaroid SX-70".

In case you've never had the pleasure of handling one, this camera's brilliant party trick is that it starts out super flat (almost like a VHS tape) and then pops up to transform into a Polaroid. It's also a rare breed of instant camera that's actually an SLR, rather than a rangefinder.

"I often ponder the ultimate form of a Polaroid camera. It must simultaneously meet the requirements of portability, image quality, reliability, ease of use, and aesthetics," states the announcement on 10Art.CC's site.

"So, here it is: the Pocket Fold 66, a foldable instant camera with an optical viewfinder and automatic metering. A complete all-in-one camera. Pf – a camera that folds into your pocket. 66 – uses instant square film.

"This camera pays tribute to Dr Land, inspired by the Polaroid SX70. I'm sure everyone agrees that among all instant cameras, this one is indispensable. It's truly classic, yet incredibly timeless. It's perfect, yet imperfect.

"But please note, this isn't a replica; it's a re-creation. We've only retained its folding structure, as it's the only way to achieve extreme compactness. I deeply admire Dr Land's ingenuity. Respect!

"On this basis, we optimized all components and redesigned the entire optical system, electronic system, and mechanical transmission system. Paying tribute to the classics, starting anew!"

The Pocket Fold 66 features a bespoke 110mm f/5.6 lens with macro capability, with a minimum focusing distance of 150mm. Its folded dimensions very similar to the original, at just 160 x 100mm x 450mm (compared to the SX-70's 175 x 100 x 250mm), and the body is made of aviation-grade aluminum alloy.

The camera has automatic metering with EV adjustment, a built-in rechargeable lithium battery, an "expandable module" and, as noted, accepts Polaroid film – though it's unclear what type of instant film it is. I personally hope it's the slightly pricier but much faster original SX-70 film (ASA160), but I guess it'll be the standard 600 / i-Type (ASA640).

Further info will be released in due course, but I'm already psyched. I love instant cameras and it warms my heart whenever someone launches a new one – but the fact that we're getting a remake of the classic SX-70 truly makes me feel warm and tingly.

Check out Analog Resurgence's excellent video on the Polaroid SX-70 below if you're feeling similarly nostalgic!

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Vacation season is upon us, which means plenty of photographers will be hopping on planes. And while digital photographers won't even bat an eyelid, for those of us who shoot film – whether it's on 35mm film cameras or instant cameras – vacation season means one thing: don't let security put your film through the X-ray machine!

Yes, I know – whether or not airport scanners actually damage camera film is a decades-long-debated topic. While some folks merrily boast about taking endless stacks of film through scanners without incident, there are plenty of reports that airport scanners do in fact damage film.

So, who do you believe? Well, personally I'm paying attention to the people that actually make that film. So when Polaroid recently reminded me that you really do have to protect your film, I thought I should share that advice with all the shooters and snappers merrily stuffing their luggage with instant film.

"Polaroid film is sensitive stuff, and it needs a lot of care to keep all that color and contrast," the company notes on its travel tips page.

"In some airports, new X-ray machines have been installed that use a higher dose of radiation. More radiation = less saturation. Radiation zaps all the saturation from your undeveloped instant film. The result? Washed-out, foggy photos, that have a pinkish hue."

This jibes with the story we wrote a couple of years ago, where a YouTuber and film photographer put a bunch of 35mm rolls through airport scanners multiple times.

While only film above ISO800 was affected, and only after repeated scans, he noted that "there definitely is a light fog over all of the film that you can see in the clear parts of the film, and there are some other weird patterns that look like light leaks".

In other words, these machines really can do damage to your film. And even if the chances are remote, or you've been lucky before, I would strongly advise not to take the chance if you're travelling with film – the cost, inconvenience and missed memories just aren't worth it.

And it's not just Polaroid film; while their photochemical processes differ, the same sensitivity applies to Instax film. As Instax warns on its own page:

"To prevent possible fogging of unexposed film during X-ray inspection of luggage at airports, it is recommended that all film and cameras loaded with film are carried as hand luggage and not transported in hold luggage. If facilities are available, then a manual hand search should be requested."

Obviously every airport is different, and each one has its own security procedures and machines – and with the best will in the world, you're going to struggle finding anyone at an airport who is qualified to tell you how safe they are for camera film.

So as Polaroid says: "If in doubt, keep your camera and undeveloped film in your carry-on bag, and ask for a hand check with the attendant instead to avoid the X-ray machine."

None of this applies to photographs you've already taken, of course; X-rays have no effect on exposed film, so feel free to pack your photos wherever you feel safest. Travel safe and bon voyage!

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Wondering what the differences are between the best instant cameras? Check out my Instax vs Polaroid breakdown. And remember that all instant film types are different, so double-check what type of instant film you need before you travel!

In a photography world obsessed with AI, Polaroid is taking a stand. While every new camera release seems to boast some form of AI-powered this or that – autofocus, scene recognition, even generative edits– Polaroid’s latest campaign feels like a breath of fresh air.

The brand’s new Camera for an Analog Life campaign is unapologetically human, celebrating imperfection, real connection, and the tactile joy of holding a photograph in your hand.

The campaign launches alongside Polaroid’s newest instant camera, the Polaroid Flip, and delivers a message that cuts through the AI noise with simple, provocative statements such as "No one on their deathbed ever said: I wish I’d spent more time on my phone," and "Real stories. Not stories & reels."

At a time when many photographers are questioning what role AI should play in the creative process, Polaroid’s approach feels almost radical. It’s not about speed, algorithms, or computational perfection but rather slowing down and embracing the analog magic that first made photography magic.

Polaroid has taken the conversation to the streets, quite literally. Their out-of-home campaign has appeared in high-traffic spaces like JFK Airport, New York’s city centers, and London streets, strategically placed near Apple Stores and Google offices; tech culture’s beating heart. The message? Pause. Reflect. Maybe even put down your phone.

Patricia Varella, Polaroid’s Brand and Creative Director, puts it perfectly, "We are analog creatures, built to connect through our senses. The more we lose ourselves in digital algorithms, the more we drift away from empathy and real connection. There is something magical in a Polaroid picture. It captures the humanness in all of us, wrinkles and all, and reminds us that the best of life happens in the real, physical world."

To bring this philosophy to life, Polaroid has launched global, phone-free walking tours in Paris and Tokyo, with London next on August 19. Participants are invited to lock away their phones and spend an hour exploring the city with the new Polaroid Flip, ending each tour by mailing a real postcard made from their instant print. A small but meaningful act of tangible human connection.

While this is without question a marketing campaign for its new camera, personally, I think this couldn’t have come at a better time. The photography industry is drowning in AI promises. AI image editing software that can 'perfect' your images in seconds, AI cameras that predict your subject’s movement, even AI tools that generate photos that never existed. While some of these innovations are useful, they also risk stripping away the imperfections that make a photograph feel alive.

Polaroid’s stance reminds us why we fell in love with photography in the first place. The slight unpredictability of film, the tactile feel of a print, the way a Polaroid captures a moment as it truly is, not polished or curated by an algorithm, but raw and real.

Interestingly, Polaroid is still targeting Gen Z through digital ads and creator campaigns, but the underlying message is clear: step away from the screens. It’s a clever move, positioning the Polaroid Flip not as a nostalgic relic but as an antidote to digital fatigue.

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Not only does Polaroid make some of the best instant cameras around, it also makes some of the coolest – and they don't get much cooler than its latest collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

The limited edition Polaroid Now Generation 3 – MoMA Edition comes in a striking monochrome blue body with the MoMA logo emblazoned on the front, with a selection of graphic wrist straps in vivid contrasting colors.

On the inside it's the same as the base Polaroid Now, which is my favorite instant point-and-shoot on the market thanks to its ease of use combined with advanced features like double exposures, a two-lens autofocus system and physical camera filters.

I love the solid blue colorway here, and I actually think this is the nicest looking Generation 3 camera to date (I'm actually not a huge fan of the G3 color options!). Unless, of course, you count the recent Polaroid Flip – which is both the coolest and the best Polaroid camera that's been released in a good while.

To complement the camera, the collaboration also includes the new Polaroid i-Type Color Film – MoMA Edition (which will only work on new i-Type cameras, not classic 600 models).

The film, like the camera, is limited edition, and features 12 frame designs adorned with the MoMA logo or quotes from artists in its collection, including An-My Lê, Betye Saar, Carmen Herrera, Meret Oppenheim, Milton Glaser and Vincent van Gogh.

"Polaroid has long held a place at the intersection of art and technology," said Robin Sayetta of The Museum of Modern Art. "Edwin Land’s pioneering invention of the instant format sparked creative freedom for artists like Andy Warhol, Nancy Burson, Ansel Adams and Robert Frank.

"We’re thrilled that with the MoMA edition camera and film, photographers have the chance to imbue their work with the wisdom of MoMA collection artists and capture moments in time that express their creativity in bold new ways."

The Polaroid Now Generation 3 – MoMA Edition is available now for $129.99 / £129.99 (Australian price to be confirmed) directly from the manufacturer, with the Polaroid i-Type Color Film – MoMA Edition: priced at $21.99 / £ 20.99 for a pack of 8 exposures.

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Read my Instax vs Polaroid guide to see the differences between the two big brands, and make sure to check out all the instant camera film sizes to work out what type of instant film you need.

When Fujifilm announced the Instax Mini 41 last week, the list price in the US wasn’t included. However, Fujifilm has now announced a price of $129.95 for the instant camera, a change that could be the first sign of the impact of tariffs on camera pricing from the camera giant. Outside the US, the camera costs £94.99 / AU$179.

While Fujifilm didn’t include a US price in the official first announcement, the previous Instax Mini 40 was listed for $99.99. The MSRP of the new version, however, is now confirmed at $129.99, about $30 higher than what the older version previously sold for in the US.

The updated price is a 30 percent increase for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 41, higher than the 10 percent current tariff level for most regions but lower than the 145 percent applied to China. While the news is a price jump from the old version, the UK list price for the camera is £94.99. Using only a currency conversion, the USD equivalent would be $127.23, so the tariffs may not be the only factor at play.

The on-again, off-again tariffs added by the Trump administration have created uncertainty in the camera industry over the cost of gear in the US. The tariffs have been temporarily lowered to 10 percent for 90 days, excluding the 145 percent tariff for China, but an announcement that a tariff for semiconductors has kept the electronics industry in a state of uncertainty.

While major brands have stayed relatively quiet on whether or not prices will change, the newest camera launches have given photographers insight into the potential impact. First, Blackmagic Design adjusted the price in the US for its newly announced cinema camera. Now, Fujifilm has tacked on another $30 to the cost of the Instax Mini 41 compared to the older version.

The price change could be a hint at how the camera market will be impacted by the US tariffs. However, as an instant film camera with a relatively low price, much remains unclear about the impact on high-end digital cameras.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 is expected to begin shipping by the end of April, with a retail cost of $129.99 / £94.99 / AU$179.

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As part of the generation that has childhood photos on film but digital photos of my high school graduation, I’ve always had a fondness for instant film as a way to get the analog experience without the cost of a darkroom. But instant film isn’t exactly cheap, which is why I’m always frustrated when I get a shot that’s too dark or out of focus. But Polaroid’s latest camera, the Polaroid Flip, uses a mix of retro and new tech to solve some of those issues.

The Polaroid Flip, announced on April 15, is an instant film camera that’s equipped with a warning light for common photo errors as well as bringing back classic tech like sonar autofocus.

Using what Polaroid calls “scene analysis,” the Flip will warn photographers when an image is over or underexposed using an LED warning light inside the camera’s viewfinder. That warning light also works when the subject is too close to the Flip’s lid, which is a key part of the Flip’s design and namesake.

The Polaroid Flip gets its name from the flash unit that flips open to power the camera on and closes to make the camera slightly more compact. Some of Polaroid’s classic instant film cameras had a similar feature. But, the flip flash feature isn’t entirely old school. Along with powering the camera on, flipping up the flash can also connect the camera to the smartphone app, which houses controls to manually adjust the camera settings rather than the automatic settings available on the camera body.

The flash inside that flip lid is more powerful than Polaroid’s pricier I-2 camera and is also equipped with an adaptive feature. This adjusts the power of the flash based on how close or far the subject is, extending the light up to 14.7ft / 4.5m away. The LED warning light inside the viewfinder will also activate when the subject is too close, warning photographers that they’re about to get an image that’s too bright because the subject is too close to the flash.

That warning light is an intriguing feature to me because Polaroid film isn’t exactly cheap and only has eight images in a pack. The warning light should help avoid wasting film on some of the more common errors.

The Polaroid Flip also uses sonar to power an autofocus feature. Many budget instant film cameras don’t have autofocus at all, using a fixed focus like with the Polaroid Go to or zone focus like with the Polaroid OneStep+. The Flip uses sound waves to measure how far the subject is from the lens, like some vintage models do. What’s great about sonar is that it works even in a dark room, so the camera can still focus in shots where that flip-up flash is ready to create that old-school direct flash look.

The sonar autofocus works with the Flip’s hyperfocal lens that’s designed with four elements to increase sharpness across a range of distances. Other modern features include USB-C charging and the ability to use Bluetooth. The Flip also has the ability to take double exposures and use a selfie timer.

Those features are all wrapped up in a classic-looking Polaroid body, which is slightly larger than the Polaroid Now+. The Polaroid Flip is far from compact, but real retro Polaroid cameras weren’t exactly known for being small, either. As a photographer who has both classic Polaroid Land 100 bellows cameras and a more modern Polaroid OneStep+ 2 on my shelf, the mix of modern and retro on the Polaroid Flip is very enticing.

The Polaroid Flip is expected to retail for $199.99 / £219, which places it in a more affordable tier than the Polaroid I-2. (Australian pricing has not yet been confirmed). The Flip will launch first to Polaroid members on April 15, followed by online availability to all directly from Polaroid on April 29, and from retailer on May 13.

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Is the Polaroid Flip the right instant camera for you? Compare the features to the options on our list of the best instant film cameras, or compare the differences between different instant film types.

I think the Polaroid Flip is my new favorite instant camera. I can't quite call it the best instant camera, because the Polaroid I-2 is still the king of overall image quality, but it's the one I most prefer carrying around with me every day.

Resurrecting the flip-up top is more than just a gimmick, as that's where the Polaroid Flip's best assets are kept – not just the chunky flashgun, which packs a lot more lighting kick, but the similarly blast-from-the-past sonar, which powers the impressive four-lens focus system.

Toss in great image quality and full manual control via the instantly-connecting Polaroid App, and the Polaroid Flip is the instant camera I've been reaching for ever since I first laid eyes on it. Its design tickles my love for the Polaroid heritage, and its performance enables me to take the kinds of photos I've loved for the past 40 years.

Polaroid Flip: Price & availability

The Polaroid Flip is priced at $199.99 / £199.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed), though with the tariff situation in the United States it's hard to say if the dollar price will hold.

The camera has a staggered release schedule, available for Polaroid Members on April 15 at Polaroid.com, before going on release site-wide on April 26, with a full retailer rollout on May 13.

For context, the Instax Wide Evo – the newest Instax camera that takes photos with an equivalent image area – launched three months earlier and carries a $349.99 / £319 price tag.

Polaroid Flip: Build & handling

The first thing you'll notice about the Polaroid Flip is, of course, the flip-up module that houses the flash unit. However, while the flash is larger and more powerful than in Polaroid's other cameras – illuminating up to 14.7ft / 4.5m away, almost double the 8.2ft / 2.5m output of the I-2 – that's not the only thing the module does.

In practical terms, what I found most useful is that it prevented the camera being accidentally turned on (and even taking photos!) in my bag. This is a common issue with the Polaroid Now+ and the Polaroid Go; given their shape, unless they have a bag or pocket to themselves, objects can fall into the crevices and activate the cameras.

But the Flip has no power button, as the camera only turns on when the flip-up module is lifted. Ergo, no more accidents! And when a film cartridge only holds eight exposures, that's a pretty big plus.

Beneath that module, you'll see the Polaroid Flip's other new / old party trick: sonar focus. This was used by cameras like the Polaroid Sun 660, Impulse AF, SLR 680 and, of course, the SX-70 Sonar. And while it's not as high-tech as the LiDAR focus system used by the flagship I-2, its results are equally impressive.

That may well be because the Flip has a four-lens hyperfocal system compared to the flagship's three-element lens setup. The bottom line is that with 0.65m, 0.85m, 1.2m and 2.5m lenses, the flip offers greater sharpness options with its 94-109mm equivalent system.

The body itself is otherwise ergonomically identical to the Now and Now+ bodies, though it does seem to be ever so slightly larger to accommodate the flip unit. It has a standard tripod mount on the bottom, along with a USB-C socket for charging, with Bluetooth connectivity to instantly communicate with the Polaroid App.

Polaroid Flip: Performance

As I said in my opening, the Polaroid I-2 offers the ultimate image quality for instant cameras – because that's what a glass lens, LiDAR focus and a 600-buck price tag will do for you.

However, short of the I-2, the is the best-performing Polaroid you can get. I ran a few packs of film through it under a variety of conditions, from sunny days and night shooting to close-ups and landscapes.

The larger flash unit really does make a difference, both indoors and outdoors. The other Polaroids and Instax cameras can't match its power and reach: at 14.7ft / 4.5m, the Flip eclipses the output of the Polaroid I-2 (8.2ft / 2.5m) and the Instax Wide 400 (9.8ft / 3.0m).

Between the sonar and the four-lens hyperfocal system, subjects were sharp and in focus whether near or far. Exposures were all great, too – though bear in mind that, better flash or not, instant cameras really aren't ideal for low light or night shooting.

The on-camera controls are basic, with the shutter on the front and buttons to toggle the flash and a self-timer on the back. But flip up the flash module and the Polaroid Flip instantly connects to the Polaroid App (why can't all cameras do that?) to unleash full manual and creative control.

Along with double exposures, you've got access to auto, program and manual shooting – where you can manipulate the f/10 to f/64 aperture and the 1/200 to 30sec or bulb shutter speed – and you can even update the camera's firmware.

Polaroid Flip: Sample images

Polaroid Flip: Verdict

I've been using Polaroid cameras for 40 years, and I've got a shelf full of modern and vintage models alike. The Polaroid Flip is a better camera than almost all of them, save the I-2 and arguably the SX-70 – though obviously the I-2 is prohibitively expensive for most people and the SX-70 isn't even made any more.

Either way, I've been picking this camera to put in my backpack before both of those. You can't beat its combination of ease of use and great performance – and it still gives me the magic of manual control if I really want it.

When I laid eyes on the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay, it was love at first sight. This was a cool looking camera – and to this day, I still think it's one of the coolest looking cameras you can buy.

However, the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay was originally launched back in 2019 – although a refreshed version, in new colors, was launched last year. But the best instant cameras have come a long way in that time, so does this little looker still hold up today?

Yeah, I think it does. Certainly the newer instants give it a run for its money; the Instax Mini 99 has it licked for features, and the Instax Mini Evo is a more conventional-looking kind of cool.

But in terms of what it actually does, and the pictures – and sounds – it actually takes, the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay still packs a mighty punch.

Crucially, the image quality is pretty much identical to the newer digital instant camera hybrids (which have an image sensor and take digital images, unlike analog cameras like the Instax Mini 12).

In fact, the LiPlay has incrementally more resolution than the Evo, though at 5MP compared to 4.9MP this is more testament to the fact that the quality is similar than it is a claim to technical supremacy.

While the LiPlay's Frames function (essentially overlaying digital stickers on your shots) is more remedial than the Lens and Film modes in newer bodies, I never use any of these functions anyway as I feel they're a bit tacky.

Another party trick is that you can beam images from your phone and print them out as real Instax Mini prints. And this is something I use a lot, as I love giving friends a physical memento of selfies and snaps taken on my phone – or even making Instax prints of studio shots taken on my "proper camera"!

And there's one thing the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay does that no other Instax offers: sound recording. The camera has a microphone, so you can record a few seconds of audio and add a QR code to your prints so that the sound can be played back.

Why is this useful? Well, if you have a photo of a loved one in your wallet, you can look at the photo and hear them say "I love you" or "I miss you". Or you can share a holiday photo with a friend with an audio caption telling them where it was taken, or what you were doing.

In short, the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay is still a great little camera that offers cool looks as well as cool tricks – and it's one that I'm glad I have in my camera bag.

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Wondering what type of instant film you need? Take a look at the different instant camera film sizes. And check out my Instax vs Polaroid guide to see how the two big brands differ!

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 might be the big news to come out of Minato City today, but Fujifilm has quietly reached an incredible milestone: Over 100-million Instax units have been sold since the instant camera brand’s inception in 1998. Just to clarify, that does include both cameras and printers, but still, that’s a mind-blowing figure, even for a company that makes some of the best instant cameras ever.

Fujifilm launched the Instax series in 1998. Meeting the 100 million milestone in 27 years means the company has averaged an impressive 3.7 million cameras a year. In comparison, CIPA said that nearly 8.5 million cameras were shipped in 2024 from participating companies, which includes key players like Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony, OM System, and Panasonic. An average of over 3.7 million cameras a year suggests that instant film is not only alive and well, but quite popular.

I mean, even if you don't know how instant cameras work or even how to use an instant camera, you cannot help but appreciate Fujifilm's tenacity in the challenging camera market. And to celebrate this epic milestone, Fujifilm has released an awesome graphic showcasing Instax’s history. Just take a look at the image (below).

It starts, of course, with the camera that started it all, 1998’s Instax Mini 10, and ends with today’s brand-new release, the extremely cool-looking Instax Mini 41. I’ve enjoyed looking through the brand’s history and spotting a few oddball cameras I’d completely forgotten about, like the Instax Mini 20 from the early 2000s.

Heck, have you ever seen a more Noughties-looking device? Fujifilm actually churned out a special edition of this camera for the 2002 FIFA World Cup (of which Fujifilm was an official sponsor). Then there’s the beautifully ridiculous Instax Mini Hello Kitty from 2014, which is shaped like Hello Kitty’s head. And of course, younger Instax fans will undoubtedly remember the Instax SQUARE SQ6, released in 2018, and the limited edition Taylor Swift variant, which now goes for well above the RRP on the used market.

Fujifilm says that Instax products are sold in over 100 countries, and if you’ve been keeping up on Fujifilm news, you’ll know that all this is par for the course for Instax. Digital Camera World recently reported Fujifilm Instax sales to exceed $1 billion and according to Kyodo News: “For the year through March 2024, sales reached a record of around 150 billion yen ($1 billion).”

It’s not surprising, then, that Fujifilm CEO, Teiichi Goto, called Instax a “goldmine” back in 2023. Here’s to the next 27 years and perhaps 200-million Instax sales Fujifilm!

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Fujifilm's Instax lineup of cameras has cemented itself with a generation of photographers as the way to get fun, affordable, and easy instant prints. The brand is unstoppable, with reports placing Instax as over half of Fujifilm's entire imaging division's operating income. Over the past few years Fujifilm has fleshed out the range with a camera for practically everyone's tastes with a range of fun youthful colors like the Mini 12, more demure serious looking bodies (such as the Instax SQ40), and even high priced models with manual controls and creative features like the Instax Mini 99. There are three different types of film (Mini, Square, and Wide), and there are also hybrid instant cameras that blend digital cameras and Instax printers.

The latest camera in the lineup is the Instax Mini 41 – a sequel to the Instax Mini 40, and a camera designed to offer Instax Mini prints, but from a sleeker and understated body than the bubblegum pop colors of the Instax Mini 11. The Instax Mini 41 follows in that tradition with an all-new design that blends modern and classic design, with a rangefinder-like aesthetic (perhaps inspired by the wildly successful Fujifilm X100VI). The camera also sees some internal updates as well, with improved automatic exposure and parallax correction to line the viewfinder up with the lens in close-up photography.

But is this style over substance, and can the Instax Mini 41 continue to offer the fun and simple Instax experience we have come to expect?

Instax Mini 41: Specifications

Instax Mini 41: Price

The Instax Mini 41 is debuting for $129.95 / £94.99 / AU$179, the same as the launch price of Instax Mini 40 it is replacing. This makes it only $20 / AU$60 more than the, apart from design, identical Instax Mini 12 which, I think, is a very fair price to pay for a much sleeker looking camera. The Mini 41 is also a substantial $100 cheaper than the other Instax Mini camera, the Instax Mini 99. That camera is far more advanced with controls over the flash, light flares, and other manual settings – and if you just want the simple point-and-shoot Instax experience, then the Mini 41 is the one to go with.

Instax Mini 41: Design & Handling

The Instax Mini 41 might be the sequel to the classically styled Instax Mini 40, but Fujifilm has given it a major redesign. For better or worse will depend on your personal tastes, but for anyone who likes the idea of an instant film camera but is completely turned off by the more juvenile styling of the Instax Mini 12, you might find the classy rangefinder camera-inspired design of the Mini 41 is much more up your street.

The Mini 41 has replaced the leatherette texture from the previous model with a new raised diamond pattern plastic-y material. It has the benefit of being much more grippy, however, it is a little bit rough and scratchy and just isn't as pleasant to hold. Overall, the camera does feel a bit more plastic-y than it looks, but that's not surprising for an Instax camera, and a camera that costs under $100. Although that said, it feels solid (and survived being dropped onto a hard floor with only minor scratches), and it is a much nicer camera to handle than the Instax Mini 12.

One element I do really appreciate is that the new diamond texture has been extended to around the lens and used on the slightly larger thumb grip, which makes both the lens and camera easier to handle.

Otherwise, the design has fallen more in line with the most recent crop of Instax cameras, like the Instax Mini Evo and Instax Mini Evo Wide, which take a touch of inspiration from Fujifilm's best-selling Fujifilm X100VI (and now GFX100RF) with their rangefinder designs.

I personally slightly prefer the design of the Mini 40. I just think it overall looks a little more sleek and sophisticated, where I find the Mini 41 a bit more toy-like. I also think the Mini 40 is the more subtle of the two, with the more flashy design of the Mini 41 being a bit more eye-catching. But both look great, and design is subjective, so don't let my personal tastes sway you too much.

Other design tweaks include a new lens design. To match other recent Instax cameras, there is an updated twisting lens to start up the camera and put it into close-focus mode. This is much much better than the awkward push lever on the Mini 40 that doesn't always reliably open the shutter!

Instax Mini 41: Performance

If you've seen Instax Mini film prints before, then you know the quality to expect – prints have that classic look of soft sharpness and high contrast. But Instax film is not about technical excellence, the charm is the unique look and fun of instant photography. If you enjoy its distinctive aesthetic, you’ll likely appreciate this camera.

The camera features a new and improved auto exposure, which performed well, generally achieving a good balance between the flash and ambient light. On some especially sunny testing days, the camera did struggle to perfectly nail exposure, with some images being a little overexposed. The flash can also be a tad strong in some situations, especially close-ups. It would be helpful to have the option to manually disable the flash, like in other Instax cameras, though this is a relatively minor drawback.

As with all Instax cameras, prints are ejected from the top immediately after capture and take around 90 seconds to develop. Unlike Polaroids, there’s no need to shield the image from light, as the exposure is completed before the print emerges, eliminating the risk of accidental overexposure.

One of the big updates in this model is parallax correction. Which, in simpler terms, means that the viewfinder now lines up with the lens when shifting into close focus mode. This enables shots to be framed perfectly, rather than you having to do some compensation in your head in older models, and it works really well.

Instax Mini 41: Verdict

The latest style-conscious Instax Mini doesn't significantly alter the familiar formula that has defined Instax cameras. Instead, Fujifilm has opted for a big new redesign with a more modern look that brings the design of the Mini 41 in line with the Instax Evo range (and has notes of Fujifilm's uber-popular rangefinder cameras).

Personally, I find myself leaning toward the older version's style. I find the textures nicer to hold, and it feels slightly more classy and demure to me compared to the bolder and more eye-catching aesthetics of the Instax 41. But regardless of my personal tastes, the Instax 41 is the new top choice for instant photography enthusiasts who prefer a sophisticated camera without the playful, youthful vibe embodied by the Instax Mini 12.

Images are consistent, with the camera getting the focus and exposure near enough spot on for pretty much all of the images I took. But most of all, the Instax Mini 41 is just a fun camera to shoot with. If you're a style-conscious photographer and you love instant prints, then I think the Instax Mini 41 should be top of your wishlist.

Alternatives

Fujifilm has unveiled the Instax Mini 41, the latest stylish update to its popular instant camera series. Building upon its predecessor, the Instax Mini 40, this camera introduces some big internal updates as well as a brand-new modern design.

Key upgrades include an improved automatic exposure, which should allow the Mini 41 to produce better and more consistent quality instant prints in more diverse lighting conditions by automatically optimizing shutter speed and flash output.

There is also an enhanced close-up mode, which now incorporates parallax correction, which in layman's terms, means it shifts the viewfinder window to accurately center close-up shots, including selfies, so you don't miss focus or that perfect framing.

The Instax Mini 41’s updated design sees a departure from the previous Mini 40, and brings the series more in line with recent Instax models like the Instax Mini Evo. The new design ditches the leatherette exterior of the Mini 40 for a more textured diamond pattern body, paired with a subtle metallic-like finish around the top complemented by orange accents.

Additionally, Fujifilm is introducing a matching grey camera case featuring an orange zipper, adjustable shoulder strap, and a handy back pocket designed for instant print storage to complement the new aesthetic.

According to Shin Udono, Senior Vice President at Fujifilm Europe, the Instax Mini 41 combines aesthetic appeal with practical functionality. "The mini 41 takes everything our consumers loved about the mini 40 and levels up," Udono said. "It's easy to carry, easy to use, and matches the stylish aesthetic our users appreciate."

The Instax Mini 41 will retail at $129.95 / £94.99 / AU$179, with the companion case priced at £20.99 in the UK. Price and availability of the latter in the US and Australia is yet to be confirmed, but both will be available in UK stores from April 17, with pre-orders starting right now at various retailers.

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• Not sold on the Mini 41? Check out all the alternatives in our guide to the best instant cameras.
• If you want to see more of Fujifilm's non-Instax range, check out our guide to the best Fujifilm camera.

Polaroid has posted a very interesting Reel on its Instagram (below), all about blue paste. And while that might not sound particularly riveting, this developer paste is a key part of how an instant camera works.

You see, just like Instax Mini film, the secret to Polaroid’s instant trickery isn’t really about the best instant camera, but the film itself. It plays a huge part in the instant results. Polaroid film comprises 12 different layers, with the instant camera giant explaining that each layer is “thinner than a human hair.” Yikes!

If you’re well versed in how to use an instant camera, you’ll know that the border around the film is thicker at the base – and this is where the developer paste is housed.

After the sheet of film has been exposed in the camera, it’s pushed through a pair of rollers before being ejected. These rollers break the seal, housing the developer paste, and spread the paste evenly between what Polaroid calls the negative and positive sheet layers, causing a chemical reaction that develops the film.

But what’s so astounding about this behind-the-scenes video is the revelation that: “Each roll of negative and positive sheetlayer can be slightly different,” owing to variables in temperature, chemistry, and more. So, rather astonishingly, Polaroid's photography chemists have to tweak the developer paste to match the negative and positive sheet layers being used.

Make sure you check out Polaroid's Reel to see this incredible process in action!

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I bought my mum an Instax Mini 12 for Christmas and I dare say you won’t find a better quality little camera for the price. It truly is one of the best instant cameras on the market. And yet, at a glance, Instax Mini film can seem rather expensive. But when I found out how instant cameras work, I was astonished to find that the real tech isn’t really the camera but the film itself.

Every single sheet of Instax film – or Polaroid film for that matter – is a scientific marvel. A single sheet of Instax Mini film is comprised of 18 super-thin layers, all working to produce that instant magic. Fujifilm calls sheets of Instax film a “mini darkroom” a– nd that’s not hyperbole.

You see, the photosensitive layers are designed to react to different wavelengths (or colors) of light. Only when layered together do you get a full-color image. But the technology doesn’t stop there – exposure is only one half of the process – the image still needs to be developed.

Despite learning how to use an instant camera years ago, I had no idea why a sheet of instant film had a thicker border at the base of the image. Turns out, this is where the developer fluid is housed. An Instax camera has two rollers; after the film is exposed it’s pushed through the rollers, which results in two key processes.

The thick border that houses the developer fluid is pushed through the rollers first, which breaks the seal and releases the fluid. That fluid is then spread evenly across the image as the Instax film is ejected.

Interestingly the fluid is black, which Fujifilm says simulates a darkroom. Neat, eh? So, the next time you buy a new pack of Instax Mini film, remember, that you’re really purchasing a pack of 20 miniature darkrooms.

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I write about camera gear for a living, and only my all-time favorite gadgets earn space in my camera bag. But one of my favorite accessories that has earned a permanent spot in my kit isn't a camera or a lens, it’s a baby photo printer that spits out instant film prints: The Instax Mini Link 3.

The Instax Mini Link 3 is essentially an instant film camera without the actual camera. What does that mean? The Instax Mini Link 3 prints out digital photos that already exist onto instant film instead. Digital images are sent to the mobile printer using Bluetooth, which means you can take a photo captured on a smartphone or a digital camera and turn it into a retro instant film image.

I’m a long-time fan of all things retro photography, but as a professional photographer, I can’t exactly show up to a paid photoshoot with a cheap instant camera. (Unless, of course, I’m shooting with that and my real camera, but who has time for that at a wedding?) The Mini Link 3 allows me to have the best of both worlds because I can take photos on my pro-level mirrorless camera and still have my instant prints too. I just send them to my phone, then send them to the Instax printer. And yes, you can also use it just with a smartphone, no camera necessary.

I’ve used the Instax Mini Link 3 printer to deliver same-day, physical sneak peaks professionally and I’ve also used it to hand out prints to friends at parties. I usually get the same reaction: How did you do that?!?

While there are plenty of portable mobile printers available, what I love about the Instax Mini Link 3 is that it uses real instant film rather than ink and paper. It uses the Instax Mini type instant film. The resulting prints definitely live up to that retro charm of instant photography with that classic white border. That medium also means that the prints aren’t perfect, but that’s part of the charm. I did get noticeably better colors using the Link 3 over the older Link 2, though most that already own the earlier version won’t really need to upgrade.

The Instax Mini Link 3 capitalizes on the retro craze without spending a ton of money on a new camera – although, if you really want the true instant camera experience, I really love both the Instax Mini Link 99 and the Instax Mini Evo. The printer typically runs about $100 / £100 / AU$169, which makes it not just one of my favorite retro gadgets in my bag but also one of the most affordable.

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A cartridge of instant film is really both film and “darkroom” in one – and a recent tour of Polaroid’s only film factory sheds light on how the medium works. In a video recently shared to the brand’s YouTube channel, Polaroid shared a behind-the-scenes look at how the film is made – and in the process shared some insight as to why modern Polaroid film isn’t the same as the historic film crafted decades ago.

Polaroid’s film factory is located in Enschede, Netherlands. The assembly plant is the only remaining place where packs of Polaroid instant film are made. While the company also produces the sheets of negative and positive film material in Germany, the Netherlands factory is the only remaining place where genuine Polaroid film is still created, after the Impossible Project group sought to save the classic film type, eventually becoming part of the Polaroid company itself.

The positive and negative film sheets arrive at the Netherlands factory in bulk sheets. Polaroid explains that each positive sheet has six layers and two coatings while the negative sheet has 12 layers that are each thinner than a strand of hair. The negative sheet needs to be handled in complete darkness once the material is coated, which means the Polaroid factory workers in this part of the plant wear night vision goggles.

But, a Polaroid cartridge is both film and darkroom in one, and the components to the film responsible for developing the image before it is injected from the camera play a key role. In a pack of Polaroid film, a developer paste sits inside of a small pod (that’s one of the reasons why the classic Polaroid frame has a wider white edge on the bottom).

After the image is taken, rollers inside the camera squeeze out this developer paste over the image, applying the chemicals evenly to the image, allowing the image to be developed – and thus no longer light sensitive – as it is spit out of the camera. Those rollers squeezing out the developer paste is also why you don’t actually need to shake a Polaroid picture.

In the video, Polaroid explains that each batch can be slightly different due to factors like weather and humidity. To help keep the film more consistent, the developer paste undergoes quality control testing. The paste is then developed in large batches inside the reactor room, a machine that weighs and mixes the paste, with the largest reactor capable of making about 800L of paste, which is enough to fill 80,000 packs of film. That paste is then filled into the pods that will later be attached to the bottom of each Polaroid frame.

In another part of the factory, an injection molding machine melts plastic granules to make the cassette that holds the pack of film together and keeps the light sensitive materials in darkness until the shutter on the camera is pressed.

All those different components meet in the assembly room, where eight sheets of film are wrapped with that classic white border, outfitted with a developing pod, and placed inside the light tight cassette with a protective cover. The film packs are then sealed and packaged for shipping.

The Polaroid factory’s colorful history and rescue at the hands of The Impossible Project was the subject of a documentary, but the tour gives photographers insight into what actually goes into making instant film. The entire process uses about 30 machines, many of which are part of the original factory and no longer made, where troubleshooting any issues requires looking at the manual on microfiche.

But, towards the end of the video, Andrew Billen, Senior Vice President of Film Manufacturing, also shares some insight into why modern Polaroid film isn’t quite the same as the film from decades before. Billen explained that the company does still have the "recipe" to make the original formula. But, manufacturing standards have changed, with the old way of making the film and chemicals not as environmentally friendly. The other factor is that some of the chemicals used in classic Polaroid film were custom designed specifically for the instant film.

“The majority of the chemicals in this product are made exclusive for us,” Billen explains in the video. “We’ve got to design chemistry… People expect this product to be, ‘yeah it’s not as good as the old Polaroid.’ Yeah, it isn’t. But we’ll get there. It just takes a lot of time. It’s just never a dull moment. Insanely complex product to make, extremely frustrating but so mega rewarding.”

The behind the scenes look at the Polaroid factory also offers other interesting tidbits – including an employee who has worked there since 1973 and even has a picture of himself on his first day of work which, naturally, was taken with a Polaroid. The video also notes some of the differences between film types, including that some types of film cassettes only need a spring to eject the film while others actually have a battery inside the pack.

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