Launched in 2020, the Instax Square SQ1 joined Fujifilm's growing family of instant cameras. Now, six years later, the quirky model exceeds sales expectations in Japan, with Fujifilm admitting that "production cannot keep up" with demand.

The resurgence has caught many by surprise. The one-button point-and-shoot camera wasn't a runaway success when it first launched, but renewed interest in instant photography and nostalgic technology appears to have transformed the SQ1 into one of Fujifilm's most sought-after cameras.

The company has temporarily suspended new orders for the SQ1 in Japan, while the camera has seen a significant revival globally. In the US, demand has surged, with stock limited to Amazon ($199.83 in blue, $198 in orange, $199.95 in white). In the UK, availability is better, with Wex having the SQ1 in stock (£119 in blue, £199 in orange), although regional shortages and sell-outs are beginning to appear.

Why the Instax Square SQ1 is suddenly popular

When the Instax Square SQ1 launched in 2020, it received a mixed reception. Designed as a simpler alternative to the Instax Square SQ6, it offered an easy-to-use, analogue shooting experience with just a single shooting mode and a dedicated selfie setting.

Unlike the SQ6, it favors a streamlined point-and-shoot design. While that simplicity appealed to some users, many photographers gravitated towards Fujifilm's hugely popular Instax Mini range, helped by its lower film costs and more affordable overall system.

So why is the SQ1 suddenly selling out six years later?

Fujifilm hasn't explained exactly what's behind the renewed demand, but the timing coincides with a broader resurgence in analogue photography among younger photographers and content creators.

The SQ1 may also benefit from its distinctive 1:1 image format. While the square format carries a nostalgic appeal of its own and is also associated with Instagram's original aesthetic.

The SQ1's simplicity is likely another factor. With automatic exposure, a single-button operation and a dedicated selfie mode, it's approachable for first-time instant camera users while still delivering the unmistakable look of analogue instant photography.

Statement

Notice and Apology Regarding Domestic Supply of instax ™ "Cheki" "instax SQUARE SQ1 ™"

Dear Customers

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued patronage of Fujifilm products.

Regarding the instax ^™ instant camera "instax SQUARE SQ1 ^™", sales have continued to far exceed initial expectations, resulting in a situation where production cannot keep up.

Because it is difficult to ensure sufficient supply, we will temporarily suspend order acceptance starting today. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.

At this time, the resumption date for orders is undecided, but we will announce any updates on our website. We kindly ask for your understanding.

Target Products
instax ^™ "Cheki" "instax SQUARE SQ1 ^™"
*1 instax, Cheki, and instax SQUARE SQ1 are registered trademarks or trademarks of Fujifilm Corporation.

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Today, the folks at Fujifilm have given an existing Instax camera a rather fetching glow-up. My colleague, Gareth Bevan, called the Instax Mini 99 the “best-looking Instax camera,” and the newly released silver paint job has only increased the desirability of this already charming instant camera.

For a brand known for its wide range of pastel Instax Mini cameras, in hindsight, it was perhaps a little surprising that the Instax Mini 99 was only ever available in black. The new silver look retains a strip of black leatherette, while the top and bottom plates and power ring (situated around the lens) are all silver, as well as a few decorative accents. The result is a classy retro SLR aesthetic that will sit alongside Fujifilm’s coveted X-Series cameras perfectly.

What is the Instax Mini 99?

The Instax Mini 99 is Fujifilm’s flagship Instax Mini camera, ahead of the Instax Mini 12, Instax Mini 13, and Instax Mini 41. As such, the Instax Mini 99 has a rather packed featureset. You have two shutter buttons, strategically positioned for comfortable landscape- and portrait-orientation shooting. Three focusing modes for sharp subjects at long distances, medium distances, and close-ups. A Colour Effect Dial, allowing you to select between six different color effects, including Sepia, Light Leak, and Warm Tone.

A Manual Vignette Switch also narrows the aperture to force a retro vignette, but perhaps the most useful feature on the Mini 99 is Exposure Control, which is essentially an exposure compensation dial with five levels of brightness. The camera also comes with five shooting modes: Auto, Indoor, Sports, Double Exposure, and Bulb, so you can capture a range of subjects. And of course, there’s a self-timer for hands-free selfies and a built-in flash.

The Instax Mini 99 retails for £174.99 / $234.95 / AU$279, with the Silver edition available from July 29.

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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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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

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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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

Fujifilm may have another hit on its hands – and this time it’s the “time-traveling” Instax Mini Evo Cinema.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema, a Super-8 inspired Instax that shoots 15 second videos with decade-themed styles on a “time-travel” dial, was slated to begin shipping on February 9 in the US and Canada, and at the end of January in the UK and Australia.

But despite being out for more than a month, I’m having a hard time finding the unusual decade dial camera in stock at major retailers. I started having flashbacks to Fujifilm’s viral hit compact camera – the X100VI – when I realized third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay were charging nearly double the list price.

The Evo Cinema is supposed to retail for ​​$409.95 / £329 / AU$599 / CA$479 – shoppers should be wary of any prices above that, which likely aren’t coming from authorized retailers.

There’s a delay on the Evo Cinema at my go-to photo retailers, with B&H listing the camera as "coming soon" and Adorama estimating shipments all the way out to April. Amazon US doesn’t seem to have it in stock except for in accessory bundles that nearly double the price. But the camera isn’t completely impossible to find – Best Buy appears to have some in stock for shipping as of this writing.

Shopping UK retailers looks to be a similar situation, with the camera list listed as pre-orders at retailers like Wex Photo and London Camera Exchange. But, the official Instax store does list the camera in stock at its £329 list price.

In Canada, the Evo Cinema is listed as in stock at Amazon.ca, and in Australia, the camera is listed as in stock at JB Hi-Fi.

A Fujifilm US representative told me that there are no inventory issues with the Evo Cinema, so it appears that the limited stock is due to high sales.

While the Evo Cinema looks to be popular – it led the monthly bestseller list at US retailer B&H when it launched – I don’t think the decade dial camera is as popular as the X100VI, which remains hard to find in stock even more than two years after the launch.

While the third-party sellers trying to get almost twice as much as the camera is worth reminds me of the X100VI, the scattering of retailers that do have the camera in stock suggests the camera’s popularity isn’t as extreme as the X100VI, which launched over two years ago and is still difficult to find in stock.

The X100VI’s success has bled over into several of Fujifilm’s other cameras. The X-M5 budget mirrorless, for example, was hard to find for several months after launch. Others have been a bit easier to find – the retro compact camera X Half saw a discount at the end of 2025, which is uncommon for a recent Fujifilm launch.

I was able to get my hands on the Instax Evo Cinema early – and the decade dial is just as fun as it sounds. But, some early bugs and the higher price for a small sensor, 5 MP left me with mixed feelings. That mixed with the limited availability, makes me think waiting may be the smarter move on this trend.

Above: Watch James Artaius and Chris George discuss the Instax Evo Cinema in our recent Bokeh Face podcast

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The retro trend has surged among still cameras for years – but in recent months, it seems as if that trend is finally expanding beyond still cameras. The newest retro tech trend? Camcorders. If the Camp Snap video camera, dubbed the CS-8, and the Instax Mini Evo Cinema are any indication, the retro tech trend has finally arrived for camcorders.

I’ve now tried both the Camp Snap CS-8 and Instax Mini Evo Cinema, and the retro-inspired cameras have more in common than just the unusual Super-8-inspired design. In fact, I think both speak towards a shift in how we want our memories delivered: as short-form, easily digestible videos.

I’ve used both the CS-8 and the Evo Cinema, and both cameras are wildly different from traditional camcorders in that they’re really meant more for short clips. The Evo Cinema won’t even record beyond 15 seconds. The CS-8 can record until the battery runs out – which means up to around 30 to 45 minutes, but holding down that trigger for a long time isn’t exactly ergonomic.

That makes the footage that I shot with the CS-8 and the Evo Cinema feel more like moving pictures than full videos. They aren’t the sort of camcorder that you can mount on a tripod and record your kids’ entire band concert or t-ball game with.

While traditional camcorders certainly have their place, I’m a bit charmed by the short-form videos. With a retro filter applied, they come out of the camera already feeling a bit like a memory.

Yes, long videos have their place, but I love the bite-sized memories coming from this new style of retro-inspired digital camcorders. An hour-long video is time-consuming to digest – not to mention we’re in the midst of a data storage crisis – but the short video clips feel far easier to revisit.

Perhaps the CS-8 and Evo Cinema aren’t just proof of the retro trend arriving in camcorders, but a shift towards recording memories as shorter video clips. Undoubtedly, short-form vertical video plays a role in this. TikTok and Reels make short-form video feel more commonplace, proving that being entertained by a video doesn’t require sitting still for an hour and a half.

But I think the short-form videos also speak to the fact that everyday moments are memories too. Yes, it’s worth having big memories in long-form video, like weddings and even kids sports games and concerts. But the older that my kids get, the more I miss the little everyday things like footie pajamas and toddler talk, and wish that I had more videos of those everyday moments, even at just a few seconds long.

I’m not the only one charmed with the resurgence of Super 8 style cameras – Taylor Swift was spotted at a football game using the CS-8, and the Instax Mini Evo Cinema’s decade dial generated a bit of buzz (and put the camera on some bestseller lists).

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Two weeks into the new year, the biggest launches of 2026 are so far are rather unusual. This week brought the debut of the Instax Mini Evo Cinema and the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome. The two cameras are wildly different from each other, except for one thing: both are arguably more about what they can’t do than what they can.

The 1/5-inch sensor on the Evo Cinema and the APS-C sensor on the GR IV Monochrome are opposites. Yet both cameras feel a bit like the antithesis of modern technology – they are simpler cameras, the former designed for the joy of capturing retro images and the latter for the experience of shooting exclusively in black and white.

The Evo Cinema is a strange-looking camera that looks like a miniaturized, modern Super 8 – despite also spitting out instant film prints. The 5MP sensor and 600 x 800 resolution feels like the opposite of modern tech that’s trending towards 50MP+ and 8K video.

But it’s the decade dial that’s going to sell the Evo Cinema. With a turn of the dial, creators can emulate the look of a specific decade, with optional overlays and a dial to control the intensity of each retro look.

Like the Evo Cinema, the newly announced GR IV Monochrome is a creativity-focused camera. But the spec sheet between them couldn’t be more different. The Monochrome crams a 25.7MP APS-C sensor into a pocketable design, though video tops out at FullHD.

Where the Ricoh reminds me of the Instax is that it’s a camera whose limitations are as important as its capabilities. The GR IV Mono can’t shoot in color. Eliminating the color filter array on the sensor helps create more clarity, tonal separation and microcontrast than a color camera sensor image converted to black-and-white.

I can’t help but look at cameras like the Evo Cinema and the GR IV Mono and think of Marie Kondo going through a closet and saying, “This brings me joy.” Only instead of tidying the sock drawer, we’re tidying up camera tech.

There are plenty of fantastic high-tech cameras out there – and, I must add, I don’t think those pro cameras are going anywhere. But, it feels as if there’s a new category of cameras emerging that’s not about what the camera can do but about what it can’t.

Earlier camera launches like the Fujifilm X Half, which has a film mode that won’t let you see your photos until you finish a roll, and the incredibly minimalistic Sigma BF also come to mind.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that simplified cameras and retro cameras are trending at a time when AI is capable of creating a "perfect" image. As the resurgence of the 2000s-era digicams illustrates, there’s a lot to love about simple cameras that are as imperfect as our memories.

A key part of the resurgence of the retro compact camera is that I think the general consumer is once again buying cameras. For a while, the smartphone camera meant that mainstream customers didn’t really need or want a separate camera – unlike serious photographers who have continued to buy dedicated cameras.

Now, even non-photographers are finding joy in taking photographs on a camera separate from the devices that can send emails, make phone calls and generate deepfakes.

Are two weeks enough to predict the biggest photography trends of the whole year? Of course not. But as a photographer and a tech journalist, I find it interesting that the first major launches of the year are a 5MP retro time-traveling camera and a compact camera embracing the simplicity and joy of seeing in black-and-white.

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Portable photo printers are trending – and among my favorite types are the printers that use not ink and paper, but real instant film. And Fujifilm has a new printer that levels up prints on film: The Instax Mini Link+.

The Instax Mini Link+, announced on January 13, is an update designed to better handle putting text and designs on instant film. I’ve tried out a handful of Fujifilm’s previous printers, including the Link 2 and Link 3, so I had to test out the new Link+.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link+: Specifications

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link+ Review: Price

The Instax Mini Link+ retails for $169.99 / £129. That’s about AU$253 / CA$236. Availability is estimated for early February 2026 in the US and from January 28 in the UK. Pre-orders have already opened, including at B&H in the US and London Camera Exchange in the UK.

That makes the Link+ sit a bit higher than the Link 3, which makes sense, as the Link+ is designed to be a more high-end photo printer.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link+ Review: Design and Handling

The Instax Mini Link+ design omits the curves of the Link 3 and returns to a boxier design with clean lines and a bit of an industrial feel. My first thought when I pulled it out was that the look reminds me a bit of an oversized ink cartridge. A pretty ink cartridge, perhaps.

The sides have raised lines with a bit of an art deco feel, the front has a small Instax logo and screws, and the back a matching logo. The design feels a bit more retro industrial than the bright colors and rounded corners of the Link 3.

One change I really love is that there are two loops that can be used to add a strap to the printer. A nice, thick wrist strap with a metal buckle is included in the box. This makes it easier to carry around.

Like with other Instax printers and cameras, loading the film pack is fairly easy. A door at the back opens the film compartment. The cartridge slots in the space; just match up the yellow on the cartridge with the yellow on the printer. Shut the door, the protective sheet will spit out, and you’re good to go.

The only controls on the side are the on/off button and a second button that checks the battery life by flashing a small light to indicate how much battery remains. On the opposite side, a small door opens to reveal the USB-C charging port.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link+ Review: Performance

Using the app, the Link+ can spit out photos from your phone. This applies to both photos taken on the smartphone itself, as well as photos taken with a different camera and transferred to the phone, so long as they are JPEG, PNG, HEIF or DNG files. So yes, you can print photos from your Fujifilm mirrorless too (or your Canon, Sony, Nikon, etc., brand doesn’t matter here.) The printer can also pull stills from videos to print as well.

The app houses a few basic edits, as well as options to print with frames or collages. You can rotate, crop, choose from four filters, or add a bit of text. For the most control, you’ll want a dedicated photo editing app, but there are a few basic edits built right into the printer’s app.

An unusual new feature is that the printer can also print directly from Pinterest. This can be a fun way to post those inspirational quotes overlaid with a photo that are so popular on the social platform. The ability to print someone else’s photos may have some photographers irked with copyright concerns, though the small size does feel more like a thumbnail than a true print.

The printer’s most significant update is that it’s a bit better at printing out text than earlier models. Now, Instax Mini film is credit-card-sized, so the text does still have to be a fairly significant size to print. But, headline-sized text is nice and crisp.

The colors on the instant film prints also feel more true to the digital file than older Instax printers. The printer handles colors very well. That’s a great thing – though on the flip side, if you want your photos to look like retro instant film, you may want to add a retro filter first. The printer doesn’t get the same retro look as Instax’s cameras can.

There are some slight color changes due to using real film. One shot, for example, had a magenta tint to the clouds that wasn’t on the digital file. Printed photos also feel a bit warmer than the digital files, favoring a bit more orange tones.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link+ Review: Verdict

The Instax Mini Link+ has the best print quality out of all the instant film printers that I’ve tried, including the Link 3 and Link 2. While there are a few changes going from digital to instant film, colors feel closer to the digital original, and both subjects and text are a bit sharper.

Of course, the better print quality means the prints don’t feel quite as retro as using one of Instax’s cameras rather than a printer. If it’s a retro look that you’re after, try an Instax camera over a printer.

The upgraded quality comes at a cost, however – the Link+ is priced a bit higher than the Link 3. If you want the sharpest prints or want to print text at all, the Link+ is the best choice. But, as someone who uses the Link 3 often, I don’t feel an overwhelming need that I have to upgrade when my old one is working just fine.

Pre-orders are open in the US with early February availability and in the UK with late January availability.

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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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Instax’s portable photo printer line converts digital photos to real instant film, but if the latest launch from the Japan headquarters is any indication, the portable printers are about to get better at printing text.

On Wednesday, January 7, Fujifilm Japan announced the Instax Mini Link+, a premium model for the brand’s smartphone printer series. However, the printer has only been announced in Japan. It’s unclear if the new Mini Link+ will also be available in other regions at a later date or if it could be a Japanese exclusive.

The printer was announced alongside the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, which was also only launched in Japan.

So what makes the Mini Link+ a “premium” model over the existing Instax Mini Link 3? According to Fujifilm Japan, the new printer has a “Design Print” mode that gives the printer an edge in printing out sharp text. The company indicates that “the printer’s image processing capabilities have been significantly strengthened, making it possible to clearly express fine text and patterns.”

The design of the Instax Mini Link+ is also quite a bit different than the Link 3, which has a body with curved edges and a lined texture. The new premium model instead takes on a boxier shape and a metallic black finish. Fujifilm Japan says the new model has “a sophisticated design with bold, linear contours.”

The printer also has a strap hook, which will allow users to add an included wrist strap – or possibly even customize with a third-party camera strap.

Like with earlier models, a companion smartphone app allows users to select and edit their photos before printing. But, new for the Link+ is a “simulation” mode, which allows users to preview how the final shot will look in a frame or on a shelf.

The mobile app will also support printing from Pinterest, Fujifilm Japan says.

The Mini Link+ launches in Japan with two new accessories – a printer case and a frame designed for Instax Mini prints.

The Instax Mini Link+ is expected to begin shipping in Japan on January 30, but there’s no word yet on whether or not the printer may be available internationally.

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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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Japan's latest sales ranking for compact cameras is in – and there's a new number one. According to monthly sales data compiled by BCN Ranking, which aggregates sales numbers from major electronic retailers and online platforms, Fujifilm's Instax Mini Evo was Japan's best-selling compact in December 2025.

An instant print camera with a digital core has overtaken one of the country's most consistent ultra-budget point-and-shoots. After spending much of 2025 hovering near the top, Fujifilm's hybrid claims first place, pushing Kodak's long-running Pixpro FZ55 champion into second.

And that's not the only surprise. December's ranking also marks the first time a kids' camera has entered Japan's compact top ten. Let's take a closer look at the numbers.

BCN+R Compact Camera ranking (Dec 25)

1. Instax Mini Evo (Black)
2. Kodak Pixpro FZ55 (Black)
3. Kodak Pixpro C1 (Black)
4. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS Lite (Silver)
5. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo (Brown)
6. Canon PowerShot SX740 HS / Lite (Black)
7. Kodak Pixpro C1 (Brown)
8. Agatsuma Anpanman Kids Camera
9. Canon IXY 650 M (aka Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A) (Silver)
10. Kodak Pixpro WPZ2

After months of strong performance, the Instax Mini Evo takes the number-one spot in Japan's compact camera ranking. The Black version moves up from second place last month, while the Brown edition holds onto fifth, giving Fujifilm two positions in the top five.

The appeal of the Mini Evo lies in its hybrid approach. With its rear LCD, tactile controls, hybrid workflow, and smartphone connectivity, it feels more like a compact digital camera that happens to print photos, rather than the other way around.

Despite losing the top spot, Kodak remains one of the biggest winners in December's ranking. Four Kodak models appear in the top ten, with the Pixpro FZ55 still holding a strong second place, followed closely by the Pixpro C1 in both Black and Brown finishes, with the rugged Pixpro WPZ2 returning at number ten.

The Pixpro FZ55 has been a fixture in Japan's best-seller lists through 2025 – and its continued success comes down to the same factors as ever. It's cheap, compact, easy to use and does exactly what buyers expect from a basic point-and-shoot camera.

Canon maintains a solid presence in December's chart, with three entries in the top ten. The PowerShot SX740 HS Lite appears twice, in both Silver and Black versions, climbing further up the ranking despite the camera's original release dating back to 2018.

The SX740 HS Lite uses essentially the same technology with which it launched years ago, yet buyers continue to gravitate toward it for its familiar design, long zoom, and dependable performance. Joining it is the Canon IXY 650 M, released in October 2025 but similarly offering a light refresh of a 2016 camera, securing ninth place.

December's most unexpected entry comes at number eight. The Agatsuma Anpanman Kids Camera jumps from 26th place last month into the top 10, marking the first time a children's camera has appeared in Japan's compact digital camera bestseller ranking.

Its rise is largely driven by year-end gifting, but it also reflects a shift in how compact cameras are being bought. Parents are increasingly opting for dedicated cameras designed specifically for children, rather than repurposing old smartphones or compacts.

Why the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo tops Japan's compact charts

The Instax Mini Evo is an anomaly – in the best possible way. In a market where premium niche cameras dominate headlines (think the Ricoh GR IV, Fujifilm GFX100RF, Sony RX1R III) and where instant photography often leans heavily on nostalgia, the Mini Evo stands out as one of the few instant cameras that genuinely bridges the old and new.

Buyers want flexibility. They want the charm of instant prints without the waste, guesswork, or one-shot pressure. The Mini Evo delivers that balance by combining digital shooting experience with the option to print only the images you actually like.

At around $234 / £169 / AU$299, the Instax Mini Evo sits in a sweet spot. It's affordable enough to feel accessible, and versatile enough to avoid becoming a short-lived novelty.

As Japan closed out 2025, the fun, flexible and easy-to-live-with compact cameras continued to outperform complexity.

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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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Japan's latest compact camera ranking for November 2025 is in – and the champion hasn't changed. According to monthly sales data compiled by BCN+R, which aggregates sales numbers from major electronic retailers and online platforms including Amazon, the Kodak Pixpro FZ 55 is once again the No.1 best-selling compact camera in Japan.

Yes – a no-frills, ultra-budget, point-and-shoot camera released years ago (2023) continues to outperform the competition. And this month's data introduces some surprising challengers from Fujifilm's Instax lineup, fresh Canon movement, and a new seasonal release entering the top 10 for the first time.

Let's dive into the numbers...

BCN+R Compact Camera ranking (Nov 25)

1. Kodak Pixpro FZ55 (Black)
2. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo (Black)
3. Panasonic Lumix TZ99 (Black)
4. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo (Brown)
5. Kodak Pixpro C1 (Black)
6. Canon Powershot SX740 HS / Lite (Silver)
7. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Gentle (Rose)
8. Kenko Tokina KC-AF11 (Black)
9. Canon Powershot Sx740 HS / Lite (Black)
10. Kodak Pixpro FZ45 (Black)

Fujifilm surges: Instax Mini Evo variants jump into the top tier
Fujifilm has had an impressive November, claiming three separate positions in the top 10 thanks to the Instax Mini Evo – the OG analogue-style hybrid instant camera. The Instax Mini Evo Black rockets from No.5 to No.2, while the Brown edition climbs from No.6 to No.4.

But the headline grabber is the new Instax Mini Evo Gentle Rose, released in November and debuting straight into 7th place, highlighting the seasonal gift effect and Fujifilm's strong instant-camera momentum.

Panasonic's do-everything travel zoom holds position
The Panasonic Lumix TZ99, one of Japan's most consistent compact cameras of 2025, slips only slightly – from second to third. With its 24-720mm zoom and long-lasting popularity among travelers, it remains the "premium but still affordable" compact point-and-shoot that appeals to shoppers who find higher-end models too pricey.

Canon makes a comeback – again
Canon's PowerShot SX740 HS Lite continues its surprising late-2025 resurgence, with the Silver model jumping from out of range to 6th, and the Black version climbing to 9th. The SX740 HS was first released back in 2018. The Lite version features its original seven-year-old tech, proving buyers gravitate toward reliability and familiarity.

Kenk Tokina holds steady, Kodak expands
Kenko Tokina's budget-friendly KC-AF11 stays at 8th, maintaining solid performance among price-conscious users.

Kodak, meanwhile, fills three out of ten top spots – FZ55 (No.1), C1 (No.5), and FZ45 (No.10). Kodak dominated much of 2025 in various retail datasets, and November shows continued demand for simple cameras that do exactly what users expect: turn on, zoom, and shoot.

Why the Kodak FZ55 stays Japan's top compact

The Kodak Pixpro FZ55 is an anomaly – in the best possible way. In a market where premium niche models make headlines (think Ricoh GR IV, Fujifilm GFX100RF, Sony RX1R III, and, by instant-camera nostalgia (Instax), the FZ55 stands as one of the last true mainstream point-and-shoots from a recognizable brand.

It shows: Consumers simply want a real camera that's cheap, compact, reliable, and easy. It's fun, durable, and simple, featuring a 16MP 1/2.3in sensor, a 5x zoom, no complicated modes, no pairing with apps or settings overload, in a pocket-friendly size.

And at just $139.99 / £114 / AU$250, it's no wonder Japanese retailers can't keep it off the charts. It offers value that few compact cameras can touch. Its price truly undercuts most major competitors – often by half.

As we wrap up 2025's second-to-last monthly ranking, the message from Japan's compact camera market is clear: simplicity sells.

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For years, compact cameras were treated as relics of a pre-smartphone era – but 2025 has shown that they're far from obsolete, with a new wave of compacts capturing both the high-end and playful, retro sides of photography.

After peaking at around 110 million units shipped in 2010, the category collapsed to just 15 million units by 2019, according to CIPA data reported by ITmedia News – and the industry all but declared compact cameras over.

This year, we watched a wave of new compact releases: from pro-grade MP powerhouses like the Fujifilm GFX100RF and Sony RX1R III, to cult favorites like the Ricoh GR IV. Even low-priced point-and-shoots from Kodak like the Charmera are selling out, and Canon's decision to revive models like the PowerShot Elph 360 HS A / Ixus 285 HS A has been greeted with enthusiasm rather than confusion.

And the revival is visible: on shelves, social feeds, and in fresh industry data. CIPA's latest reports show that while compact camera unit sales aren't skyrocketing, shipment value has been steadily recovering since 2020 – a sign that high-end and niche compacts are thriving.

And after seven straight years of decline, even Japan's domestic shipments turned upward again in 2024. Something fundamental has shifted, and the compact camera is suddenly relevant all over again.

Why are compacts thriving despite smartphones everywhere?

After a decade of rapid improvement, smartphone photography has become incrementally better rather than transformative. Images are clean and polished, but increasingly uniform.

Particularly, Instagram and TikTok creators want something different. And compact cameras provide that difference: lenses with optical depth, distinctive color, and images that just feel intentional.

The tactile experience also matters. Unlike smartphones, compact cameras encourage physical interaction: a shutter button, lens rings, a viewfinder, and dials that influence composition. The simple act of using a device designed only for photography changes how we shoot.

Compacts, for example, like the screen-free Camp Snap or the hybrid Instax Wide Evo, offer distraction-free, tactile experiences that smartphones simply cannot replicate. And retro-inspired cameras like the Polaroid Flip are celebrated not for megapixels but for the joy of holding and shooting.

102MP high-end compacts vs. retro inspired tech

High-end compacts have become astonishingly capable. The Fujifilm GFX100RF, with its 102MP medium-format sensor, is barely larger than the X100 series camera but delivers professional-grade image quality, dynamic range, and color fidelity.

The Sony RX1R III and Ricoh GR IV, show that compact cameras can be pro-level tools for travel, street photography, and content creation. Compact no longer means compromised.

Meanwhile, lower-priced and retro-styled cameras are thriving for entirely different reasons. Kodak's affordable point-and-shoots and mini-digital models deliver soft, nostalgic images reminiscent of early 2000s digital photography. These cameras appeal to creators looking for distinctiveness or film-like aesthetics on social media.

Even older used compact cameras have become collectible, demonstrating the enduring allure of simplicity, physical controls, and unique character.

Other demand driving factors

All of these factors – smartphone fatigue, nostalgia, tactile shooting, distinct image style, high-end innovation, and emotional appeal – have converged to bring compact cameras back into the spotlight.

Whether it's a 102MP medium-format marvel or a $30 retro pocket cam, compact cameras now offer something smartphones cannot: personality, presence, and a photographic experience that feels intentional and uniquely yours.

The compact camera market isn't just alive again. It's evolving, diversifying, and becoming one of the most fascinating corners of photography once more. With more retro-inspired models, hybrid systems, and compact-focused compacts on the horizon, 2026 promises to be an even bigger year for the cameras we once thought we'd stopped needing.

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Recently I sold about $3,000 worth of cameras from my heaving camera shelves. This was partly to free up some funds and partly to free up some space… for what turned out to be another $3,000 worth of cameras. Ah well, at least I tried!

Deciding what kit to sell (to MPB.com, if anyone is looking to do the same – I've always had nothing but great experiences buying and selling with those folks) was tricky.

I got rid of a bunch of mirrorless cameras and lenses, mostly Canon and Olympus kit, some of which I was kinda surprised that I had (I found an E-M1X that I thought my ex had taken when we split up, along with a couple of quirky lenses I hadn't used in years).

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But throughout the whole process, there were a handful of cameras that were on my "nope, never" list. Short of having to pay for a kidney transplant, there's no way I'm ever selling these; some I'm keeping for sentimental value, some for performance, others because they're curios.

Anyway, I thought you might be interested to see the 10 cameras (in no particular order) that will be on my camera shelf forever!

1) Olympus PEN-F (digital)

This would've been a smart one to sell, because its demand and value has rocketed of late, but the Olympus PEN-F is probably my favorite camera ever. I took it with me on a trip to Japan earlier this year, which reminded me just what a fantastic camera it still is – despite being released in 2016.

One of the prettiest cameras ever made (milled from a single piece of aluminum, like many cameras that fall into that category), its 20.3MP sensor takes gorgeous images – and it boasts the Creative Dial that was unappreciated (scorned, in fact) upon release but is now one of the most celebrated features of its spiritual successor, the OM System OM-3.

2) Olympus PEN-F (analog)

The camera that inspired its mirrorless descendent, the original PEN-F was a similarly beautiful beast – and a genuinely groundbreaking camera. Released in 1963 it was the world's first half-frame SLR camera – meaning that it only exposed on a half of a 35mm frame, producing 72 photos from a standard 36-exposure roll of film.

With its extremely small body and compact lenses, it was an incredibly portable and nimble shooter – setting the stage for the Micro Four Thirds cameras that Olympus would later pioneer – and is regarded by many as one of the best film cameras ever made.

3) Canon AE-1

Speaking of the best film cameras, no conversation would be possible without this bad boy – the legendary Canon AE-1, which reversed Canon's fortunes in the West and became one of the most popular cameras of its time. In fact, it's still one of the most popular 35mm cameras today – remaining just as popular for folks wanting to get into film photography.

I'm not just holding onto this camera for its pedigree, though – it's also the first camera I ever owned, given to me by my dad. Obviously that makes it invaluable for sentimental reasons, so it's really just a cherry on top that it also takes great pictures!

4) Canon Ivy Rec (Pikachu)

While the previous cameras each have some sort of claim to being among the best, that's not something you could ever say about this camera. In fact, a few years ago I wrote about how it might be the worst camera I ever bought! Still, one look at this special Pikachu edition of the Canon Ivy Rec probably tells you why I'm keeping it.

It's a Japan-exclusive and comes with a few Pokémon-themed faceplates, and even has a Pokémon-themed control system on the back (the fact that the power icon is replaced with a Pikachu silhouette never fails to make me smile). Shame about the photos it takes, though!

5) Olympus PEN E-PL7 (full spectrum)

Given the style-over-substance reason I'm keeping the Pikachu camera, you might guess that I'm keeping this one for the same reason – though you'd be wrong! (Even though it is a very pretty camera.) The actual reason this Olympus PEN E-PL7 is staying on my shelf is because I had a full spectrum conversion performed on it.

This is when the UV / IR cut filter is removed from the image sensor, enabling all wavelengths of light to be captured – namely infrared. It's not every day you need (or use) an infrared camera, let alone a full spectrum one, but if you've shot with one you know full well that you can never sell it… as you'll just end up having to convert another one the next time you get the itch!

6) Polaroid 600 (Vnyl)

While my more modern instant cameras, like the Polaroid Flip and Polaroid Now+ Gen 2, are superior in pretty much every way, this old Polaroid 600 has two things going for it: 1) there's nothing as satisfying as using an old Polaroid camera, and 2) it looks bitching.

The latter is due to the fact that this is a refurb by hipster analog company Vnyl, with an iconic Eighties color scheme. And the former is because the clunky, clicky tactility of opening the camera and changing packs of film is almost like using old Transformers toys from that same era. There's just something about the plastic from that decade! Speaking of, this camera also scores points by being from my birth year (1981).

7) Nikon 1 S1

Most people consider the Nikon 1 line of cameras to be a failure – so much so that the majority of folks don't even remember it, even though it was the company's first ever mirrorless system. And yet, I think it's absolutely brilliant – and the system is even experiencing a bit of a renaissance right now, as YouTubers have discovered and started recommending it as a great everyday carry.

And for good reason: the Nikon 1 S1 and its siblings are tiny, because they're built around Nikon's pint-sized CX sensors. This 13.2 x 8.8mm format has a 2.7x crop factor and a peculiar 1.5:1 ratio, with bodies and lenses that genuinely slip into your pocket (you can see just how small it is in this article). This is a just-plain-fun camera to shoot with.

8) Canon EOS D30

A Canon camera with a Nikon naming convention! Yep, Canon hadn't figured out its nomenclature yet – in fact, it hadn't figured out a lot of stuff, as the D30 was its first ever DSLR (rather than the rebranded Kodaks that were cosplaying as Canon cameras in the late Nineties).

Released in 2000, the Canon EOS D30 featured a 3.1MP APS-C sensor, 3-point autofocus system and 3fps burst shooting (that's more 3s than Steph Curry!). But amazingly, despite being the company's first crack of the whip, Canon pretty much nailed the controls, ergonomics and functionality on day one – this camera is basically the template for every EOS that followed, and any Canon user can pick this up today and feel instantly at home.

9) Instax Mini 10

Whaddya know, another first! You might think, from the name, that this camera came between 2017's Instax Mini 9 and 2020's Instax Mini 11 – but you would be wrong. Much like Canon with the D30, Fujifilm hadn't figured out its naming conventions when it invented Instax – so the first ever Instax camera was, bizarrely, called the Mini 10 instead of the Mini 1.

The core technology hasn't changed a whole lot since this camera was released in 1998, so the Instax Mini 10 still takes a decent picture. It's not nearly as durable as later models, though – I dropped mine a few months ago and a bunch of mini screws jumped out of their holes! I guess the plastic had perished somewhat, but hey – that'll happen after 27 years.

10) Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II

This one is another sentimental one for me: it's the camera I bought myself following my photography apprenticeship. I've shot so much professional work on this, including magazine spreads and cover images, and it really helped shape my working style and molded my career. And honestly, it's still a very capable camera today.

The only mark against it is its 16MP sensor, but again – I've had double-page magazine spreads published and A3 prints commissioned from this supposedly too-small sensor. The 5-series is my favorite of all the Olympus / OM System camera bodies, but the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II was the last time that it boasted fully-metal construction that felt properly premium.

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Using its wealth of search data, Google has compiled a list of the trendiest gifts of 2025 – and tucked in among the gift idea gems is the mini photo printer.

Google Trends’ list of top gift ideas for 2025 contains a few obvious choices, including new tech like the Nintendo Switch 2. But the search engine giant also says that searches for “photo printer” have increased by 65 percent this year.

As a photographer, I happen to agree that mini photo printers make fantastic gift ideas – I carry one around in my camera bag so that I can share instant film prints in person. I don’t think you need to be a photographer to appreciate a tiny photo printer though. Sharing on Instagram is great, but there’s nothing like sharing a tiny print in person.

Portable photo printers are compact devices that allow you to print photos straight from your smartphone. But two key types of tech make it possible to pack a printer into a portable device: inkless printing, or Zink, and instant film.

Zink printers look more like a traditional printed photo, just tinier, often in a 2x3 format. One of the things that I love about Zink is that the photos typically come with sticky backs, which makes them great for scrapbooking and doubling as photo printers.

My personal favorite, however, are the printers that use real instant film. This mixes the portable printer trend with the retro trend, exposing digital images onto real instant film. That essentially turns a smartphone – or any camera – into an instant camera.

Here are some of the top deals right now on trendy photo printers. For more ideas, browse the list of the best portable photo printers.

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Cameras for the youngest kids don’t have to be very good – you don’t really need 100MP pictures of a toddler's feet, no matter how adorable they are. The best cameras for toddlers are the ones that are going to survive getting smashed with a toy hammer (which is something my youngest actually did). But at some point, quality begins to matter more than the ability to survive a sticky-fingered toddler.

Most of the best cameras for kids are chinzy, low-resolution affairs – I’ve tried more than a few with my three kids, who now span from teen, tween, to kid in age. But as a pro photographer, there are a small handful of kid-friendly cameras that are so good, I’d even be tempted to steal them for myself.

In fact, that’s exactly what I did when I bought my oldest a camera for Christmas a few years ago – I bought a waterproof camera that I could steal when I didn’t want to take my mirrorless to the beach.

Cameras that are good enough for both kids and adults tend be a bit pricier than the basic models – most of the cameras on this list are kid-friendly, but designed for all ages. But when you choose a camera for a kid that an adult would use, you decrease the odds that they’ll grow out of it quickly. Here are my favorite kid-friendly cameras that are so good I’d even steal them, from budget-friendly to advanced options.

This screen-free digital compact camera that feels like disposable film

The Camp Snap 2 is a modern kids' camera that takes me back to my own childhood. It's a digital camera, but the screen-free design reminds me of using a disposable film camera (without the cost of buying and developing film).

I’ve even used the Camp Snap myself, but for nostalgia, not pro-level results. The Camp Snap has just 8MP, but the images have a sort of retro charm to them.

The biggest reason to consider the Camp Snap, though, is the lack of a screen. I don’t have to worry about my youngest playing built-in games after his screen time is over, like I do with other kid cameras, because there are none. And, when I borrow it myself, it feels far less distracting than taking photos with my smartphone. (You can even get it customized with their name or initials on the front.)

This retro compact camera that’s both digital and instant film in one

Kids love instant film – there’s something magical about watching the film spit out and seeing the image develop right before your eyes. The problem with giving instant film to a kid, however, is that once they take ten photos, you have to buy more film for them to keep using the camera – and that gets pricey, fast.

But the Instax Mini Evo is both digital and instant film. The Evo is a digital camera that has a built-in printer that spits out real instant film. That has two big advantages. One, kids can continue to take pictures even after they run out of film. Two, kids can print out their best shots rather than wasting film on the photos that didn’t turn out.

I gifted this camera to my daughter – and she loves to decorate her room with the credit-card-sized photos. But the reason I’d steal it for myself is that there are tons of built-in creative tools that are incredibly fun to use, like double exposures, film-like light leaks and more.

A compact camera that’s hard to destroy

If there’s one camera that you can give a young kid that won’t get destroyed but still get used years later, it’s a waterproof compact camera. The OM System Tough TG-7 is my favorite waterproof compact because it’s durable, but it also has a brighter lens, so it tends to win out in image quality over other similar compacts. It’s an adult camera that I’ve used for travel and beach days, but that’s still simple enough for older kids.

I’ve gifted a previous version of this camera to my oldest, justifying the higher cost because I also wanted to have a camera on hand that I could bring to locations too dangerous to take my own mirrorless camera.

The other thing I love about this camera is the microscopic macro mode, which is a fun way for kids (and grown-ups) to explore their own backyard.

A bridge camera for a close-up look at wildlife

I recently interviewed a ten-year-old who’s gaining quite the following on social media for his wildlife photography – and he uses a type of camera called a bridge camera. A bridge camera gets its name from being the “bridge” between compact cameras and interchangeable lens options. They’re easier to use, but still have a lot of zoom – which is fantastic for wildlife photography.

I’m a fan of anything that gets kids outdoors more, and wildlife photography is a fantastic way to do just that. Set up a bird feeder, and kids don’t even need to leave their backyard to take some cool wildlife shots.

My favorite bridge camera was recently discontinued – but the best bridge cameras, like the Nikon Coolpix P1100 or the Panasonic Lumix FZ80 / FZ82D are excellent options.

A beginner’s mirrorless camera for teens

For teenagers (and even responsible tweens) who are serious about getting into photography, I’d recommend steering away from kids' cameras entirely and considering instead a mirrorless camera geared for beginners.

Once tweens and teens are responsible enough to properly use a camera bag for safe storage and not drop it or get it wet, they’re ready to graduate from kids' cameras. That means shifting away from the best cameras for kids to the best cameras for beginners. Some of my favorites include the Olympus E-M10 Mark IV, the Sony ZV-E10 for video and stills, or the Canon EOS R100.

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If you're an Insta360 user, your humble little action camera will soon become an instant camera able to produce instant photographs.

The company has dropped a teaser video for a new camera kit, which will equip the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 with a proper grip, exposure dial, shutter button and (zoom?) rocker switch, along with a printer module that spits out your pictures as you take them.

This isn't Insta360's first such add-on for the Ace Pro 2, of course. The new (and as yet unnamed) kit comes in the wake of the Xplorer Grip Kit launched earlier this year, which added a grip and a (very strange, seesaw-like) shutter button to the action cam.

However, while it was well received, the Xplorer felt very much like a proof of concept next to what Insta360 is doing with the upcoming kit.

As you can see in the video below, the grip has been completely redesigned with the addition of a knurled control dial and an actual, proper shutter button – which will go a step further in establishing the Ace Pro 2 as an action cam that can cosplay as a street photography camera.

However, it's the instant printer component that's the really interesting part of the equation – meaning that the Ace Pro 2 can also drag up as an instant camera, putting it squarely in the same arena as Instax and Polaroid.

With Instax having sold 100 million cameras as of this year, and parent company Fujifilm recently posting a 13.3% revenue spike thanks largely to Instax sales, it's clear that the market is a profitable one – because once you've sold something that prints pictures, you can then sell paper on which to print them.

It seems incredibly unlikely that Instax or Polaroid would license their tech to Insta360, so we could be looking at a proprietary printing format when it comes to the new Ace Pro 2 kit.

More likely, it will adopt the popular Zink printing technology used by portable printers as well as digital instant cameras from Canon, Kodak and Polaroid. Either way, I would expect this to be an "only print the ones you want" experience (similar to the recent Instax Mini LiPlay+) rather than an "every shutter press prints a photo" experience like a traditional instant camera.

Whatever is in store, we won't have to wait long to find out the specifics. The teaser video confirms that the announcement will take place on November 12 (though I'd expect details to leak on Chinese social media long before then).

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As a professional photographer who sometimes dabbles in film, I’ve watched the rise of the compact camera and the resurgence of analog photography with fascination. But if there’s one camera that comes to mind as both compact cameras and film cameras return to the spotlight, it’s the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo.

The Instax Mini Evo is a hybrid camera, which means that it is both a compact digital camera and an instant film camera in one. The Evo snaps digital photos, yes, but then it has a built-in printer that exposes that image onto real instant film.

The hybrid design isn’t the only reason that I fell in love with the Evo the first time that I picked it up, though. I immediately fell head-over-heels in love with the Evo because of its myriad of built-in creativity tools. The compact camera has several film effects that adjust the color and style, but those can also be mixed with the camera’s different lens effects, including a retro light leak, soft focus, and double exposure.

The ability to combine those different effects together in camera was creatively liberating – and the biggest reason why I had so much fun with a budget compact camera. It’s not the only reason that I think of the Evo as legendary, but it’s the biggest reason.

The camera has a classic retro design with a silver body and a black or brown wrap (or, there’s the new pink-on-pink version). There’s a lever styled after an old school film advance lever, and the lens effects adjust with a dial around the lens.

The Instax Mini Evo is the sort of camera that brings joy back into photography. The Evo isn’t a technical masterpiece – the sensor is small and the resolution is 2560x1920. That's fine for Instagram, but it isn’t going to create large wall art. But that’s not the point; the point is to have fun with photography again.

In that way, the Evo reminds me a lot of the Fujifilm X Half. Both cameras are designed more for the experience of photography than the specs, although the pricier X Half certainly has better specs than the Evo.

The Instax Mini Evo is now a few years old, yet it’s still the first camera that comes to mind when I think of budget compact cameras. The Evo’s mix of creative tools and retro design makes photography fun again in a way that few cameras at this price point have managed.

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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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When Kodak announced a tiny retro-inspired keychain camera earlier this month, the internet quickly became obsessed – selling out of the first two rounds of pre-orders in a matter of days. But since the mid-September launch of the Kodak Charmera, Google data reveals a spike in searches for keychain cameras overall.

While Google data shows a sharp uptick in searches for keychain cameras since mid-September, the Charmera isn’t the only model that Googlers are looking for. Searches in the US also spiked for the Instax Pal, a golf ball-sized 4MP digital camera whose viewfinder doubles as a keychain clip.

When GoPro announced the Lit Hero earlier this week, shots of the tiny action camera also showed off the new camera dangling from a keychain. While the built-in mounting brackets on the GoPro Hero13 Black could theoretically also be used to attach the flagship action cam to a set of keys, the Lit Hero is only around the size of an AirPods case (which, yes, is commonly stored on a keychain).

GoPro’s sample shots taken from the camera also seem to ooze those retro digicam vibes, considering the built-in light and lower 12MP resolution.

The question is, are keychain cameras just a temporary trend driven by searchers that missed the $30 / £30 pre-orders of the Kodak Charmera, or is the keychain camera trend going to have staying power?

I think much of the hype of the Charmera – and subsequent hype over keychain cameras – is the desire to have a camera that can come anywhere, but that isn't a camera phone. Phone images are becoming increasingly over-processed, using computational photography to eke out more quality from a sensor that also has to fit with a computer inside pockets.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Y2K-era compact cameras – in wacky colors with single-digit megapixels and direct flash – are trending at the same time that the cameras we already have in our pockets are becoming increasingly reliant on AI to edge towards more technically perfect images.

There are really two opposite drivers for the compact camera trend: the craving for better quality than a smartphone, through a larger sensor and brighter lens, and the craving for that nostalgic, retro look of early digital cameras.

The keychain camera trend obviously slots in the latter category, with the Charmera’s 1.6MP and the Instax Pal’s 4.5MP bordering more on old-school looks than the modern advantages of working with a dedicated high-end compact camera like the Fujifilm X100VI or the Ricoh GRIV.

Another question that will inevitably arise with a $30 / £30 camera is just how long such a cheap camera will last, especially when actually used as a keychain and treated to the usual jostling that a pair of keys is typically subject to.

Placing a camera next to the metal scratch-inducing sticks known as keys also doesn’t really sound like the best of ideas. GoPro’s reputation as a durable underwater action cam makes me lean towards the Lit Hero if I did ever want to put a camera on my keys, particularly with the lens cover that can be replaced if it does get scratched.

But then there’s the screen to worry about scratching up as well, where the Instax Pal and Charmera don’t have screens at all.

Another hurdle that suggests the keychain camera trend may be a short one is that there are really limited options – at least when trying to avoid the no-name brand listings for keychain cameras that pepper Amazon.

There’s the Charmera, the Instax Pal and the Lit Hero that come to mind. After all, camera makers are still trying to catch up with the resurgence in compacts, let alone this new trend.

Will the keychain camera trend be short-lived, or a more lasting extension of the compact camera trend? It’s too early to tell. The uptick in searches for keychain cameras could all be due to the newness of the Charmera. Increased US searches for the Instax Pal could all stem from Walmart’s $29 price on a camera that typically costs more than $100.

And of course, we’re heading into the holiday shopping season – and keychain cameras seem like an excellent stocking stuffer idea.

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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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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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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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While some photographers still swear by their DSLRs, others have fully embraced mirrorless cameras – but despite the digital takeover, film photography hasn't gone anywhere...

Plenty of us still reach for a roll of film now and then. And today's camera market is offering some devices that aim to blur the line between analog and digital photography. While those more modern cameras may not replace the feeling of film cameras, they bring a bit of analog-like joy.

These cameras are not designed around the highest megapixels or burst rates, but around feeling. The most obvious choice right now might be the Fujifilm X-Half – it's practically built for nostalgia – but there are a few more cameras worth checking out if you're chasing that retro feel. For more insight, browse our guide to the best retro cameras.

Fujifilm X100VI: A modern film-like camera

The Fujifilm X100 series is the closest thing to a digital film camera you can buy. A fixed lens, compact body, and vintage style make it a dream to carry and shoot with. The X100VI, for example, comes with a fixed 35mm-equivalent lens that is perfect for street, travel, portraits, and more.

Its design is pure nostalgia, and it feels like shooting with a film camera, but with modern quality. At around $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,899, it's not cheap, but there's no extra investment in lenses – what you buy is all you need. It's high in demand and often sells out, so if you find some in stock, don't wait for too long.

Kodak FZ45: Disposable cam vibes, but digital

Now, let's flip the coin. The Kodak Pixpro FZ45 brings all the casual fun we had with disposable cameras – but with zoom, a memory card, and screen. Priced around $99.99 / £94 / AU$199, it's an affordable, easygoing way to capture moments without overthinking them.

Whereas its design is not 100% retro, it's compact and light. It's great for travel, kids, or anyone looking to dip their toes into photography without the technical fuss. Just point and shoot – and smile.

Leica D-Lux 8: The rangefinder-style romance

For those drawn to iconic Leica M-series rangefinder design but want modern digital ease, the Leica D-Lux 8 is the sweet spot. With a zoom lens (24-75mm equivalent), minimalist controls, and Leica's legendary color science, this camera blends analog aesthetic with digital convenience.

At $1,915 / £1,450 / AU$2,850, it's definitely not the most affordable compact camera, but a modest one by Leica standards. And it delivers that signature look and feel that's hard to replicate elsewhere.

Instax Mini Evo: Instant gratification, reimagined

Instant film is magic. The click-whirr of a print coming out. The suspense. The little keepsake you can hold. The Instax Mini Evo updates that experience with a thoughtful twist: preview your photo before you print it.

Purists may call it cheating – but it's far more sustainable. With the ability to experiment before wasting film, it balances digital control with physical memory, Tactile, nostalgia, and delightfully analog dealing at $216.95 / £174 / AU$295.

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Spurred on by an 11.2 percent growth in consolidated revenue, Fujifilm says it is planning to expand its range of imaging products across both digital and instant film. In the first quarter financial results covering April through June, Fujifilm highlighted the growth of its imaging division and shared with investors plans to continue expanding the camera lineup, including more “concept cameras” like the Fujifilm X Half and GFX100RF.

“We will continue to provide attractive products for digital camera users and the film industry by expanding our range of offerings, from the outstanding image quality with large format sensors in the GFX series and the best balance of image quality and size in the X series, to such new concept cameras as the GFX100RF and X half,” Fujifilm wrote in the report.

What could a Fujifilm "expanded range" look like?

Fujifilm didn’t share specifics on what that expanded range of offerings could look like, but the statement provides a few hints. First, Fujifilm specifically calls out the GFX100RF and X Half as “concept cameras,” and that’s a fairly accurate moniker. The X Half’s film mode and vertically arranged sensor make it a fairly unique compact camera, while the GFX100RF feels like a cross between the X100VI compact camera and the GFX medium format series.

Including concept cameras on that list suggests Fujifilm’s future product range could include more unusual options, rather than the expected updates to existing series. Exactly what those concept cameras could be is anyone’s guess, but I’m hoping it means the risky X Half and GFX100RF launches have proven successful for the brand.

While concept cameras were the only two models specifically named in Fujifilm’s statement on an expanded range, the longstanding X series and medium format GFX series are part of that list too. Fujifilm didn't mention specific models, but among the list of Fujifilm cameras that have not seen a successor in years is the X-Pro3.

Fujifilm’s reference to “the film industry” could refer to the already-teased Fujifilm GFX Eterna Cinema camera. The Eterna is slated for a 2025 launch and is expected to bring the 102 MP GFX sensor from its medium format line into a cinema camera. We would hope for an update on its launch at the IBC trade show, which takes place in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in September.

Fujifilm plans to expand Instax too

Instax, Fujifilm’s instant film line-up is also doing well and expected to continue expanding. “We will continue to expand the world of instax, enabling people to enjoy instant photo printing and further enhancing the value and joy of photography,” Fujifilm said.

Fujifilm also called out the “Utsurundesu Plus” app designed to complement Instax cameras that it launched in Japan, which the company says “enhances the features of the original QuickSnap (Utsurundesu in Japan), allowing people to share the beauty of personal moments with others.” Fujifilm didn’t say if a QuickSnap Plus would be coming to other regions, but noting the success of the app in Japan is a good sign.

Key highlights from Fujifilm's first quarter results

Fujifilm called out three models as highlights of the brand’s revenue growth: The Fujifilm X-T50, X-M5, and GFX 100S II. The X-T50 balances the retro look with a more budget-friendly price, while the X-M5 packs Fuji features into a compact mirrorless with vlogging features, and the GFX100S II boasts a 102-megapixel medium-format sensor.

Fujifilm also noted the June launch of the X Half just before the end of the first quarter, as well as the announcement of the X-E5, which doesn’t begin shipping until the end of August.

While Fujifilm posted an 11.2 percent year-over-year increase in consolidated revenue for the imaging segment, the company posted a .1 percent overall increase in revenue for the first quarter.

Tariffs still expected to have a significant impact

Fujifilm is also estimating that the new US tariff policies will cost the company around ¥6 billion, which is about $40.6 million / £30.5 million / AU$65.5 million, across all of Fujifilm’s business segments (not just imaging). That forecast includes the reciprocal tariffs that went into effect on August 01 as well as several changes already in place to offset the cost. That list of cost-saving measures already includes “reorganizing the supply chain, making additional cost reductions and others.” It’s unclear if the increased list prices of photography gear in the US introduced on August 01 are factored into the “and others” part of that estimate.

“We will continue to closely monitor these dynamics and take swift and necessary measures to minimize any impact on our performance,” Fujifilm wrote.

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Finding a compact camera for a few hundred bucks isn’t impossible to do – but finding a good camera that could also be aptly described as cheap is nearly impossible, depending on your definition of a good camera. But out of all the cameras that I’ve tested over the years, I have a clear favorite when it comes to cameras that cost less than $200 / £175 / AU$300: The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo.

Cheap compact cameras tend to have small sensors. The Instax Mini Evo isn’t an exception, with a tiny 1/5-inch sensor. But while the Evo has a fairly typical set of digital specs for a cheap camera, what it lacks in sensor size, it makes up for in creativity and retro style.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo is a digital instant film hybrid. Photos are captured on that digital sensor. But, those shots can then be exposed to instant film. That allows photographers to have both a digital photo to share on Instagram and a physical photo to share in person. The design also negates many of the disadvantages of film – you don’t have to waste film printing out the bad images, and you can still keep snapping photos even if you run out of film.

But my favorite part of the Instax Mini Evo is all the creative tools. The compact hybrid camera has several creative effects accessible by rotating a control around the lens. These options include double exposures, light leaks, soft focus, and vignette. Those ten lens effects can be combined with the ten different film simulations involved, from black and white to retro.

When I first tried out the Instax Mini Evo, I fell in love with those creative tools, producing shots that would have been difficult to do without Photoshop, even on a pricier camera. I found the Evo encourages creative experimentation, which is what photographers sometimes need to get out of a creative rut. It’s liberating at times to shoot with a cheap but creative compact camera without any pressure or expectations. The Mini Evo was truly the first cheap camera that I fell head-over-heels for.

Then, of course, there’s the Instax Mini Evo’s retro look. The leather-like wrap and silver top is more plasticky than Fujifilm’s mirrorless cameras, but I still love the nostalgic look that mirrors the different creative capabilities inside the camera.

The other thing that I love about the Evo is its widespread appeal. I ended up giving the Evo to my 10-year-old daughter, who can take photos even well after she’s run out of Instax Mini film to hang on a string of lights in her increasingly grown-up looking bedroom. A camera that kids, teenagers, and adults can get behind is hard to do, especially at a low price point, but I think the Instax Mini Evo fits the bill.

Do I wish the Instax Mini Evo had a larger sensor so I could print more than just with the Instax printer built in? Sure, but it would also be a far more expensive camera. It’s one of the few cheap compact cameras that I’ve loved even as a professional photographer, alongside cameras like the all-film Instax Mini 99.

Fujifilm has an even cheaper digital hybrid, the Instax LiPlay, but it lacks the creative lens effects. Then, of course, there’s the newly launched Instax Mini Evo Wide, but while the larger film format is nice, it comes at a significantly higher price point.

While I would never replace my mirrorless camera with a cheap compact camera, if I only had $200 / £175 / AU$300 to spend on a digital camera, I would immediately gravitate to the Instax Mini Evo.

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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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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

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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If you asked me what my favorite piece of gear in my kit bag is, you might expect me to say my Fujifilm GFX camera or a particular lens. But the real MVP is my Instax Share SP-3 Square Printer.

I know, an instant printer isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of essential photography gear. But this little device has become invaluable on location, in the field, and during shoots. The ability to print and share images instantly changes the whole dynamic of a shoot.

I use the Instax app or print directly from my Fujifilm GFX 50S II to create instant prints that develop right in front of my eyes, and let me tell you, people love it! Models, hair and makeup artists, assistants, everyone appreciates a physical keepsake from the day. There’s something special about holding an actual print rather than just scrolling past an image on a screen, even if it's simply an Instax print.

In an industry where everything is digital and fleeting, handing someone a print makes the moment tangible. It creates a connection, sparks conversation, and adds an unexpected, personal touch to the shoot. And here’s the thing, they always remember the person who gave them a print!

It’s like a business card, but better. I even add a QR code on the back, linking to my website or Instagram, making it easy for people to find me later. It’s a simple touch that has led to repeat collaborations and new gigs.

Of course I still love high-quality fine art prints, and I have been meaning to test out other portable printers, but there’s something uniquely satisfying about the spontaneity of Instax prints. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes moment or a frame from the shoot, having the ability to instantly print an image makes the whole process feel more real and engaging.

Sometimes, the best tools aren’t the most expensive or high-tech, they’re the ones that make photography feel more personal; and for me, that’s why the Instax Share SP-3 has earned a permanent place in my kit.

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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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Fujifilm has announced a new partnership with Final Fantasy XIV Online, bringing the company's iconic Instax cameras into the world of the incredibly popular online role-playing game.

The unique collaboration introduces an in-game emote, 'Photograph', enabling players to virtually capture moments in the region of Eorzea using one of the best Instant cameras on the market.

This new partnership is not just about in-game aesthetics, however, as players will also have the chance to turn their virtual snaps into real-world prints. Through the InstaxLink series of smartphone printers and hybrid cameras, users can bring their screenshots to life as instant prints, further blending the digital and physical worlds.

Vice president of consumer products for Fujifilm North American Imaging Division, Ashley Reeder Morgan sees the collaboration as an opportunity to unite two creative communities stating, "Through the Final Fantasy XIV Online collaboration, Instax fans can merge their love of photography and gaming. In addition, gamers who may not be as familiar with Instax gear can familiarize themselves with our iconic photography brand through the game".

The Instax emote will officially appear in the game on February 25, and enable users to capture their role-playing adventures with instant captures as if in the real world.

To celebrate the collaboration, Fujifilm is launching a social media campaign where players can share their snapshots for a chance to win exclusive digital rewards. Players who upload their screenshots to the dedicated website and share them on X (formerly Twitter) will be entered into a giveaway with up to 10,000 entries winning prizes.

With more and more time being spent in digital worlds the intersection between gaming and photography is growing, turning virtual adventures into tangible memories and in many cases art – the recent Virtual Photography Awards being the the perfect example.

Whether it's capturing a battle-ready pose or a peaceful moment amongst the game's landscapes, Final Fantasy XIV Online players now have a new way to document and share their journeys.

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They're designed to be simple, but won't know how to use an instant camera if you've never been shown!

While models like the Polaroid I-2 have redefined what they can do, the majority of the best instant cameras don’t mess with the formula: simplicity. There’s a reason why Polaroid and Instax have become the preserve of casual photographers, students, partygoers and kids – that’s because of their intuitive and tactile point-and-shoot nature. Even so, nobody is born knowing how to use an instant camera.

Picking up an instant camera for the first time can be a little daunting. While neither Polaroid nor Instax cameras are particularly difficult to use, once you know how, Polaroid cameras tend to be a little more involved than Instax cameras.

I like to think of Polaroid cameras as providing a more retro instant camera vibe, while Instax is the modern iteration of the technology. If you're a retro photography enthusiast, you'll likely prefer the slightly slower process of using a Polaroid camera. But if you're a casual instant camera user who simply wants to capture memories in the easiest way possible, Instax is arguably the better choice.

Regardless of which legendary manufacturer you choose, read on to find out about loading film and how to use an instant camera pronto!

How to use an instant camera: film types

Since Polaroid and Instax rule the instant camera roost, I’ll be using Digital Camera World’s favorite models, the Polaroid Now+ Generation 2 and Instax Mini 12, as examples. From there, you should have no trouble finding your way with the manufacturer’s other cameras.

The first thing you must ensure is that you have the right film for your camera. If you’ve ended up buying your camera in a film bundle, you’re all set. Just make sure that when you buy additional film, it’s compatible. Check out our What type of instant film do I need? guide for full details.

The Now+ Gen 2 uses Polaroid i-Type film and Polaroid 600 film, which is the original-sized film (the whole sheet is roughly 3.5 by 4.2in), whereas the Mini 12 uses Instax Mini Film (the whole sheet is roughly 2.1 by 3.4in).

If you intend to store your film for a while, Polaroid actually suggests that you keep it in the fridge. This will better preserve the chemicals used to process the film. However, you'll want to let it sit a while before using it so that it warms up – roughly to room temperature.

Instax film doesn't need to be kept in the fridge. Just leave it in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Humidity can prove problematic, though, so if you're in a humid environment, keep it in a container where it's not exposed to the elements.

How to use an instant camera: install Polaroid Now+ film

• Charge the camera with the included cable
• Turn on the camera (the film display will read 0)
• Remove the film from its foil package
• Open the film door at the front of the camera by pressing the button on the side of the camera and flipping it down
• With your Polaroid camera held the right way up, insert the film so that the tab is at the bottom and the limited-edition graphic on the front of the film cartridge is facing up toward your Polaroid camera's lens
• Push the cartridge firmly (without forcing it) into the camera until it clicks into place
• Close the door
• Done correctly the camera will eject the limited-edition card with the graphic on it
• To remove a spent cartridge, you simply open the film door and pull on the tab to remove the cartridge
• DO NOT: Remove a cartridge until it is empty. Otherwise, you will ruin the first piece of film in the chamber by exposing it to light

How to use an instant camera: install Instax Mini 12 film

• Ensure you've loaded the camera with a pair of AA batteries
• Take the film cartridge out of its foil packaging
• Push down on the tab on the rear of the Instax Mini 12 and gently prize open the door so it flaps downwards
• Make sure the small yellow tab on the film cartridge is facing both you and the top of the camera
• Slot in the cartridge – the yellow tab should line up with the small yellow rectangle at the top of the cartridge compartment. Don't force the cartridge, it should slot in with minimal friction
• Close the cartridge-compartment door
• Twist the Instax Mini 12's fixed lens into the 'On' position
• Press the shutter button and the plastic sheet that protects the film from light will be ejected from the camera
• To remove a spent cartridge, open the cartridge compartment door, pinch the two rectangular cutouts in the cartridge with your thumb and forefinger, and gently pull the cartridge out
• DO NOT: Remove a cartridge until it is empty. Otherwise, you will ruin the first piece of film in the chamber by exposing it to light

How to use an instant camera: Take a Polaroid photo

• Look through the viewfinder and frame your subject
• Make sure you're further than 55cm from your subject so the camera can focus
• Half press the shutter button to focus
  • The camera will automatically select its 40mm Standard Lens or 35mm Close-up Lens (35mm equivalent) based on the distance of the subject
• Press the shutter button to take the photo
• The flash will fire by default; press the flash button on the rear of the camera before taking a photo to turn the flash off
• The ejected film will hang from the camera, covered by a film protector. Polaroid suggests waiting for around five seconds before lifting the film protector and allowing it to roll back into the camera
• Remove the sheet of film and place it face down on a flat surface or in a pocket away from light. How long it takes to develop differs between film types so check your film's packaging to find out
• DO NOT: Shake your film like a Polaroid picture – this could damage the development process.

How to use an instant camera: Take an Instax photo

• Twist the fixed lens into the 'On' position to turn on the camera and illuminate the orange LED on top of the lens – this departure from the old push button mechanism is one of the big changes on the Instax Mini 12
• Look through the viewfinder and frame your image
• Press the shutter button to take the picture – the flash will fire and cannot be turned off
• Once the film is ejected you can remove it. Unlike Polaroid, you don't have to worry about waiting or leaving it somewhere dark while it develops
• To take a close-up photo, twist the lens past 'On' and into the 'Close-Up' position
• This will allow you to focus closer to your subject, making it ideal for selfies
• The closest the camera can focus to a subject (minimum-focus distance) in the standard mode is 0.5m, but 'Close-Up' mode reduces this to 0.3m

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Analog film fanatic camera maker Lomography has launched two new Lomo’Instant Square Glass cameras that use an innovative foldable bellows design to pack away to a third of their shooting size for transportation. They shoot instant photos and most notably are compatible with both Instax Square and Instax Mini film, thanks to an interchangeable back.

The dual-format cameras have a premium 95mm glass lens (45mm equivalent), ensuring super-sharp and vivid instant photos. An advanced automatic mode ensures perfect exposures. They also come with Close-up and Splitzer lens attachments for additional creative possibilities. The Close-up lens attachment allows for sharp snaps from as close as 50cm, while the Splitzer invites artistic experimentation with multiple exposures.

There are two new models, Pemberley and The Blues, and each has its own distinctive look while offering the same functionality as the existing Lomo’Instant Square Glass cameras. Pemberley comes in a pastel color palette of pinks, greens and browns, while The Blues has denim jeans styling for a more rock 'n roll vibe.

Advanced yet easy-to-use settings include zone-focusing switchable between 0.8m, 1-2.5m and infinity, and the ability to control exposure compensation. The aperture can be set to f/10 or f/22 for extended depth of field, and there's a built-in flash for shooting in low-light scenarios. There's also a self-timer mode, and the camera comes complete with a remote control.

The Pemberley and The Blues cameras join the existing Lomo’Instant Square Glass range and are set to retail for $149 / £ 139 / AU$335.

Don't miss our guides to the best Lomography cameras and the best instant cameras.

Fujifilm's Instax line has long been celebrated for bringing the charm of instant photography to a new generation. But one area that has been neglected for some years is Instax's Wide range of cameras with an almost 10-year hiatus until last year's Instax Wide 400 revival. However, with the arrival of a second Wide camera in less than six months, Fujifilm seems determined to keep its Wide format relevant.

But where the Wide 400 was a classic Instax analog experience – the Instax Wide Evo fits into Instax's line of hybrid digital camera/printer devices. Building on the success of the Instax Mini Evo, which blended digital convenience with analog appeal, this latest model offers a broader perspective, both in terms of its wide-format prints and its enhanced creative features.

However, with a less familiar film format, a larger camera, and an increased price – can Fujifilm repeat the success of the Instax Mini Evo?

Instax Wide Evo: Specifications

Instax Wide Evo: Price

The Instax Wide Evo comes in as the most expensive Instax camera to date costing $349.99 / £319.99 which is a pretty substantial leap from its smaller sibling the Instax Mini Evo which is nearly half the price at $199.99 / £174.99. There is an increase in film size, new controls, and a new lens, but is hard to pinpoint if these are really an additional $150 worth of improvements.

I think the biggest question to ask is how much are you going to use the Wide Evo as a camera, and how much as a printer – if you want to have everything in one device then you might see value in the investment into the Wide Evo.

But there are alternatives to the Wide Evo – an Instax Link Wide printer costs $149 / £139 and will let you print photos from your phone's camera, or even a digital camera like Fujifilm’s X100VI. And if you are after the proper analog Instax experience in wide, then the Instax Wide 400 costs $149.99 / £129.99. And don’t forget with all these options you need to buy Instax Wide film packs, which cost $19 for packs of 10, which makes it around 90c per print.

Instax Wide Evo: Design & Handling

While thankfully the Instax Wide Evo is more slender than the big green brick that is the Instax Wide 400, there is no escaping that this is still a very large camera. So large in fact that a passing parent felt the need to point out my “big camera” to their toddler. Although any embarrassment thankfully was diminished by the fact that the Wide Evo is a stunning-looking camera, and I think the joint best-looking model in the Instax range alongside the Instax Mini Evo (although I do have a soft spot for the Mini 99).

Looking just different enough from the Mini Evo to stand apart, but still keeping it in the family, the Wide Evo blends the modern aesthetic of the Fujifilm GFX range, echoing Fujifilm’s Bishamon-Tex material, and the classic look of film-era cameras. The camera also feels great in the hand, with a build quality that is leagues above the cheap and cheerful Instax Mini 12 and reflects its high price.

The Wide Evo has the widest lens yet on an Instax camera at 16.6mm (full-frame equivalent), which is great for landscapes or cityscapes where you want to get a more sweeping panorama, but also works brilliantly for group shots at arm's length – and thankfully unlike other recent Instax cameras, this one does have a selfie mirror. But if that sounds a little too wide, the lens also has another narrower mode which is accessed via a little switch on the front of the camera which is around a 1.8x crop to a 28mm equivalent focal length.

Initially, there was an almost overwhelming number of dials and buttons to play around with, but I found the control system actually very intuitive. The main dials I think you’d be using are positioned on either side of the camera within a thumb’s reach for controlling film styles and effects – although I did find these could have used a lot more resistance to turn as I frequently managed to change settings with just an accidental brush against my jacket.

On the left the dial controls the film effects that can be applied to images, these are things such as vignetting, light leaks, or light beams – these can then be tweaked further with 100 different patterns for each effect by twisting the lens while the effect is highlighted. On the right-hand side, the dial controls the image style, things like; green tones, monochrome, and summer vibes. There are ten of each effect and style, as well as 100 varieties of each effect, putting you at thousands of different combinations.

But there is also a button up top for film borders. There are five different film borders (on the image area, not to be confused with the borders on the prints), these include options like cinematic if you want an even narrower shot, or my favorite which is the 35mm sprocket border. Overall, there is a ton of customizability with the Wide Evo so you can create some pretty unique images.

My favorite dial on the Wide Evo is the print lever which is a reincarnated wind lever from film cameras, yes this could have been a button, but I love mechanical things, and the wind level is just very fun to spin and adds to the charm of the camera. About two full turns on an image will send it to the printer, there is a visual indication screen to follow along, and if you want to abort before it starts printing, you can spin the level the other way or just stop and put the camera down for a few seconds.

There is no viewfinder on the Wide Evo, so the screen is the only way to frame shots. Unfortunately the screen is fairly poor quality, with low resolution and terrible viewing angles, but looking at it straight on just about gets the job done for framing and viewing images. All the camera settings and image playback are controlled using the clearly labeled buttons and joystick under the screen.

Finally storage – the Wide Evo has built-in storage that is enough for around 45 images, or you can (and should) use a MicroSD card. Frustratingly, like the Instax Mini Evo, you can only copy photos onto your phone that you have physically printed using the Wide Evo. I find this just a really strange and unnecessary limitation, it really reduces the Wide Evo’s usefulness as a digital camera while also coming across as a shady ploy to make you buy more film, which at around 90c per print – isn’t cheap.

Instax Wide Evo: Performance

Let's start with what Instax is all about – prints. And the Instax Wide format is the largest and most detailed of all the Instax print sizes. The Wide Evo produced consistently well-exposed shots, with the digital sensor I think picking up more details in the shadows and more saturated colors than analog Instax cameras – while this made prints a little less contrasty than what I usually expect, it's probably not a difference anyone except a camera reviewer would notice.

The image effects and styles are interesting, I am not the biggest fan of kitschy images with effects, stickers, etc, but there is enough here I found myself using. The summer style and light leaks effect I found a particular favorite combination – and I especially appreciated the different styles of light leaks so I could avoid them covering too much of my subject – although with 100 to choose from, by the time I had found the right one, the moment had almost certainly passed.

Maybe I am spoilt by high-end phones and cameras, but the Wide Evo just feels slow. Swapping between lenses or coming out of menus just takes a beat too long. Shutter lag was also a recurring issue, with it sometimes taking a second to take the image, by which point me or my subject had moved.

Battery life is also on the poor side. I managed to burn through the battery in just a couple of hours of shooting, and as the battery is internal, there is no way to quickly swap it out for a spare. Considering I think this camera’s best use case is weddings or events, which are usually full-day affairs, you would have to time your charging pretty well or have a few of these cameras to go the distance.

The Wide Evo arrives alongside a brand new companion app for iOS or Android, fittingly called Instax Wide Evo in the app store. The app is simple enough to use, with a slick, streamlined but limited interface – this is an app for function, not fun like most of Instax’s other apps. I also found the Bluetooth connection to be one of the most reliable camera-to-phone connections I have tested.

There are only three real features of the app, firstly, the app can function as a remote shutter for the Wide Evo, although annoyingly, you can’t change the style or effects settings remotely, so you have to go back to the camera – except you also can’t change them on the camera while live view is active.

The app also has a new discover feature for finding inspiration for styles and effects that other Wide Evo users have shared on Instagram (you can share your own images with the affiliated hashtags). You can then save these looks as favorites on your Wide Evo to use later. While at the time of review, there weren’t a lot of Discover images yet, I did find this to be a really useful tool for discovering how some of the effects I dismissed as too tacky could be used to good effect – with the right photo.

Finally, the app is used for both copying images from the camera and printing images from your phone. I have already moaned about how you can only copy images you have previously physically printed, but I will mention it again, as it is very frustrating.

In terms of digital image quality from the Wide Evo’s camera – photos are fine for printing, but honestly, I don’t think I would use these for anything else. Images did have a charming retro lo-fi look to them, which is all the rage with compact cameras right now, but with plenty of compact cameras under $100, there are cheaper ways to get the look if that's what you’re after. Images transferred using the app to my phone are only just over 1MP (1318x1066 including the film border), so are just about fine for social media but limited for most other uses.

The Wide Evo can also print from your phone using the companion app. While the app can’t apply any of the film styles or effects to images – which might sound like a big selling point for using the Wide Evo camera – there are dozens of other apps available (many for free) that will add similar effects to your phone images before you send them to the Instax app for printing. Instax prints also have a limited ceiling for quality, and once printed, phone photo and Wide Evo camera photo quality all blur together anyway.

Instax Wide Evo: Verdict

The Instax Wide Evo is one pretty camera, the stylish modern meets retro look is a real joy to have sitting on my desk in front of me right now. However, all that style can’t disguise that the camera is still pretty big – not Wide 400 big – but I was repeatedly clocked when pulling this out of my bag. The Wide Evo has a multitude of controls and makes it one of the best handling Instax cameras yet – as well as one of the most personal Instax photography experiences, with hundreds of different combinations of photo styles, light effects, and borders combining into unique photos, which in the right circumstances I found to be fun to play with and not too kitschy, but there is always normal modes to fall back on.

Print quality is classic Instax which we all know and love, and printing on Instax Wide film means these are the largest and most detailed prints you can get. However, this is a hybrid camera, and digital image capabilities are not the strongest, there are also frustrating limitations in the app on which pictures you can transfer off the camera. Digital images are just enough quality for printing but have limited use beyond that, fine for a quick story on social media, but for long-term posterity, you might wish you used your phone. This might be the better option anyway, as the Wide Evo is also a printer that can print Instax Wide versions of your phone images, and with the same print quality, you likely won’t notice the difference.

However, this leads me to the biggest issue with the Wide Evo – its price. At $350, you really have to value the all-in-one camera and printer experience, as for less than half price ($150) you can buy an Instax Link Wide printer and print classic Instax prints from your phone’s library. When you start adding the cost of prints (around 90c each), the Instax Wide Evo is a very expensive pursuit.

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Understanding how instant cameras work is made a lot easier if you start by thinking of the sheet of film as the film cell or digital sensor. After all, this is what the light hits and ultimately exposes when it enters the camera. Today, Fujifilm dominates the best instant camera market with its Instax brand, having started to produce instant cameras in the 1980s, but it wasn’t one of the earliest adopters.

While the first instant camera available to consumers is somewhat contested, there’s little doubt that the instant camera as we know it today was invented by none other than Polaroid co-founder, Edwin Land, and first made available in 1948. Long before the Instax Mini 12 and Polaroid Now+ Gen 2, the Land Camera Model 95 paved the way for Polaroid’s undisputed rule, which peaked during the 1970s and 1980s. And truth be told, how instant cameras work hasn't changed all that much.

Polaroid became so synonymous with the instant camera that it became a genericized trademark, and despite the original company folding in 2001 and being resurrected in 2017, people still refer to instant cameras and prints as ‘Polaroids’ today.

How instant cameras work

An instant film camera itself is about as simple as a camera can be; it’s the film that’s the magic sauce. A post from Polaroid Support lifts the lid on how instant cameras work – specifically the Impossible L-1, which was the first Polaroid produced following the company’s resurrection by Impossible Project (now Polaroid BV).

When the shutter is fired, light enters the camera through the lens and bounces off a fixed mirror, exposing the image onto the light-sensitive film. The mirror is required to correct the image, because the film develops as a mirror image.

The clever bit is the roller arrangement, which the film passes through as it’s ejected. As Polaroid puts it: "These rollers break developer paste pods in the base of the photo frame. A blue paste then coats the image, triggering a chemical chain reaction that both develops the instant photo and shields it from light." This explains why there's a thicker border at the base of a sheet of Polaroid film.

The folks at Analogue Wonderland go a step further by explaining how Polaroid film works. It comprises three layers: "the top layer is a transparent plastic cover sheet, the middle layer is the film emulsion, and the bottom layer is a developing agent."

The big difference between Polaroid and Instax film is that Fujifilm's version develops a standard image (not mirrored), mitigating the need for an internal mirror. As such, the film can be mounted vertically, producing a more conventional camera aesthetic to the classic Polaroid look.

Do people still shake it like a Polaroid picture?

OutKast’s Hey Ya! Immortalized the phrase “Shake it like a Polaroid picture,” referencing how Polaroid photographers would literally shake their freshly developed sheets of film to aid the drying process. However, this technique is now defunct, since the film dries almost instantly. And according to B&H Photo, shaking too much "might create unwanted bubbles or marks between some of the layers, causing flaws in the final image". In short, this is not how instant cameras work any more!

So, if you insist on roleplaying as a 1970s Polaroid shaker, you may want to resist the temptation, as shaking a Polaroid picture could negatively impact the development process. Maybe that's why André 3000 sings: "shake it (Uh-oh)"…

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Fujifilm's Instax business is expected to exceed its previous record sales of ¥150 billion ($960m / £775m / AU$1.5b) in the 2024 fiscal year. The projected figures were announced during a video press conference unveiling the flagship Instax Wide Evo hybrid instant camera (linked below for reference, but it's in Japanese and there's no translation available).

In the press call, Fujifilm's Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Imaging Solutions, Masato Yamamoto, had this to say about the sales of Instax cameras: "Sales, including Instax devices, film, and accessories, reached a record high of 150 billion yen in fiscal 2023. Sales of new products are also doing very well, and we are confident that sales in fiscal 2024 will also reach a new record high."

The graph from the presentation at the top of this news story shows that sales have grown significantly since 2010, and the Instax business is exceeding all expectations, with Fujifilm increasing its production capacity for Instax cameras. Fujifilm will announce its official 2024 Q3 financial results (October-December 2024) on February 6, 2025.

Many film cameras in Fujifilm's Instax range rank among the best instant cameras. By comparison, the best digital instant cameras combine a digital sensor with a printer, so you have the best of both worlds with the ability to save your images digitally and print them instantly. We can't wait to try the Instax Wide Evo for ourselves, and will, of course, bring you a full report when we can. In the meantime, it's listed by several retailers as being available for pre-order.

Fujifilm has just announced the Instax Wide Evo hybrid digital instant camera – the latest addition to its growing range of instant cameras and portable printers. The Wide Evo builds on the success of the Instax Mini Evo, expanding the hybrid instant concept into a larger format.

What is a hybrid Instax camera? The Instax Evo Wide enables you to take and save digital images, which can then either be printed directly from the Instax wide printer built into the camera, saved for later, or shared via the companion smartphone app. Previously this was only available in Instax’s Mini film format, but this marks the first time that Fujifilm has expanded the range to its other film sizes.

And it's not just the film that is wider – the Wide Evo’s standout feature is its 16.67mm wide-angle lens, now the broadest in the Instax lineup, which makes it easier to capture expansive scenes or group shots. The camera features a 3.5-inch LCD screen for editing, a built-in Lithium-ion battery capable of printing up to 100 images per charge, and storage options that include internal memory and a microSD card slot.

This might also be the most personal Instax camera yet, with the Wide Evo offering more effects to creative photographers. The Wide Evo packs 10 lens effects and 10 film effect options, which can be combined into 100 unique configurations. And if that wasn’t enough fine-tuning, a new Degree Control feature enables users to adjust the intensity of these effects.

The Instax Wide Evo comes alongside another new app, fittingly called Instax Wide Evo, that enables you to interact with the camera, save images to your phone, change settings, and enable remote shooting and advanced editing options. The app also has an Instagram-style discover feed to browse photos shared by other Wide Evo owners – and replicate their creative settings.

The Wide Evo might also be the most visually striking Instax camera yet, with a look that is reminiscent of Fujifilm’s latest GFX cameras, but still blends a healthy dose of nostalgic appeal. This also means that, unlike Fujifilm’s more colorful instant Instax cameras, the Wide Evo is only available in a black-and-grey finish (at least in the UK and US).

Instax fans might want to take a deep breath before looking at the price, though; with the Instax Wide Evo priced at $349.95 / £319.99 / AU$599 it's a significant jump from the Instax Mini Evo ($199 / £174 / AU$299) or the Instax Wide 400 ($149 / £129 / AU$229). If you can't wait to get your hands on the Wide Evo, the camera will be in stores and online from February 04.

There is also the usual collection of Instax launch accessories available, including a premium faux leather case ($49.99 / £37.99) and a new Instax Wide Brushed Metallics Instant Film Pack ($13.99 / £9.99) which has a metallic gradient film border to match the camera’s new style. Australian pricing for the accessories is TBC.

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