I tried Fujifilm’s new cheap instant film compact camera, and I can sum up the big changes in one word

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 / £80 / AU$119 CA$110. While the camera was announced in March, it’s not expected to begin shipping until June. I expect major retailers to list pre-orders soon.

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

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