The Instax Mini Link may seem like a gimmick, but I use it more than any other printer I own
(Image credit: James Artaius)
It's not a gimmick: the Instax Mini Link is my favorite photo printer, and the one I use more than any other.
This is undoubtedly going to rub a lot of people the wrong way. After all, the Instax Mini Link isn't exactly marketed as a traditional printer – let alone one of the best photo printers. That doesn't change the fact that, in my opinion, it's the best printer I own.
Let me explain.
Photography is all about sharing. What's the use in taking a photograph if I'm the only one who sees it? The photo may as well not exist. This is especially true as I'm a portrait photographer, by trade and background, so the very explicit purpose of my images is for the subject(s) to be seen.
This is true in both a personal and professional sense. When I take pictures for clients, they want to see the results presented in the way they can best enjoy them. Sometimes this is as a fine art print, other times it's as a social media-friendly file.
(Image credit: James Artaius)
But without question, the presentation that brings the most smiles to faces? The little, physical Instax print, which gets kept in a wallet or keepsake box or business card sleeve.
The same is true for personal photos. One of the most treasured gifts I give to people is a credit card-sized photo printed on the Instax Mini Link. With it, I can turn any image – whether taken on my phone or even my professional cameras – into a treasured memento.
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Last month I gave one of my partners a print of a selfie we took outside Sagrada Familia, that she could display in the back of her transparent phone case. I also made a full Instax photo album for my best friend, full of highlights of all our adventures taken over the past nine years of our friendship.
The Instax Mini Link, then, isn't just one of the best portable printers. It's the best way to share the best bits of my work with the people who matter most.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
