Minolta is a household name when it comes to film cameras. Established in Japan in 1928, its range of manual and autofocus film cameras are still a popular choice among analog photographers. More recently, Minolta has launched a brand new product - a digital, instant camera that prints credit card-sized photos.
The Minolta name disappeared from cameras back in 2006, when the Konica Minolta sold its digital camera technology onto Sony. The new range is being brought to the market under license by Elite Brands.
One of the benefits of a digital, instant camera over a traditional 35mm film camera is that you can print the photos straight away, you can review them first and if you don’t like them you can delete them. You don’t need to worry about making sure exposure levels are right and wasting expensive film as there is a mini digital display on the back of the camera where you can preview the photos.
• Read more: Best instant cameras
The Minolta InstaPix 2-in1 hybrid digital instant camera comes in a range of colors including coral, grey, blue, purple and charcoal but you’ll have to spend almost double the money to get one of the bright colors. Images are printed in just 50 seconds onto 2.1x3.4-inch thermal photo paper.
As well as being about to print and take photos using the built-in camera, you can also print photos from your smartphone if you connect it to the device via Bluetooth. You can download the free Minolta InstaPix app where you can edit and send photos, add fun filters and even control the camera.
Using 4PASS printing technology, this 10-megapixel camera is able to reproduce photos with 16.7 million real colors. An added protective layer means that memories can last a lifetime without fading and exposure is really accurate.
Its small compact design makes it easy to fit in your trouser or jacket pocket, there is a 1.7-inch display on the back which is ideal for previewing photos and a set of arrows so you can browse your photos. It can be charged via a micro USB so when you’re on the go you could use one of the best portable charges to make sure you never run out of battery.
It'll be interesting to see how this camera compares to the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay which features in our best cameras under $200 guide. It's not super clear what film exactly it takes but luckily when purchased from Amazon it comes with a pack of 10 to start you off.
Read more:
What type of instant film do I need?
Best 35mm film
Best retro cameras
