Gadget Gal’s Guide to Instax

Fujifilm’s Instax line of cameras and printers has brought back the joy of a printed photo. With different film types and devices to choose from, we’ve compiled this easy to follow list of where each camera and printer fits in.

Mini Film

Instax Mini 9 (and 11)

Type: Analogue Camera

Film Format: Mini film

Price: ± R1 100

The Mini 9 is the top selling camera in the Instax line-up, and it’s easy to see why. Playful design, easy to use and available in a range of colours, the Mini 9 is for many their introduction to the world of instant photography.

Simply load your film cartridge and you are ready to snap – just remember every time you will push the shutter a print will pop out, so make sure your subject is ready. A newer model, the Instax Mini 11, has hit South African market too – here’s a little comparison video:

Instax Mini LiPlay

Type: Digital Camera

Film Format: Mini film

Price: ± R2 700

If you want more control over what images you print, the Instax Mini LiPlay is the camera for you. This digital camera allows you to scroll through your images on the screen on the back, making it possible to select only the pics you want printed, and print more than one to share. To add some spice and to help decorate the image, you have a range of frames and filters to choose from. Small, lightweight and available in some gorgeous colours, the Mini LiPlay is also the most portable Instax camera in the range.

Fujifilm included one more interesting feature to play with – the ability to embed voice notes in your photos. You record whatever flights your fancy, with the Mini LiPlay then printing a QR code in the photo for any smartphone to read.

See our review of the LiPlay below:

Square Film

Instax SQUARE SQ6

Type: Analogue Camera

Film Format: SQUARE film

Price: ± R2 000

In a way, the Instax SQUARE SQ6 can be seen as the big sister to the Mini 9 camera. But where the Mini 9 prints smaller photos, the SQ6 prints larger SQUARE format photos.

The SQ6 is an analogue camera, meaning there is no digital screen to play around with, nor can you choose the image you want printed. It does contain a few tricks up its sleeve, with a Double Exposure mode and Macro mode available for those more artistic shots. A little mirror on the front of the camera next to the lens makes it possible to frame your selfies.

Instax SQUARE SQ20

Type: Digital Camera

Film Format: SQUARE film

Price: ± R3 000

The Instax SQUARE SQ20 can be seen as the most advanced camera in the Instax range. Because it’s digital you can print the images you are happy with, while Fujifilm has included a number of unique features to play around with.

For example, the SQ20 can record a 15 seconds long video, from which you are able to select a specific frame to print. If you want to edit your images, you can control your brightness, add vignetting or select a specific colour to highlight. If you are committed to instant photography, the SQ20 gives you all the tools to perfect your craft.

We attended the launch event of the SQ20 to learn a bit more, watch the video below.

Wide Film

Instax WIDE 300

Type: Analogue Camera

Film Format: WIDE film

Price: ± R2 200

The Instax WIDE 300 is unique in the Instax line-up, seeing that it shoots with special WIDE film. In fact, the 86 x 108mm film size is twice as large as the Mini film size. This allows for interesting group photos, wider compositions and larger portraits. The big body and hefty size make it less of a travel camera, while the WIDE prints are also costlier than Instax’s other photo options. Still, the WIDE 300 can make for a good investment if you want to explore a different side of Instax’s instant photography.

PRINTERS

Instax Mini Link

Type: Printer

Film format: Mini film

Price: ± R2 000

The Instax Mini Link printer is an all-round fun piece of technology. It requires minimal setup to connect it to a smartphone and prints photos via the Mini Link app (available for Apple or Android devices). As we said in our YouTube review, with its sleek and light body design, revamped app, fun social features and Bluetooth capability, the Instax Mini Link will surely please even the toughest of critics.

If you are willing to sacrifice a few prints, there are a few built-in features to play around with, which includes Surprise Mode (where up to five people can connect to the same printer to select parts of a photo to print) and Match Test (to see how compatible you are with your friends).

Watch our review of the Mini Link here.

Instax SHARE SP-3

Type: Printer

Film Format: SQUARE film

Price: ± R3 400

The Instax SHARE SP-3 is the classy printer in the range, able to connect to smartphones and Fujifilm cameras to print SQUARE images that Instagram seems to love so much. Available in black and white models, you receive super print quality and through the app there are many templates and filters available.