The best instax cameras, model by model
Fujifilm sells thirteen instax cameras in the US, and four of them are minis that look nearly identical. Here is what actually separates them.
The best instax camera for most people is the mini 12, or the mini 13 if a self-timer matters. The mini 41 is the same camera in a grown-up body, the mini 99 adds real manual controls, the SQUARE SQ40 gets a square print, and the WIDE 400 fits a group.
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| # | Product | Best for | Cost per shot | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fujifilm instax mini 12The default instax: cheapest film, simplest operation, nothing to go wrong. | Best instax overall | $0.85 | Check price |
| 2 | Fujifilm instax mini 13The mini 12 plus a self-timer, and the model that will still be stocked in two years. | Best current mini | $0.85 | Check price |
| 3 |  Fujifilm instax mini EvoDigital capture, selective printing, and a hundred effect combinations. | Best instax for not wasting film | $0.85 | Check price |
| 4 |  Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ40The square frame, the retro body, and half Polaroid's film cost. | Best instax print format | $1.15 | Check price |
| 5 |  Fujifilm instax WIDE 400The only instax that fits several people in frame without anyone crouching. | Best instax for groups | $1.10 | Check price |
| 6 | Fujifilm instax mini 99The only instax with dials worth turning. | Best instax for an enthusiast | $0.85 | Check price |
The four minis, and what actually differs
This is the confusing part of the range and the reason most people end up guessing. All four mini cameras shoot the same film, at the same 62 x 46 mm print size, through the same 60 mm f/12.7 lens. Here is the real difference list:
| Model | Self-timer | Controls | Power | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mini 12 | No | None — fully automatic | 2 x AA | 306 g |
| mini 13 | Yes — 2 or 10 sec | None — fully automatic | 2 x AA | 327 g |
| mini 41 | No | None — fully automatic | 2 x AA | 345 g |
| mini 99 | No | Color dial, vignette, double exposure, bulb, exposure comp. | Rechargeable NP-70S | 340 g |
1. Best instax overall
Fujifilm instax mini 12
The default instax: cheapest film, simplest operation, nothing to go wrong.
- Buy it for
- Anyone who is not sure which instax they want.
- Skip it if
- Anyone who needs a self-timer or a print bigger than a credit card.
- The simplest camera in the whole instax range and the cheapest film at about 85 cents a shot.
- AA batteries, roughly 100 shots per set.
- Close-Up Mode with viewfinder parallax correction — the one feature beginners actually need.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.5/10 overall
- Ease of use10
- Running cost9
- Print size5
- Features3
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “a basic instant camera ideal for newbies that lets you get started shooting”.
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2. Best current mini
Fujifilm instax mini 13
The mini 12 plus a self-timer, and the model that will still be stocked in two years.
- Buy it for
- Anyone buying new today, and anyone who will use it in a group.
- Skip it if
- Someone who found a mini 12 cheaper and does not need the timer.
- An electronic self-timer at about 2 or 10 seconds — unique among the simple minis.
- Otherwise identical: same lens, same automatic exposure, same flash range, same AA batteries.
- 327 g, marginally heavier than the mini 12's 306 g.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.8/10 overall
- Ease of use10
- Running cost9
- Group use8
- Features5
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
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3. Best instax for not wasting film
Fujifilm instax mini Evo
Digital capture, selective printing, and a hundred effect combinations.
- Buy it for
- Anyone who hates the idea of paying 85 cents for a photograph of someone blinking.
- Skip it if
- A child, or anyone who wants the camera to be a camera and nothing else.
- A 3-inch screen: choose what to print, so bad frames cost nothing.
- Ten lens effects by ten film effects, which is the most fun in the range.
- Doubles as a phone printer over Bluetooth 4.2, and does about 100 prints per charge.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.9/10 overall
- Ease of use7
- Running cost10
- Print size5
- Features10
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “marries the vintage charm of instant photography with digital shooting”.
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4. Best instax print format
Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ40
The square frame, the retro body, and half Polaroid's film cost.
- Buy it for
- Someone who wants the classic square photograph.
- Skip it if
- A tight film budget, or anyone who dislikes buying CR2 batteries.
- 2.4 x 2.4 inch picture for about $1.15 a shot.
- Automatic exposure to Lv 15.5 and a 1/2 to 1/400 sec shutter — a wider range than the minis.
- About 30 film packs per pair of CR2 cells.
Running cost: instax SQUARE works out at $1.15 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.2/10 overall
- Ease of use9
- Running cost6
- Print size8
- Features4
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “looks great thanks to the leatherette details and retro design”.
#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you
5. Best instax for groups
Fujifilm instax WIDE 400
The only instax that fits several people in frame without anyone crouching.
- Buy it for
- Weddings, parties, family photographs, guest books.
- Skip it if
- Carrying in a pocket. 616 g and four AA batteries.
- 3.9 x 2.4 inch print, and WIDE film is $1.10 a shot — cheaper than SQUARE.
- A flash that reaches 3 m rather than 2.2 m, which matters indoors.
- A close-up lens and self-timer lever included in the box.
Running cost: instax WIDE works out at $1.10 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.1/10 overall
- Ease of use8
- Running cost7
- Print size10
- Portability3
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “simple operation”.
#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you
6. Best instax for an enthusiast
Fujifilm instax mini 99
The only instax with dials worth turning.
- Buy it for
- Someone who will use exposure compensation and enjoy a vignette switch.
- Skip it if
- A beginner, or anyone buying a gift for someone casual.
- Color-effect dial, vignette switch, double exposure, bulb to 10 seconds, exposure compensation.
- Three-point manual focus with a macro setting.
- Rechargeable NP-70S battery, about 10 packs per charge.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.5/10 overall
- Ease of use6
- Running cost9
- Print size5
- Features10
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “offers far more control and features”.
#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you
The three film formats, and what they cost
Choosing an instax camera is really choosing one of three films, because a camera only ever takes one. Note the counter-intuitive result: WIDE film is cheaper per shot than SQUARE, despite the much bigger print.
| Format | Print size | Pack | Pack price | Cost per shot | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| instax mini | 2.4 x 1.8 in (62 x 46 mm) | 20 | $16.99 | $0.85 | Pro Photo Supply |
| instax WIDE | 3.9 x 2.4 in (99 x 62 mm) | 20 | $21.99 | $1.10 | Pro Photo Supply |
| instax SQUARE | 2.4 x 2.4 in (62 x 62 mm image on 86 x 72 mm film) | 20 | $22.99 | $1.15 | Pro Photo Supply |
What else is in the range
Fujifilm's current US lineup is larger than the six cameras above. The others, and why they are not picks here:
- instax mini LiPlay and LiPlay+ — hybrids that also record a short sound clip, playable by scanning a QR code on the print. Genuinely charming, more niche than the Evo.
- instax mini Evo Cinema — a variant of the Evo. If the Evo's feature set appeals, compare the two directly before buying.
- instax SQUARE SQ1 — the simpler, older square model. The SQ40 is the better-built one.
- instax WIDE Evo — a hybrid wide camera. The most expensive way into the WIDE format, and the only way to shoot it digitally.
- instax Pal 2 — a tiny digital camera with no printer at all. It needs a separate instax printer, which makes it a two-purchase proposition and a poor gift.
We also checked that nothing on this page is discontinued. The instax mini 11 still appears on competitor roundups and is no longer in the current range — Fujifilm's US camera page lists the mini 13, 12, 41 and 99 as the mini line.
instax printers, if a camera is the wrong answer
Fujifilm also sells instax printers, which print phone photographs onto the same film. The instax mini Link 3 does mini prints and the instax Link WIDE 2 does wide ones. Same film, same cost per shot, but you choose the photograph — which is the better buy for anyone whose pictures are already on a phone.
Questions people ask
Which instax camera is best?
The instax mini 12 for most people, or the mini 13 if a self-timer is useful. The mini Evo is the best in the range overall if you want to choose which photographs to print, the SQUARE SQ40 if you want a square print, and the WIDE 400 if photographs need to fit a group.
What is the difference between the instax mini 12 and the mini 13?
The mini 13 adds an electronic self-timer of about 2 or 10 seconds, which the mini 12 does not have, and weighs 327 g against 306 g. Everything else is the same: same film, same 62 x 46 mm print, same 60 mm f/12.7 lens, same automatic exposure, same two AA batteries.
What is the difference between instax mini and instax wide?
Print size and price. instax mini is 2.4 x 1.8 inches at about 85 cents a shot; instax WIDE is 3.9 x 2.4 inches at about $1.10. WIDE also has a longer flash reach — 3 m against 2.2 m — which matters indoors, and the cameras are much larger.
Which instax camera has the best picture quality?
The larger formats resolve more simply because the print is bigger, so the WIDE 400 and SQUARE SQ40 have an advantage over the minis. For the most consistently good-looking results, the mini Evo wins, because its screen lets you discard the frames that did not work before spending film on them.
Is the instax mini 11 still worth buying?
It has been superseded and is no longer part of Fujifilm's current US range, which runs the mini 13, mini 12, mini 41 and mini 99. It still appears on competitor roundups. If you find one cheap it still works and still takes the same film, but a new mini 12 or mini 13 is the better buy.
Read these next
instax mini 12 vs mini 99
Simple or controls, with both cameras' real specifications side by side.
instax mini vs instax WIDE
The print-size decision, with the cost difference over a year.
Instax vs Polaroid
The brand question, settled on print size and cost per shot.
What instax film costs per shot
All three formats, with pack prices and sources.
instax mini Evo review
The instax that saves the most film, in full.
Sources
- Fujifilm instax camera range (US) — Current-lineup check, 13 October 2026 — used to avoid recommending discontinued models
- Fujifilm instax mini 12 specifications — Manufacturer specification page, checked 13 October 2026
- Fujifilm instax mini 13 specifications — Confirms the self-timer the mini 12 and mini 41 do not have
- Pro Photo Supply — instax mini film, 20 exposures — $16.99 on 13 October 2026, the basis of the 85c-per-shot figure
- Engadget — the best instant cameras — Cited for published verdicts on handling and image quality. We do not test hardware
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will correct it with a dated note. Our picks are re-checked quarterly — see our editorial policy.