instax mini 12 camera, LILAC PURPLE

Product Information

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 improves on the previous generation Instax Mini in meaningful ways, making instant photography more accessible than ever with a largely accurate auto exposure system and an adjustable lens that works for close-ups and selfies as well as portraits and landscapes. It's an issue we've seen in other instant cameras, though, so it's more of a learning curve for the photographer than a failing of the camera. I appreciated that this is a camera that's meant to be as simple as possible to use, but an option to deactivate the flash manually would be helpful for those times when you want to work with natural light only. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 refines the previous model by enhancing the picture quality, improving the close-up/selfie mode, refining the operation and adopting a more fun bubble-like design. Taken together, these help to keep the Instax Mini 12 at the top of the budget-level instant film camera heap.

The camera is a little slippery in the hand, with its smooth finish and curved edges not offering a great deal of grip. It's a fiddly camera to hold, especially when taking selfies, and I would love to see a more pronounced thumb grip, and/or or some kind of rougher texture on the exterior. Thankfully, a color-matched wrist strap is supplied; use it, as otherwise you’re bound to drop this camera at some point.

Specifications

Of course that enjoyment factor is tarnished if the camera is churning out pictures that appear too bright or too dark, too blown out by the flash or with off-kilter framing that cuts out half of your subject. You don't really want photos that have to go straight in the bin. Of course, you never know exactly what you will get, especially when it comes to framing, but you at least get something close enough. Beginners should really take the time to read the instruction manual and also be prepared for some framing frustrations when first using the camera. I did find that, despite the automatic flash setting, the camera often struggled to focus in low light. This was especially apparent in scenes that had some depth to them where the flash would illuminate the closest object, as well as in close-ups. Those three key improvements alone are enough to elevate the Instax Mini 12 above its predecessor and cement Fujfilm's position as the go to choice for instant photography newcomers. With a subject that's around a metre away, you'll be able to include a good amount of surroundings in the shot. For a selfie from around 0.4m, you can comfortably fit in two people, but if anyone else jumps in it's a real squeeze.

The printing time is fast. Instax estimates around five seconds which I found to be accurate, though photos do take a few minutes to fully develop.Solutions like our INSTAX UP! App keep our consumers connected, engaged, and informed,” said Ashley Reeder Morgan, vice president, Consumer Marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “INSTAX UP! will enable our users to organize, archive, and share their INSTAX photos with ease, helping preserve their special memories and inspiring them to create more.” Colors, Pricing, and Availability Designed to offer a purely point-and-shoot experience that just delivers great results, the Mini12 introduces three new features to help achieve that aim - automatic flash control, close-up mode and a parallax correction feature. With it's fun new bubble design, the Instax Mini 12 is a very distinctive looking, almost toy-like camera which is available in five attractively muted colours. We particularly liked the Mint Green version that we had for this test. With Instant photography, there is a certain compulsive nature to it. Capture a moment and enjoy it together there and then. Take your keepsake with you. Give one away, share the joy. We also enjoyed the simpler operation afforded by the twisting lens mechanism, which makes turning the camera on, off and setting it to close-up mode more intuitive than before.

The super bubbly INSTAX mini 12 is bursting with joy, creativity and colour. Not only is this iconic instant camera available in five eye-poppingly pleasing tones – Pastel Blue, Mint Green, Blossom Pink, Lilac Purple and Clay White – it’s fully loaded with easy-to-use modes and controls. Size-wise, the Instax Mini 12 fits in the hand comfortably enough. There's not a single right-angle on the curved plastic body, which has a smooth and slippy non-textured surface.Overall, while the new Mini 12 may not represent a giant leap forwards for Instax cameras, it is more accomplished and more fun to use than its predecessor, and is still a great choice as your first instant photography camera. I personally found I still had trouble centring close-ups and standard shots with the viewfinder, but then instant photography isn’t really about getting the most perfectly framed shots every time. Performance and image quality Even so, if we had a choice, the flash would be on by default but with an option of deactivating it for the picture you are about to take.