The fixed focus lens manages to keep the majority of portrait and middle distance shots looking crisp, while landscapes can appear softer and more dreamlike. The Instax Mini 12 is Fujifilm's new entry-level model in its extensive range of instant photography cameras, replacing the three-year-old Instax Mini 11. The off-center viewfinder can also make light flares an issue when shooting towards the sun. What might seem well-composed can actually have direct sunlight hitting the lens. There are a couple of design tweaks that make perfect sense. You now turn the camera on by rotating the lens, and the lens has two settings: on and close-up. It's more intuitive, and a far less clunky process than on the Instax Mini 11, where pressing a stiff button pops the lens out and turns the camera on, and pulling the lens out then engages close-up mode. As with the Instax Mini 9, you see subjects through a small optical viewfinder window with a magnification of 0.37x. For selfies, a small mirror is integrated right next to the lens. To activate the selfie mode, pull the lens out to the selfie-on mark. The focus range is therefore between 0.3 and 0.5 m, so you can also take close-ups with this setting. An additional close-up lens, such as the one supplied with the Instax Mini 9, is therefore no longer necessary. The Popular Instax Mini Size

It’s a shame to think that I can't really use the Instax Mini 12 to its best potential when the sun is out, and improvements here would top my wish list for a successor that we might reasonably expect to land in 2026.

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Otherwise, most of the features of the Instax Mini 11 are carried over to the Instax Mini 12. There’s the same 60mm f/12.7 lens, with a close-up / selfie mode that reduces the minimum focus distance from 0.5m to 0.3m. 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. Import photos from other INSTAX Apps (the INSTAX MINI LINK App or the INSTAX LINK WIDE App, for instance) into the INSTAX Up! App Even so, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is undeniably a camera that's both fun to look at and fun to use, delivering a satisfyingly analog experience in a mostly digital world with a minimum of fuss. 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.

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. The previous Selfie mode on the Instax 11 has become the Close-up mode on the Instax 12 to better indicate what it can be used for, not just selfies but also any subject that's positioned between 0.3 m to 0.5 m away from the camera. 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. It's because the auto exposure system can now vary the shutter speed between 1/2 and 1/250, so it should be able to capture the right amount of light in all shooting scenarios. This is a big step up from the Mini 9's fixed 1/60 shutter speed, and helps massively when shooting indoors.Another addition is parallax correction. Put simply, parallax correction improves the accuracy of the viewfinder, so that what you see through the viewfinder is the composition you get in your print. That is, if you can get a clear view through the viewfinder in the first place – you need to really press your eye in close. Instax film tends to produce pastel-like colors and soft-focus details, giving your photos that unmistakable instant feel, though they tend to be more true-to-life than rivals including Polaroid or Lomography. Landscape format is more accommodating, but it's a little more awkward to hold the camera and operate the shutter release button in this orientation. Maybe more importantly for this target market, Fujifilm have also refreshed the design of the Mini 12, with a more inflated, iconic bubble shape and a wide array of colourways. 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.

The INSTAX MINI 12 instant camera features a unique new design and a variety of appealing new color options,” said Bing Liem, president, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “It includes many of our consumers’ favorite features from the prior MINI 11 model, along with some new advancements that are sure to enhance our users’ photographic experience. We’re always impressed with the incredible creativity of our consumers, and we can’t wait to see what they create with the MINI 12!” INSTAX UP! Smartphone App Debuts

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.

Not only is the Instax 12 more technically advanced than its predecessor, it also looks better too, a crucial consideration for its target market who are looking for fun as well as competence. 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. When taking shots, you'll also need to be aware of where your hands are holding the camera because you really don't want to obstruct either the built-in flash or crucially the auto exposure (AE) light and Flash Light sensors, both of which are found above the lens. With no need to manually adjust the exposure settings every time the lighting situation changes, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 has a much greater hit-rate when it comes to correctly judging a scene than the Mini 9, although the nature of Instax film means overblown highlights are still common.

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With an airy, cloud-like, and almost “inflated” design/look, MINI 12 carries over the main features of MINI 11, including Close-Up Mode and Auto Exposure adjustment capabilities, but also adds the new Parallax Correction feature, in which the camera’s viewfinder aligns with the lens when using Close-Up Mode, minimizing object shifts, to produce a centered photo. MINI 12 also features automatic flash control, which optimizes image quality in bright or low light situations. The lens structure is designed to provide intuitive steps both for powering the camera on/off and for accessing the popular Close-Up Mode with a simple twist of the lens. For a secure hold and to avoid obstructing those light sensors, we found placing both hands on the underside of the camera the most comfortable. However, there is no really intuitive way to hold the camera properly in landscape format. 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.