EOS M3vs Instax Mini 12
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Casual & Everyday — EOS M3 (2015): The EOS M3 was a meaningful upgrade over the original EOS M — bringing 24MP, a tilting touchscreen, and improved Hybrid CMOS AF III. Video tops out at 1080p/30p and burst shooting is modest, but for stills photographers wanting affordable APS-C quality, the M3 is a competent used-market option.
Beginners, Parties & Gifting — Instax Mini 12 (2023): The perfect starter instant camera — effortless to use, great colours, and comes in beautiful pastel shades.
Who should buy what
EOS M3 (2015)
- Photographers who want affordable 24MP APS-C quality on a budget
- Casual shooters who want a compact EF-M camera with a tilting screen
- Users looking for an affordable entry into the Canon EF-M ecosystem
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable but inexpensive mirrorless
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
- Complete beginners wanting their first instant camera
- Anyone buying an instant camera as a gift
- Party hosts who want to hand out physical prints on the night
- Kids and teenagers who want a fun, colourful camera
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M3 (2015) | Instax Mini 12 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 | £80 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | — |
| Video | 1080p/30p | N/A — instant film camera |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) |
| Stabilisation | — | N/A |
| Burst Rate | 4.2fps | N/A |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) |
| Weight | 366g (body only) | ~293g (with batteries, without film) |
| Dimensions | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | N/A |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | N/A — instant film only |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M3 | Instax Mini 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history