Instax Mini 12vs X-E2
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Beginners, Parties & Gifting — Instax Mini 12 (2023): The perfect starter instant camera — effortless to use, great colours, and comes in beautiful pastel shades.
Street & Casual — X-E2 (2013): The X-E2 is where the X-mount system matured. The X-Trans II sensor delivers rich, film-like rendering that still looks beautiful, and the rangefinder-style body is slim and pocketable. Manual aperture ring support, a quality EVF, and Fujifilm's colour science make it a rewarding camera to use. A bargain on the used market for anyone who wants the Fujifilm experience without the modern price tag.
Who should buy what
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
X-E2 (2013)
- Street photographers wanting Fujifilm on a budget
- Beginners stepping into the X-mount system
- Compact camera enthusiasts who want film simulations
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | X-E2 (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £150 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II |
| Resolution | — | 16.3MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF |
| Stabilisation | N/A | None |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 7fps |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~350 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 350g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 129.0 × 74.9 × 38.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.62× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 2.8" fixed LCD, 460k dots |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Fujifilm X-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | X-E2 |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history