Instax Mini 12vs X-Half
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
Fujifilm
X-Half (2025)
Starting from £549 new
Best for Creative, lifestyle and travel photography with a film-like experience
View X-Half
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.
Creative, Lifestyle And Travel Photography With A Film-Like Experience — X-Half (2025): The X-Half isn't trying to compete on specs — it's a creative, lifestyle-first camera that recreates the fun and constraints of half-frame film photography in a digital body. For photographers who want a fun second camera for personal projects, travel diaries, or simply shooting without overthinking, it's a genuinely enjoyable and unique product.
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-Half (2025)
- Creative photographers who want a fun, film-inspired digital camera for personal projects
- Travel photographers who want a pocketable, simple camera for everyday memories
- Fujifilm fans who enjoy film simulations and want a unique format to shoot in
- Beginners who want an enjoyable, low-pressure camera that encourages considered shooting
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-Half (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £549 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 17.7MP 1-inch CMOS (vertical orientation) |
| Resolution | — | 17.7MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 1080p, vertical video mode |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Contrast-detection AF with face detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A | — |
| Burst Rate | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~880 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 240g (body with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 112.8 × 66.2 × 38.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | Optical viewfinder (frame-line type) |
| Screen | N/A | 2.4-inch fixed touchscreen |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Fixed lens (no interchangeable mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | microSD |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | X-Half |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
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