Instax Mini 12vs Q
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, Travel & Fine Art Photography — Q (2015): The camera that redefined luxury compact photography — a full-frame sensor, the finest 28mm compact lens available, and a shooting feel that is uniquely Leica.
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
Q (2015)
- Street and documentary photographers who want a full-frame fixed-lens camera with iconic character
- Travel photographers who want the finest compact image quality available
- Leica enthusiasts who want an autofocus alternative to the M system
- Photographers who value build quality and shooting experience as much as spec sheets
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | Q (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A | None |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~270 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 640g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | Q |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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