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Instax Mini 12vs S1 II

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 (2023) Starting from £80 new Best for Beginners, parties & gifting View Instax Mini 12
VS
Lumix S1 II Lumix S1 II (2025) Starting from £2200 new Best for Hybrid & Video View S1 II

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.

Hybrid & Video — S1 II (2025): The S1 II is the full-frame L-mount hybrid camera Panasonic's system has been waiting for — phase-detect AF, 4K/120p, class-leading IBIS, and a professional build in one complete package. It addresses every weakness of the original S1 and positions Lumix firmly back in the conversation for serious hybrid shooters.

↓ Full specifications below

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

S1 II (2025)

  • Hybrid photographers who need excellent stills and serious video capability
  • Video professionals who want full-frame quality with 4K/120p
  • Landscape and portrait photographers who want maximum stabilisation
  • L-mount system users upgrading from S1 or S5 II

Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the s1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Instax Mini 12 (2023)S1 II (2025)
Price £80 £2,200
Sensor Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) 24.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS
Resolution 24.2MP
Video N/A — instant film camera 6K/30p, 4K/120p, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal
Autofocus Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) Phase-detect AF with subject recognition (human, animal, vehicle)
Stabilisation N/A 5-axis IBIS, up to 8 stops
Burst Rate N/A 30fps (electronic), 9fps (mechanical)
Battery Life 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) ~400 shots (CIPA)
Weight ~293g (with batteries, without film) 680g (body only)
Dimensions 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm 138.5 × 100.0 × 91.5mm
Weather Sealed No Yes
Viewfinder Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) Electronic, 3.68M dots, 0.78×
Screen N/A 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.84M dots
Mount Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) Leica L-mount
Memory Cards N/A — instant film only Dual slot: CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II
Connectivity N/A USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI
Genre Instax Mini 12S1 II
Parties & Events
9.0
Travel
9.0
7.5
Portrait
7.0
9.0
Everyday
7.0
Low Light
4.0
Landscape
4.0
9.0
Vlogging & Video
9.5
Wedding & Events
9.0
Sports & Action
8.0
Wildlife
7.5
Street
7.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side Instax Mini 12 prices → S1 II prices →

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