Instax Mini 12vs Lumix S5
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
Lumix
Lumix S5 (2020)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for Professional video & hybrid shooting
View Lumix S5
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.
Professional Video & Hybrid Shooting — Lumix S5 (2020): The S5 is an outstanding video camera that also takes excellent stills. 10-bit 4K/60p, dual native ISO and 6.5-stop IBIS in a weather-sealed body is a compelling package. The contrast-detect AF is its main weakness vs Sony and Canon — but for controlled shooting it doesn't hold it back.
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
Lumix S5 (2020)
- Videographers who need 10-bit colour science in a full-frame body
- Photographers who shoot video as a second discipline
- Studio photographers who want full-frame IBIS at a lower price
- L-mount system users building a versatile kit
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the lumix s5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | Lumix S5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/60p 10-bit V-Log/HLG, 5.9K anamorphic, 1080p/180p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Contrast AF (DFD Technology), face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 6.5-stop IBIS (dual IBIS with Lumix S lenses) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 7fps mechanical, 9fps electronic (AFS) |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 714g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 132.6 × 97.1 × 81.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.84M dots |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Leica L-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | Lumix S5 |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history