Instax Mini 12vs Lumix S5 II
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
VS
Lumix
Lumix S5 II (2023)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Hybrid video & photography
View Lumix S5 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 & Photography — Lumix S5 II (2023): Phase-detect AF changed everything for Lumix — the S5 II delivers exceptional hybrid performance with 6K video and genuine full-frame value.
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 II (2023)
- Hybrid photographers who want phase-detect AF for the first time on a Lumix S body
- Video creators who want 6K and reliable subject tracking in a full-frame body
- S5 owners upgrading to the most significant Lumix full-frame update in years
- L-mount photographers who want the best value full-frame Lumix available
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the lumix s5 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | Lumix S5 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £1,999 |
| 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/60p, C4K/60p, V-Log |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 5-axis IBIS (up to 6.5-stop with OIS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic / 7fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 740g body only |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 134.3 × 102.3 × 90.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | 0.76" OLED EVF, 3.68M dots |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| 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 3.1, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | Lumix S5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history