Instax Mini 12vs OM-3
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
VS
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
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.
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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
OM-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the om-3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | OM-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £999 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | — | 20.4MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | N/A | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history