Instax Mini 12vs A1 II
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
VS
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship 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
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | N/A | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history