Instax Mini 12vs A7 IV
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
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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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid 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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 33.0MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history