Instax Mini 12vs A7S III
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
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 & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable; only the a7s iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | — | 12.1MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with Instax Mini 12
Camera family history