Instax Mini 12vs Sony RX100 VII
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 12 (2023)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Beginners, parties & gifting
View Instax Mini 12
VS
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
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 & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The instax mini 12 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 12 (2023) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | — | 20.1MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.3m–∞ standard; 0.3–0.5m in close-up mode) | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | 2× AA alkaline batteries (~100 shots) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~293g (with batteries, without film) | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 107.6 × 121.7 × 67.3mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder (0.37×) | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 12 | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — |
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