Instax Mini 99vs X-Half
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 99 (2024)
Starting from £160 new
Best for Creative instant photography & serious enthusiasts
View Instax Mini 99
Fujifilm
X-Half (2025)
Starting from £549 new
Best for Creative, lifestyle and travel photography with a film-like experience
View X-Half
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Creative Instant Photography & Serious Enthusiasts — Instax Mini 99 (2024): The most serious analogue instant camera Fujifilm has ever made. Manual controls, colour effects, and USB-C charging elevate it far above the rest of the range.
Creative, Lifestyle And Travel Photography With A Film-Like Experience — X-Half (2025): The X-Half isn't trying to compete on specs — it's a creative, lifestyle-first camera that recreates the fun and constraints of half-frame film photography in a digital body. For photographers who want a fun second camera for personal projects, travel diaries, or simply shooting without overthinking, it's a genuinely enjoyable and unique product.
Who should buy what
Instax Mini 99 (2024)
- Instant photographers who want real creative control over their prints
- Mini 12 or Mini Evo owners who want the most capable analogue Instax
- Photographers who treat instant film as a serious artistic medium
- Anyone who wants colour effects, vignette, and manual controls in one camera
X-Half (2025)
- Creative photographers who want a fun, film-inspired digital camera for personal projects
- Travel photographers who want a pocketable, simple camera for everyday memories
- Fujifilm fans who enjoy film simulations and want a unique format to shoot in
- Beginners who want an enjoyable, low-pressure camera that encourages considered shooting
Quick take: The instax mini 99 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 99 (2024) | X-Half (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £160 | £549 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 17.7MP 1-inch CMOS (vertical orientation) |
| Resolution | — | 17.7MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 1080p, vertical video mode |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus with zone focus dial (0.3m / 0.5m / 1m / 2m / ∞) | Contrast-detection AF with face detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A | — |
| Burst Rate | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~100 shots) | ~880 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~440g (with battery, without film) | 240g (body with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 131.7 × 104.9 × 66.8mm | 112.8 × 66.2 × 38.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder (frame-line type) |
| Screen | N/A | 2.4-inch fixed touchscreen |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | Fixed lens (no interchangeable mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | microSD |
| Connectivity | USB-C (charging only) | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 99 | X-Half |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Creative | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history