Instax Mini 99vs Hero 12 Black
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 99 (2024)
Starting from £160 new
Best for Creative instant photography & serious enthusiasts
View Instax Mini 99
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
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.
Adventure, Sports & Travel Video — Hero 12 Black (2023): GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
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
Hero 12 Black (2023)
- Action and sports photographers who want the best stabilisation available
- Travellers who need a rugged waterproof camera for any conditions
- Cyclists, surfers, and skiers wanting helmet or handlebar footage
- Hero 11 owners considering an upgrade — notably better battery life
Quick take: The instax mini 99 is the most affordable; only the hero 12 black is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 99 (2024) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £160 | £300 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 27.0MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus with zone focus dial (0.3m / 0.5m / 1m / 2m / ∞) | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | N/A | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~100 shots) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | ~440g (with battery, without film) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 131.7 × 104.9 × 66.8mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | N/A | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C (charging only) | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 99 | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Creative | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
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