Instax Mini 99vs Pentax 17
Fujifilm
Instax Mini 99 (2024)
Starting from £160 new
Best for Creative instant photography & serious enthusiasts
View Instax Mini 99
VS
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
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.
Film Photography Enthusiasts & Diptych Storytelling — Pentax 17 (2024): The best new film camera of the decade — manual controls, a sharp lens, and a half-frame format that doubles your roll and forces a new way of seeing.
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
Quick take: The instax mini 99 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Instax Mini 99 (2024) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £160 | £400 |
| Sensor | Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area) | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus with zone focus dial (0.3m / 0.5m / 1m / 2m / ∞) | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | N/A | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | N/A | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~100 shots) | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | ~440g (with battery, without film) | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 131.7 × 104.9 × 66.8mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | N/A | N/A |
| Mount | Instax Mini film pack (10 shots per pack) | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | USB-C (charging only) | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Instax Mini 99 | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Creative | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Low Light | ||
| Travel | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — |
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