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Instax Mini 99 vs Now Gen 3

Quick take: The Now Gen 3 is the most affordable.

15 specs side by side·1 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

Instax Mini 99 — Creative Instant Photography & Serious Enthusiasts: 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.

Now Gen 3 — Classic Polaroid Fans & Square-Print Lovers: The definitive modern Polaroid. Autofocus, USB-C, and full-sized square prints — classic Polaroid experience, updated for today.

Who should buy what
Instax Mini 99 (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
  • 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
Now Gen 3 (2025)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Anyone who wants the classic full-sized square Polaroid print experience
  • Instax users who prefer Polaroid's dreamy colour palette and white border
  • Party hosts and event photographers who want iconic-looking keepsakes
  • Previous Polaroid Now owners upgrading to the Gen 3's improved autofocus
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification Instax Mini 99Fujifilm · 2024Now Gen 3Polaroid · 2025
Price £174£120Best
Sensor Instax Mini film (62 × 46mm image area)i-Type / 600 Polaroid film (79 × 79mm / image area 62 × 62mm)
Video N/A — instant film cameraN/A — instant film camera
Autofocus Fixed focus with zone focus dial (0.3m / 0.5m / 1m / 2m / ∞)Autofocus (0.4m–2m close; 2m–∞ landscape)
Stabilisation No stabilisationNo stabilisation
Burst Rate No burst rateNo burst rate
Battery Life Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~100 shots)BestRechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~15 packs)
Weight ~440g (with battery, without film)Best~445g
Dimensions 131.7 × 104.9 × 66.8mm138.2 × 112.6 × 62.7mm
Weather Sealed Not weather sealedNot weather sealed
Viewfinder Real-image optical viewfinderReal-image optical viewfinder
Screen No screenNo screen
Mount Fixed lensFixed lens
Memory Cards N/A — instant film onlyN/A — instant film only
Connectivity USB-C (charging only)USB-C (charging)

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Instax Mini 99
Now Gen 3
Fun & simple
8.2/10
7.6/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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