Fujifilm continues the instant camera party with the Instax Mini LiPlay+, a new version of the 2019 original that adds creativity while remaining true to the original formula. This hybrid camera captures digital photographs and prints them on Instax Mini film, while now including sound for more than simply a silent snapshot.
The experience is based on two cameras: a front-facing main lens with a 28mm equivalent and f/2 aperture, and a tiny 1/5-inch sensor with 5 megapixels. The rear wide-angle selfie shooter with a 23mm equivalent and f/2.2 aperture is not particularly outstanding, but it is appealing for group photographs or quick environmental images. When you compose on the larger 3-inch rear screen (rather than the original 2.7″), the main draw appears is its layered photo mode. Take one shot with the main camera, then switch to the selfie lens for another, and then combine the two into a single print with the second image hovering above the first. Four layout options allow you to decide how the overlap works, transforming a lone moment into a group scenario without additional gear.
- Compact and cute design. Easily twist the lens to turn on and off
- Built-in selfie mirror for easy selfies Close-up mode with parallax correction
- Features automatic exposure and flash control for bright photos that are not “washed-out”
Auto exposure and flash make things easy, 2- or 10-second timers handle group timing issues. Internal storage holds about 45 images and is expandable via microSD, and Bluetooth connects to the free Instax Mini LiPlay app. Fire off remote shots from your phone, crop in frames or stickers, add text overlays or import smartphone photos for straight printing. The app’s magic is in sound – record a 3-second clip in one of four modes (ambient capture to voice memo) and a QR code will appear in the corner of the print. Scan it later to actually hear the moment, breaking up the silence of a still image.
The Instax Sound Album combines up to five photos and audio clips to create a short video with backgrounds and music tracks from the app. This is how memories start—a beach day, a quiet dinner, a moment of laughter—brought back to life by the sounds that captured them. Fujifilm matches this with the new Soft Glitter film, which has gentle gold edges that frame photos in soft tones, toning down bright situations without losing focus.
Available in Sand Beige or Midnight Blue in late October for $234.95 in the US and $279.99 in Canada. A new film pack, Soft Glitter, is available for $17.99 for ten shots and includes gold-flecked frames that catch the light just so.
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