Sometimes, you just want the tactile fun of printing Instax photos without the hassle of actually using an Instax camera. If that sounds like you, the new Instax Mini Link 3 printer for smartphones could be your next impulse buy for birthday parties and weddings.
The successor to the Instax Mini Link 2, which arrived in 2022, works just like its predecessors. Connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth then choose a photo in the companion app, and you'll be able print out a little souvenir copy. That takes about 15 seconds, followed by the 90-second fun of waiting for it to develop.
But the Mini Link 3 does also bring a few new tricks to the Instax party. It finally has USB-C charging, for a start. There's also a new photobooth-style twist for creating collages – you capture a series of shots at three-second intervals in the app, then combine either two, four or six of them into a collage print.
The Mini Link 3 can also print from videos and has been launched alongside a new 'Sprinkles' Mini film stock, which packs in some saccharine charm for youngsters including an "eye-catching sprinkle pattern reminiscent of cake toppings, ice cream and sweets". One to keep on hold for birthday parties, then.
Like before, you can also add what are optimistically called "3D AR effects" to your photos before printing them out. That involves choosing a background in the app and adding some effects including confetti, spotlights and sprinkles – again, you can see who the target audience is.
One other interesting upgrade for older Instax fans, though, is an update to Fujifilm's Instax Up app. This app lets you scan, import and organize your Instax prints, and now has a new 'Instax Days' function that automatically dates and adds your scanned snaps to a calendar.
If that all sounds up your street, you can pick up a Mini Link 3 in green, pink or white from August 28 for $99 / £115 (which converts to around AU$225).
Go Wide or go home?
Given how expensive Instax film is, it's worth spending a bit of time deciding which of the three formats you prefer the most.
The diagram above is a handy comparison of how their sizes compare. The credit card-sized Mini format is the smallest, which makes it great for little souvenirs that'll fit in a wallet or purse.
If you want some photos that are a little bit more generously-sized, though, we're big fans of Instax Wide. Despite being twice the size of Mini film, the Wide format isn't a lot more expensive to buy – and as our Fujifilm Instax Link Wide review concluded, that printer is "a dedicated instant camera, being far more portable and customizable via its dedicated app – it's our new favorite instant printer".
We're looking forward to taking the new Instax Mini Link 3 for a spin when it lands later this month, but it's got a job on our hands to tempt us away from its Wide sibling.
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