Testing the Fujifilm camera that prints videos
17.2.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
With the new Instax Mini Evo Cinema, Fujifilm promises 15-second printable videos. In reality, the result’s closer to an identity crisis on photographic paper.
Fujifilm has mastered the art of using modern technology to create retro charm. I adore my analogue-controlled Fujifilm X-T5 system camera. However, the manufacturer’s bitten off more than it can chew with its latest product, the Instax Mini Evo Cinema.
Design «hot», material «not»
Aesthetics-wise, this camera’s an absolute treat. Its design pays homage to the legendary Fujica Single 8 from 1965. At 13 × 10 × 3 cm, it’s compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket, while its numerous buttons and wheels give it a more technical look than the older model that inspired it.
I get my first surprise from the camera when I touch it for the first time. It’s shockingly light – and unfortunately not in a good way. Despite costing over 400 francs, the camera’s housing’s made entirely of plastic. While most Instax models cost under 200 francs, this doubly expensive featherweight seems almost fragile.
Before I get to the results of my review, here’s a summary of the camera’s specs:
- Photo resolution: 1920 × 2560 pixels
- Video standard: 600 × 800 pixels (15-second clips)
- High-res video: 1080 × 1440 pixels
- Lens: 28 mm focal length, aperture f/1.8
- Print format: 62 × 46 mm (Instax Mini Film)
- Battery life: approx. 30 minutes runtime/60 minutes charging time
The features are too much of a good thing
Although the Instax Mini Evo Cinema’s main aim is to be a video camera, it fails to do exactly that. The resolution mostly leads to blurry results, with the sound only serving to accentuate this. The videos themselves aren’t good enough for me to ever enjoy rewatching them. I’ve edited three clips into one video here:
If you fancy watching a video again later or sharing it, you can print it out. Not the whole video, of course, but a still image of it. After adding a QR code to your still via the camera menu, you can print it out by turning the lever on the side by a quarter.
Finally, you upload the video via smartphone to the Fujifilm cloud, where it’s stored for two years (free of charge). If you scan the code with your phone later, you can then play the video. It bugs me that the process involves so many steps and a smartphone. It’s hardly the sort of activity that screams «retro charm».
The controls dampen the overall enjoyment of playing with the camera – the very fun I’d been expecting after seeing so many buttons. Take the menu, for example. Trying to activate high-res video is pretty much a guessing game. As a result, I haven’t actually managed to use it yet. The ten digital effects test my patience too. Their division into different decades (1930-2020) may sound nice, but the loading times when switching between them drive me nuts.
The digital zoom also completely destroys the already borderline video resolution. What’s more, the option to switch between photo and video capture via a toggle switch is pointless. After all, when you’re in video mode, you can still take photos using the shutter button.
The camera’s only glimmer of hope is its smartphone printer, which allows you to print out photos from your phone on the go. This saves you buying an additional Instax printer and delivers better quality results than the camera’s video stills.
Enough with the retro charm already
In practice, the hardware’s charming look isn’t reflected in the results it produces. While the camera’s f/1.8 aperture gives conventional photos a typical Instax vibe in good lighting conditions, any content produced in video mode is just unusable.
The video stills usually appear blurred and washed out when printed, containing no trace of details whatsoever. In addition, the digital effects are often far too exaggerated. To prevent this, you need to manually intervene when filming by cranking down the effect’s intensity using the lens wheel. The QR code on the image is also annoying.
This frustrating experience is topped off by the device’s poor staying power. After just 30 minutes of intensive use, the battery gives up the ghost. If you’re planning to take the camera on a leisurely day out, this weakness is a definite dealbreaker. Especially since you need to squeeze in over an hour of charging time to completely refill the battery. Having to hook it up to a powerbank on the fly isn’t exactly useful if you want to be right in the middle of the action either.
In a nutshell
Too many pointless functions
The Instax Mini Evo Cinema is a classic example of feature overkill. The video function’s merely a nice gimmick that I’ll never use again beyond my three attempts. Mostly because you still need your smartphone to scan the QR code. All to get a clip with a rubbish resolution.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy this camera. Given its plasticky feel and poor video mode, shelling out over 400 francs for it would be unjustifiable.
If it’s cool retro snaps you’re after, there are cheaper, better Fujifilm alternatives. I’d recommend the Instax Mini 99 as a no-frills option. It may be unassuming, but it can deliver fancy effects and produces – in my opinion – consistently beautiful images. The Instax Mini Evo also has that cool, old-timey look. Plus, it’s a slightly handier size.
Pro
- Stylish retro photos
- Can be used to print smartphone photos
Contra
- Loads of needless functions
- Video quality is barely passable
- Video stills aren’t suitable as printouts
- Over-the-top effects
- Very overpriced compared to other Fuji instant cameras
Ever since I learned how to hold a pen, I've been doodling away in bright colours. Thanks to my iPad, digital art has also become part of my life. That's why I love testing tablets – from the graphic design range to the regular kind. When I feel the urge to express my creativity without lugging lots of equipment, I go for the latest smartphones and start snapping away.
Photo and video
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