As a Staff Writer on the Reviews team here at Tom's Guide, I get to test a lot of cool tech, but you know when I'm most excited? When a camera lands on my desk. I've reviewed some of the best instant cameras around — from Kodak and Polaroid to Fujifilm — and the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo has just taken the crown.
I've always been the person behind the lens, capturing candid photos of my friends and family whenever I can, and print photos hold a special place in my heart. Even with the advent of smartphone photography, I get photos printed every couple of months and store them in a box.
Recently, I took the Instax mini Evo on vacation to Amsterdam, and I had a lot more fun shooting with it than I did with my beloved Google Pixel 7 Pro — here's why.
What's cookin', good lookin'?
If you're familiar with Instax cameras, you'll know that Fujifilm knows how to make good looking tech — the Instax mini 12, Instax mini 99 and Instax Wide 400 are great examples. I know beauty is subjective, but to me, the Instax mini Evo is no different.
Its retro design is clearly inspired by the aesthetics of 50s and 60s SLRs, and the camera not only looks and feels premium, but it's the perfect size too — especially if you want to take it traveling. The Instax mini Evo measures just 4.83 x 3.42 x 1.41 inches so it can easily slip into a pocket or a small bag. It's also not very heavy, weighing 10.05 ounces, so I was very comfortable carrying it around my neck.
Gorgeous prints, stat
I love an instant camera like the Fujifilm Instax mini 12 which doesn't let you preview images, but I also appreciate the Instax mini Evo's 3-inch TFT color LCD screen which lets you see an image before printing. What's more, it comes with enough internal storage for 45 images (and a microSD slot if you want more gigabytes), so no need to worry about running out of film while out and about.
So why did I enjoy shooting with the Instax mini Evo more than my smartphone? First of all, it was the perfect way to capture memories my partner and I made. Secondly, because of the 100 different effect combinations. The camera has a dial which lets you choose from 10 filters — monochrome, sepia, and more — and another dial which gives you access to 100 lens effects — like fisheye and double exposure. All the combinations I tested worked really well and I was able to get creative in different scenarios. There's no other instant camera I've had as much fun testing.
I've always admired the lovely quality of Instax mini prints. The film itself is thick, and colors are faithfully reproduced. Prints develop in just under 90 seconds which feels like no time at all — in comparison, the Polaroid Go Gen 2's prints take up to 20 minutes.
Pretty lights in the night
Places look vastly different at night than they do during the day. Amsterdam is a beautiful city that comes to life after dark, with neon signs and tall lamp posts adorning streets. If you want to capture those pretty sights with an instant camera, you need one that performs exceptionally well in low-light conditions. The Fujifilm Instax mini Evo offers the best low-light performance from an instant camera I've seen so far.
The Instax mini Evo has an ISO range of 100-1600, and the camera automatically adjusts the exposure so you don't need to worry about it. The higher end of this ISO range is decent for low-light photography and I wouldn't expect more from an instant camera anyway. Combine that with -2.0 to +2.0 exposure value (EV) and you've got yourself a winner. I let the Instax mini Evo do its thing and it took the lovely nighttime images you can see above.
The one in the middle is perhaps my favorite. The camera has perfectly captured the neon lights reflecting in the rain water on the street, and the scene looks like it's out of a 70's movie.
The Instax mini Evo is an all-rounder that not only lets you capture gorgeous scenes regardless of the weather and lighting, but also lets you transfer printed photos to your smartphone.
I've tested a lot of instant cameras and I'm sure I'll test more, but for now, the Instax mini Evo is the one I'd buy with my own money. And if you have $199 / £174 to spare and you're in need of an instant camera for your next vacation, you'd be missing out by passing up on the Instax mini Evo.
