- Fujifilm presents the Instax mini LiPlay+, six years after the original model
- The addition of a selfie camera is the main hardware update.
- It will be available starting October 30 in two colors, with matching cases.
Fujifilm has introduced a successor to the Instax mini LiPlay, some six years after the original hybrid instant camera, and it’s called the mini LiPlay+.
The new hybrid model retains a similar design, with a rear LCD screen for composing images and the ability to produce Instax Mini prints. But it comes with a major hardware upgrade and the ability to add audio clips to images via the Instax mini LiPlay+ app.
The mini LiPlay+ includes twin cameras and adds a selfie camera where the original model only has the front camera. As well as making selfies much easier to create, these twin cameras unlock a new layered photography mode, which combines images from the front and rear cameras, with two Instax color profiles to choose from.
And if you have the new app, there are four ways to record short audio clips to add to images, for multi-sensory albums.
There are two color versions of the mini LiPlay+ to choose from; Midnight blue and sand beige. They’re available from October 30, with a list price of £189.99 (which converts to around $250 / AU$390), while a matching case costs an additional £29.99.
There’s also a new Instax Mini ‘Soft Glitter’ film coming out on the same day as the LiPlay+ mini, costing £8.99 for a single pack of 10. I’ll update this page with US and Australian pricing when I get that information.
Instax for the smartphone generation
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Backed by auto exposure, flash, and self-timer, the mini LiPlay+ hybrid should be as simple as instant cameras come, even if it lacks the analog charm of true instant cameras, like the wildly fun and creative mini 99.
No, the mini LiPlay+ is for the smartphone generation, for whom the accompanying app is as much a part of the experience as getting those instant impressions.
Hybrid instant cameras have advantages, such as fewer wasted prints. However, they are not for analogue purists who appreciate the unpredictable nature of instant photography.
I currently have my hands on the mini LiPlay+ and will share a review soon. But what are your first impressions? Do you like the sound of a hybrid instant camera like the mini LiPlay+ or do you prefer old school Instax cameras? Let me know in the comments below!
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