- Fujifilm unveils the Instax mini LiPlay+, six years after the original model
- Adding a selfie camera is the main hardware upgrade
- It is available from October 30 in two colors, with matching cases
Fujifilm has revealed a successor to the Instax mini LiPlay, around six years after the original hybrid instant camera – and it’s called the mini LiPlay+.
The new hybrid model maintains a similar design, with a rear LCD screen for composing images and the ability to produce Instax Mini prints. But it comes with a significant hardware upgrade and the ability to add audio clips to images via the Instax mini LiPlay+ app.
The mini LiPlay+ contains two cameras, adding a selfie camera where the original model only has the front camera. As well as making creating selfies much easier, these two cameras debut a new layered photo 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 equates to around $250 / AU$390), while a matching case costs an additional £29.99.
A new Instax Mini ‘Soft Glitter’ film is also debuting and will be available the same day as the LiPlay+ mini, priced at £8.99 for a single pack of 10. I’ll update this page with US and Australian prices when I get that information.
Instax for the smartphone generation
Supported by autoexposure, flash, and a self-timer, the hybrid mini LiPlay+ should be as simple as instant cameras get, although it lacks the analog charm of true instant cameras, like the extremely fun and creative mini 99.
No, the mini LiPlay+ is aimed at 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 less wasted prints. However, they are not for film purists who appreciate the unpredictable nature of instant photography.
I’ve currently got my hands on the LiPlay+ mini and will share a review soon. But what are your first impressions? Do you like the sound of a hybrid instant camera like the LiPlay+ mini, or do you prefer old-fashioned Instax cameras? Let me know in the comments below!
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