TIME has named Fujifilm's Instax mini Evo Cinema one of its Best Inventions of 2026. The $409.95 camera looks like a shrunken Super 8 film camera, records 15-second video clips, and prints a still frame on Instax Mini film with a QR code that plays the clip on your phone.
TIME's verdict, as quoted by Digital Camera World: it offers "oodles of analog charm in a digital-friendly package."
Quick facts
| Instax mini Evo Cinema | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Fujifilm |
| U.S. price | $409.95 list |
| Announced | January 7, 2026 (U.S. sales from early February) |
| Sensor | 1/5-inch, about 5 megapixels |
| Video | Clips up to 15 seconds, 24 fps; 600 × 800, or 1080 × 1440 with the 2020 setting |
| Prints | Instax Mini film, with QR code for video |
| Screen | 1.54-inch LCD |
| Storage | Internal memory plus microSD |
| Charging | USB-C |
What is the Instax mini Evo Cinema?
It is three things in one body: a small digital stills camera, a short-form video camera and an Instax Mini printer.
Fujifilm modelled the vertical body and grip on the Fujica Single-8, its 1960s home-movie camera. A switch flips between Still and Cine modes, and a print lever on the side is designed to feel like winding film.
The clever part is the print. Pick a frame from a clip and the camera prints it with a QR code. Scan the code with a phone and the video plays. Fujifilm stores the uploaded video and audio for 24 months.
The companion app can join clips into videos of up to 30 seconds, add opening and closing templates, and use the camera as a printer for photos from your phone.
What does the decade dial do?
The camera's signature control is the Gen Dial, also called the Eras Dial, marked from 1930 to 2020. Each setting applies a look inspired by that decade, from grainy, washed-out early film to sharp modern video. A second dial sets ten levels of intensity for each era, for 100 combinations.
Some effects go beyond colour. Fujifilm says they add period-style noise, tape flutter and processed audio, so a "1960" clip sounds old as well as looking it.
How much does it cost?
The U.S. list price is $409.95. It launched in the UK at £330. Film is sold separately, and retailers have also offered it discounted and in bundles with extra film.
That puts it well above most Instax cameras, which is the main complaint in reviews.
What reviewers say
Reviews have been warm about the idea and the design, cooler about the price and software.
- Digital Camera World called it "the strangest camera that I've ever used," and loved the decade dial.
- Expert Reviews called it "a fun gimmick," praised the design and the era filters, and criticised the price, the "fiddly" app, middling battery life and a start-up delay that makes spontaneous shots harder.
The image quality is deliberately lo-fi. A 1/5-inch sensor is smaller than most phone cameras', and the standard video resolution is 600 × 800 pixels. Buyers who want sharp video should look elsewhere; the point here is the look and the print.
What else made TIME's list?
According to Digital Camera World, other camera and imaging products on TIME's 2026 list include:
- Nikon ZR, a compact full-frame video camera with RED colour science
- GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS, GoPro's first interchangeable-lens camera
- Lit Duo 1, a light meter
It is Fujifilm's second year in a row on the list: its Instax WIDE Evo was named a Best Invention of 2025. "We are incredibly proud to see TIME has recognized the innovation and creativity behind our Instax brand," said Bing Liem, division president at Fujifilm North America, as quoted by PetaPixel.
For more on what Fujifilm is planning for its enthusiast cameras, see our report on the Fujifilm X-T6 rumors.
What to watch
Holiday pricing. At over $400, discounts will decide how many end up under trees.
The QR link. Video behind printed codes is hosted for two years. Whether Fujifilm extends that will matter to anyone printing memories they want to keep.
What comes next. Fujifilm has now had an Evo model on TIME's list two years running. Whether a new hybrid follows has not been announced.
Published Sunday, October 18, 2026. Specifications and prices are from Fujifilm and retailers as reported by Digital Camera World, Y.M.Cinema and Expert Reviews. TIME's quote is as reported by Digital Camera World.
