Fujifilm Instax Mini Liplay vs Instax Mini 11: Which Instant Camera Is Better for You

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Liplay camera is quite popular because of its quirky features. It’s one of the few digital cameras that support both external memory and film. While it is a tad old, there are quite a few new instant cameras in the market today. And one of them is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, a traditional instant camera that uses film to develop small credit card-sized photos.

As you may have expected, the Mini Liplay has the edge over the Mini 11 camera since it lets you store your precious moments in the form of digital files. On the other hand, the Mini 11 brings the fun of instant cameras. Just point & shoot, and a small photo will be in your hands in a matter of a few minutes. Besides that, it’s a new model as well.

So, which camera should you pick?

Well, that’s what we will find in this post as we compare the Fujifilm Instax Mini Liplay with the Instax Mini 11 and see which is the better camera for you. Let’s jump straight in, shall we? But first,

Design & Connectivity

The Mini Liplay is small and measures just about 4.8 x 3.3 x 1.4 inches. The compact body gives the impression of a digital camera, which is a big plus. The small form factor is due to the built-in digital lens. If you must know, instant cameras like Mini 9 or the Mini 11 uses analog lens which makes the camera body a bit bulky.

Like any digital camera, it has an LCD screen at the rear. While it’s not the most sophisticated screen out there, it gets the work done. However, on bright sunny days, you may need to hold your hand over the screen to see the content properly.

The sleek design means that the camera is easy to hold, both for adults and young children.

This digital camera connects to your phone via Bluetooth. So if you have photos on your phone’s gallery that you want to print, you can do so. At the same time, you can transfer the shots via the microSD card to your phone/laptop.

The Instax Mini 11 shares a similar look with the Mini 9, although this camera is much slimmer compared to its predecessor. However, when you compare it with the Mini Liplay, the latter wins the game hands-down.

It’s a film camera and this time, Fujifilm has upgraded the camera with automatic exposure functionality. So yeah, you do not have to worry about setting the right exposure manually. On the downside, it doesn’t support external memory and every photo you capture will be printed right away.

Though it doesn’t have microSD card support, there are a few nifty add-ons. For example, the flash is will fire automatically each time you hit the shutter button. This way, you do not end up with under-exposure shots. Secondly, the built-in selfie mode lets you click instant selfies. Just pull out the lens barrel, frame your shot, and smile!

Battery

One of the major differences between both the instant cameras is their battery. The Mini Liplay takes the clever route and bundles an internal battery. The battery charges via micro USB. The downside is that you’ll have to remember to take the charging cable with you everywhere you go.

On the other hand, the Mini 11 charges via two AA batteries, just like the good old film cameras of yesteryears. A new set of batteries should be good enough to give you around 80-100 shots.

The portable battery allows you to buy the batteries from just about anywhere—whether it’s a day out on the beach or a long drive home.

But you’ll have to discard the batteries with care. At the same time, it’s best if you could get hold of some rechargeable batteries.

Camera and In-app Features

Since the Instax Mini Liplay brings over quite a few elements from different worlds, this small camera has quite a few interesting features. For one, you have access to both digital prints as well as real film photos. And since it can connect to your phone via Bluetooth, you can print some of the photos. Furthermore, the companion app has a few basic features and lets you add several filters and frames.

The app leaves a little to be desired. There’s no option to edit the images. If you want great photos, you’ll have to edit them via third-party apps like Snapseed or VSCO.

That said, you can switch between three filters—Sepia, B&W, and Vivid. Last but not least, the Mini Liplay app also lets you record little audio snippets.

As opposed to it, the Instax Mini 11 solely relies on the camera features. And it does pack a few. For instance, you can click quick selfies by pulling the barrel towards you (a selfie timer would have been a great addition). And you can use the same mechanism to capture close-focus shots.

In the absence of filters, you’ll have to rely on films solely. For instance, if you want B&W photos, you will have to get a monochrome film pack. And when you do get a film pack, you’ll have to shoot all the 10 photos in B&W. There’s no way to change in between.

Photo Quality

So which camera captures better photos—Instax Mini Liplay or the Instax Mini 11?

When it comes to the Instax Mini Liplay, the 5MP lens manages to capture great shots. The colors are mostly accurate, and there are no visible bars in the photos. Though the 5MP resolution seems a tad less in this age of smartphones, let us tell you that the low resolution doesn’t make its presence felt in the small 1.8 x 2.4-inch photos.

The camera quickly focuses on normal daylight conditions, though it struggles a little in low-light settings. Besides that, it churns out pretty detailed and sharp images.

On the other hand, the Instax Mini 11 delivers natural and pleasing images. Compared to its peers (especially ZINK-based cameras), the images come out bright and vivid. There are minimal chances of over-exposure or dark backgrounds. If you must know, the Mini 9 was notorious for delivering dark backgrounds in photos.

Old vs. New

So, which instant camera is better for you? The Instax Mini 11 is more of a fun camera. The point & shoot mechanism make it extremely easy to capture images. And when you do, you get a small credit-card-shaped photo in your hands in minutes. Agreed that it’s not easy to hold, but trust us, it is the perfect accompaniment for parties, get-togethers, and photo-booth events. And the photo quality is not bad either.

On the other hand, the Mini Liplay is more than a simple instant camera. Perhaps, the most economical thing is that the control is on your hands when printing photos. You can choose which photos to print, thereby saving you both paper and money in the long run.

The microSD card always gives you a backup of all the photos you have captured.