Fujifilm Instax Mini Link printer review: A mobile photographer’s delight

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link printer review: I am a bad photographer. Let’s establish that before we even start this review. My photography skills are directly proportional to the quality of the camera I am using. But that doesn’t stop me from clicking – just like millions of others who can be referred to as ‘mobile photographers’. However, the digitally stored images can never match the charm of printed photographs.  

The problem with it though is that only one out of say 25 pictures you click on a smartphone is worth preserving. Let’s blame it on storage on offer. So, how do you make sure that one beautifully captured moment is printed and preserved? Well, Fujifilm Instax Mini Link printer which allows you to take card-sized images is the best possible gadget for that.   

Priced at Rs 9,999, the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link connects with your smartphone and allows you to print images within seconds. I have been using this for about 10 days and here is our full review of the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link. 

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link review: Charming  

After I got the review unit, I put out a picture of this pocket-sized printer on my Instagram and the number of messages I received enquiring about the device is a testament to its charming nature. The printer is quite compact and can almost fit in your palm. It sports a very minimalist design with textured pattern and just one power button on top. The latter also features Instax branding.  

At the back, you get the slot for loading printing sheets, right below the lock button for the same. The print-outs are thrown from the top. There is also a USB port for charging. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link is available in Dusty Pink, Ash White and Dark Denim colour options. We had the first for review purposes and it looks absolutely stunning. 

The printer only works with Instax Mini film which you need to buy separately. The cartridge costs Rs 1000 for two packs of 10 sheets each. At once, the printer can load 10 sheets. 

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link review: App 

The connection between the smartphone and the printer is established through Bluetooth but to use the printer, you need to download the Instax Mini Link app from Google Play Store or App store.  

The app itself comes with a very simple UI. You get all the options on the home screen.  

On the right, you get print options – Simple Print, Video Print and Instax Camera. As the name suggests, Simple Print allows you to choose any image from your phone’s gallery and print it. Video Print allows you to take screenshots from a recording and print them directly from the app. The function, however, only supports videos shorter than three minutes. And, with The Instax Camera mode you can click and print in real time.  

At the bottom, you get to choose from different Fun Modes – Frame Print, Collage Print, Match Test, Party Print and Sketch Print. The standouts here are the Match Test and Party Print.  

The first allows you to take a photo of yours and a friend followed up with a quiz about each other. The images are then printed with your scores from the test. Meanwhile, by using the Party Print, you can ask a group of friends to load the app on their phone, each selecting one image and the one who has the printer can create collage prints with up to five other people. 

Apart from this, the printer also supports motion gestures. For example, you can point the printer down and press the power button to print the last image. You can learn these as you use the printer and have fun with them.  

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link review: Performance and Quality  

Even though setting up the printer is easy, you should read the manual before operating, just because there are some sensitive parts you won’t want to damage. Basically, you need to load the cartridge, turn on the printer and connect it with your smartphone. 

The printer takes less than a minute to churn out the image and the final picture emerges on the film within minutes too. The users are advised not to shake the printed film and keep it flat on a surface. The Mini film has an image area of 2.4 by 1.8 inches in size. It comes with white borders which increases the overall size of the card.   

While you can’t expect exactly the same image quality as on your FHD+ Super AMOLED smartphone display, the photo quality is really impressive for an instant camera. Apart from some softening here and there, most images came out sharp and colours were bright too.   

The app also allows you to add filters to images and make some other edits which helps in getting better results.  

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link review: Should You Buy? 

Absolutely. I have always been a fan of Fujifilm Instax Mini Cameras but always felt that they came with certain restrictions. With Instax Mini Link, you have the freedom of clicking as many images as you want and print only those you want to. It’s no less than a delight for mobile photographers who love vintage-style card images. The only thing you need to consider is the cost of cartridges (Rs 1000 for 20 sheets) which you will have to keep buying on regular basis.