Fuji Instax LiPlay
POINT, SHOOT, PRINT, AND PLENTY IN BETWEEN.
THE MINI LIPLAY is the smallest Instax camera in Fujifilm’s range, offering up the barebones functionality of a point-and-shoot digital camera combined with a portable Bluetooth printer. For the money, having both of these in one machine is quite good value, but unfortunately we found that the experience isn’t necessarily greater than the sum of its parts.
The camera is available in three rather eccentric and playful colour schemes, each with its own distinct texture. While its vertical orientation is novel, it results in some moments of confusion when trying to take a quick snap, and its peculiar button placement only exacerbates the issue. You can store up to 45 images on the internal memory or use a microSD card to expand its capacity at 850 snaps per gigabyte, functionally converting it into a compact digital camera, albeit a bulky one. There are six filters you can apply before taking your shot, and dozens of frames you can add to your snaps even after you’ve taken them. Alongside the power button are three quick access buttons that allow you to assign a frame of your choosing, customising their function via the associated Mini LiPlay app. This app is also used to directly print images from your smartphone via Bluetooth, activate a remote shutter, or play back sounds. This audio recording feature allows you to capture up to ten seconds worth of audio alongside your snap and embed it via QR code on the image, though you’ll need the app in order to then play it back. This feature is definitely on the gimmicky side of things, so it’s a shame that its dedicated button takes up such a prominent and large space on the device, even more than the shutter release. Speaking of which, it’s a little unsatisfying to trigger the shutter, although a soft squeeze will allow you to focus on your subject – a rarity amongst instant cameras. The digital images you end up with are certainly ideal for printing in the tiny Instax format, but their quality doesn’t compare with most modern smartphone snaps when using the Mini LiPlay as a straight-up digital camera.
While the new additions to the world of Instax mostly hit the mark, we can’t help but feel that some of the charm is lost when you’re able to preview a shot before and after it’s taken, and then choose whether or not to print it. Surely the appeal of instant cameras is wrapped up in their immediacy – the joy of clicking the shutter button after eyeballing your subject through the viewfinder and instantly getting an imperfect yet endearing physical memento. This is lost with the Mini LiPlay, and we found the extra steps in the process resulted in far fewer printed shots than should have been the case. Ultimately, if you’re not chasing after the spontaneity that a typical instant camera grants but are still interested in their physicality, this is a compelling and affordable option. In fact, it could even be worthwhile just as a mini Instax printer considering it’s only around $70 more than FujiFilm’s dedicated unit.