instax mini Link smartphone printer, Dark Denim

Product Information

You can also have collage prints on the app, making it possible for you to merge multiple photos into one. The tile prints feature also means you can get a larger version of your photos by printing up to 9 sections and placing them together. The Instax Mini LiPlay is not marketed specifically as a portable printer, so this one may be easy to miss. Instead, it's one of a new breed of hybrid digital instant cameras that offer the functionality of an instant camera, a digital camera, and a portable printer in the same device.

We're still waiting for Fuji to release a Link Square to replace the discontinued Instax Square Format Share SP-2 printer. At press time, the only square-format instant film printer available is the Polaroid Lab—its film costs run higher, and it uses an optical lens to print from your smartphone's screen. There are many great features of the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 printer, nearly all of which were advertised as great selling points of the original Mini Link. The two newly added features that differentiate this printer from the original Mini Link, include the motion control drawing element using the InstaxAir feature, which I'll go into much greater detail about as this review progresses. Overall, if you're a particular fan of Instax prints and want a fun and easy to use product, it's very good at what it does - but it doesn't come cheap. It uses Zink paper, which means you don't have to add ink, but on the downside this means the picture quality isn't the best," says Tom May in our review. "Still, if you just want to hand out mementos at a social event, it's still a good choice, and it would make a fun gift for kids too." A print takes just a few seconds to pop out, but you will notice that when it first comes out of the printer, it is blank. It takes a few minutes for the print to fully develop, and you'll be able to watch it do so if you want to.

If you use an iPhone 3GS or later, an iPad, or iPod touch 3rd generation or later, running on iOS 4.2 or later, you can use the AirPrint functionality.

For Bluetooth, the user switches on both the smartphone’s Bluetooth and the mobile printer. They then connect them and go ahead with the printing. This is usually done via the mobile app associated with the printer. Such apps are available on the Google Play Store and the App Store. Wi-Fi is another connectivity method that lets you connect your mobile device to a hotspot created by the printer. In some printers, you can connect up to 5 different devices to this hotspot, allowing you to print from multiple smartphones and tablets at once. This comes in handy in moments when you’re out on a trip with friends and would love to print your various photos. Never used a mini printer before, and are you a little nervous about technology generally? Don't worry: the handy Kodak app for Android makes this printer a breeze to use.By making use of the Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities of this printer you can enjoy printing in seconds: it’s compatible with both iOS and Android via the Bluetooth connection. It's fair to say that nobody buys an Instax printer looking for the highest quality prints. The prints are designed to be fun, portable and a cute memento, particularly from a party or a gathering. The Eastman Kodak company is an American corporation that was founded more than a century ago. The company prides itself on its products in the world of photography and printing. It also provides graphic communications and professional services.

The printer is available in silver and gold. So, you choose the one that best suits your style and go ahead with your printing. One final printing mode is 'video print', which allows you to extract a frame from a video (or Live Photo) stored on your phone. The mode of connecting smartphones to printers varies. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are the most common connection methods. If you’re after a bit of a balance between the larger wide film and the tiny mini film available from Instax, then the square format is the one you’re looking for. This is the most up-to-date printer from the brand, using the widespread USB-C charging port rather than the less common and older Micro USB alternative present in much of the range, and it has the same sleek styling we’re used to from Instax printers. If you want to do something a bit more fun with your prints, then there is a 'Fun mode' you can experiment with. With this, you can add frames, create collages and add sketches to your print.

The Mini Link 2's print quality is fantastic. There are two color spaces, Instax Natural and Rich. Natural is the default and leans toward moderate color saturation and brighter highlights; it's a good choice for darker scenes. Rich pumps the saturation and reins in highlights; I preferred it in testing, especially for images with detail in the highlights, like the scanned Kodachrome 25 slide of a pig statue I shot years ago at a state fair. You have to dive into the menu to change this setting, however; I wish this option was available on the print screen because it's something you may want to change on a per-photo basis. Instax Rich (top) versus Natural (bottom) compared The Instax Mini Link includes a variety of different modes, including a standard printing mode, a party mode, and the ability to use the printer as a remote release for your smartphone (ideal for group shots). Images can also be sent directly from your digital camera straight to the Mini Link 2 printer using Bluetooth, but only if you own a Fujifilm X-S10. For other digital camera devices you'll need to first send images from your camera to your smartphone using a compatible app, recommended by the camera manufacturer, and then print them via the Instax app selected from your smartphone gallery. After editing your photos with the Smile App, you can choose to print them, save them on your device, or upload them to your social media accounts instantly.It’s easy to get intensely serious about photographic kit and technique but, sometimes, photography should just be fun," says our own Matthew Richards. "There’s certainly a lot to be had with the Instax Mini LiPlay. It continues the decades-old tradition of truly instant photography, where you can take and share pictures anywhere and everywhere, capturing and preserving treasured memories on the fly." Before you do anything, however, you'll want to load the Instax Mini Link with film. As with all other Instax products, this is a very easy process that takes just a few seconds. The party print allows you to connect with up to five friends, who can send photos to your phone which remain hidden until printed out onto the Instax print itself. Both of these options can be quite fun at parties and so on. By far the most intriguing yet kinda useless feature exclusive to the new Instax Mini Link 2 isa motion-control element called "InstaxAir" where users can create light-painting style images by moving the printer around in the air as if it were a Nintendo Wii remote. InstaxAir works by holding down and lightly pressing the button situated at the top left corner of the printer.