Fujifilm South Africa has confirmed local availability of the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, a hybrid instant camera that adds short-form video to the established Mini Evo formula. The device launches in limited quantities at select stores from 24 April with a suggested retail price of R7,499 including VAT.
The Mini Evo Cinema combines three functions in one body: an instant camera that prints to standard Instax Mini film, a smartphone printer that pulls images from a paired phone over Bluetooth, and a video recorder that captures clips of up to 15 seconds in CINE mode. Through the free Instax Mini Evo companion app, users can extend video creations to 30 seconds by reordering or adding clips, plus opening and closing sequences.
Eras Dial brings 10 decades of effects
The headline new feature is the Eras Dial, a physical control on the side of the device that applies looks from 10 different decades to photos and video. Effects include grainy pale tones inspired by 1930s film, an 8mm camera look from the 1960s, the saturated palette of the 1980s and the sharper imagery characteristic of the 2020s. Each setting can be further fine-tuned through a Degree Control Dial on the lens, allowing up to 10 variations per era.
Video clips printed by the Mini Evo Cinema appear on Instax Mini prints alongside a QR code. Scanning the code on a smartphone replays the footage and offers download options for sharing on social platforms. Fujifilm says video and audio data shared this way is stored securely for 24 months.
Form factor draws from FUJICA Single-8
The vertical-grip body takes design cues from the FUJICA Single-8, an 8mm cine camera Fujifilm introduced in 1965. A 1.54-inch LCD monitor sits on the back for composition and playback, alongside a separate viewfinder, an analogue-style printing lever, a zoom rocker and a frame switch that adds period-appropriate borders to each shot. The launch package includes a hand strap and grip attachment.
The R7,499 price positions the Mini Evo Cinema above the standard Instax Mini Evo. Fujifilm South Africa has not specified retail partners for the limited initial run.
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