When I initially reviewed the original Mini LePlay back in 2019, I was a little dismissive of the sound recording, but I’ve really come to like these little snippets of ambient sound. I have about two dozen of them that I’ve downloaded over the years, and while I’ve lost most of the Instax prints that came with them, I can still recall the photo just by hearing the sound. The Sound Album feature hasn’t impressed me so far, but I’m holding off on judgment for a few years to see how I get on with them. I’d still like to see Fujifilm expand the QR capabilities to be able to embed links, so for example, I could shoot a portrait of someone and then have them print a link (on their picture) to the gallery, where they can find higher-resolution images. Sadly, as far as I know, there’s no way to do this.
Apart from the dream features, LiPlay+ is a solid upgrade, and I especially like the layered image mode. This is Instax at its best, not taking itself too seriously, enabling fun, creative options that allow you to play with images and experiment in ways you couldn’t otherwise.
Mini LePlay+ vs Mini Evo
If you want both an Instax Mini-sized camera and printer, there are two options: the Mini LePlay+ and the older, but still very capable, Mini Evo.
The Mini Evo has a retro, film camera-inspired design, with functions like a rotating lens ring for switching lens effects and an ISO-style dial control for film effects. To print, you pull the film winder. It’s all very clever and fun, but also functional. Like the LiPlay+, the Evo has an f/2 lens, can store about 45 images (expandable up to 1GB with a microSD card), and offers quite a few fun borders and effects.
Ultimately, I’d say the choice depends on whether you want the rear selfie camera and layered photos of the LePlay+ or the retro look of the Evo.