UPDATED: JANUARY 04 2020

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT OUR REVIEW.  ALL OF OUR CAMERA REVIEWS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO TEN (10) SECTIONS. FEEL FREE TO JUMP TO SPECIFIC SECTIONS USING THE TABLE OF CONTENTS BELOW. PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORT OUR CONTENT THROUGH OUR LINKS AND STORE/LINE CARD. 

00: INTRO & BOTTOM LINE

01: WHAT’S IN THE BOX

02: BATTERY TYPE

03: FILM TYPE

04: FEATURES

05: BUTTONS & CONTROLS 

06: SHOOTING MODES

07: PHOTO QUALITY 

08: ISSUES

09: BASIC HOW TO

10: FINAL THOUGHTS & FAQ

BOTTOM LINE:

If you are only going to read a couple sentences read these. The Instax Mini 70 offers the best value of any Instax camera on the market. It is an analog only camera and does not have any kind of digital storage options. For a digital option you would want a Instax SQ10, SQ20, Instax Mini LiPlay. The Mini 70 has a selfie mirror, tripod mount, timer and four (4) shooting modes. The Mini 70 comes in at around $70 making it more expensive then the Mini 9, but less expensive then the Mini 90 or SQ 6. The Mini 70 is best for those wanting a solid camera with tons of options at a good price. The Mini 70 out performs the Mini 9 and will meet the needs of most. Comparable photo quality to the Mini 90. A good option for kids because of simple controls and solid build quality.

PROS:

• Selfie Mirror, Tripod Mount, Timer, LCD Readout

• Available in ten (10) colors

• Four Shooting Modes (Selfie, Landscape, Macro and Hi-fi)

• Good photo quality

• Does not require physical exposure adjustment like the Mini 9

• Best in class battery life (300-400 photos)

CONS:

• No manual exposure option

• CR2 batteries can be expensive if purchase in a brick and mortar store.

• Can be rendered useless when the dreaded “E” error displays on the LCD. See Section 8: Issues for details.

The Mini 70 standard camera only option comes with a camera, two (2) CR2 batteries (good for 300-400 photos/30-40 packs), a wrist lanyard, two (2) lanyard ringlets to attach the lanyard, a tool to attach the rings (annoying) and a basic instruction manual. You can sometimes find the camera bundle with film. Do you the math and find out if it is a better deal. You may be limited to select colors to get a good deal on a bundle. The best price on Instax film (updated often) can be found here.

Instax cameras generally have four (4) battery configurations: CR2, AA, rechargeable and built in. A more thorough discussion on battery types can be found here. It is usually not high on the list of considerations. It should be if you plan on using the camera during travel, have a strong preference about a rechargeable option or are buying as a gift.

The Mini 70 uses two (2) CR batteries good for about 300-400 photos or 30-40 packs of film. The CR2 batteries are the longest lasting battery type. Instax cameras, like the Mini 9, use AA batteries can only shoot about 100 photos or ten (10) packs before needing to be replaced. The cameras with rechargeable batteries can only shoot about 150 photos.

The drawback of the CR2 batteries is that if you have to buy them in a brick and mortar store they can be expensive at up to $11USD. And in some cases they can be hard to find.

After price, film type/format is usually the next consideration. The Mini 70 uses Fujifilm Instax Mini film. Instax cameras can only use one film format and it is indicated in the camera name. For example: Mini 9 (Instax Mini Film), Square SQ6 (Instax Square Film), Wide 300 (Instax Wide film).

The mini film is exactly the size of credit card and costs between $5-7 USD per pack (10 photos) of 0.50 - 0.70 per photo. See a break down below of the pros and cons of film and visit the link (updated often) for the current Best Price on Instax Film.

SIZE:

PRICE:

While the price of film can fluctuate a little the per pack (10 photos) price is about:

• Mini: $5.50 - $7.00

• Square: $9.00 - $10.00

• Wide: $7.00 - $8.00

MINI FILM PROS:

• Instax Mini film is the least expensive film.

• Instax Mini camera family has the most camera options.

• Instax Mini film is available in a wide array of border options, not just white!

• Instax Mini film used in a Mini 70 camera has good photo quality.

• Film and cameras can be found in brick and mortar stores.

MINI FILM CONS:

• Film is small, with the outside edges being about the size of a credit card.

• Some of the cameras that use mini film have “poorer” photo quality.

The Mini 70 is packed with features including:

• Tripod Mount

• Timer (10 second with an option to take 2 photos back-to-back)

• Selfie Mirror

• Four (4) Shooting Modes (Auto, Macro, Landscape & Hi-Fi)

• Flash

• LCD display

• Solid build quality available in 10 colors.

The Mini 70 is one of our favorite Instax cameras because of it’s price point, features and build/photo quality. It cost about $15-20 USD more then the Mini 9 but is worth the price.

The buttons and controls for the Mini 70 are simple and intuitive. The shutter release is located in the front, with the mode and timer buttons located on the rear of the camera. The LCD is simple to read.