Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Instant Cameras

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo vs Polaroid Go Generation 2

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.4 vs 3.0). Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo is best for: digital-instant hybrid users. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Instant Cameras
Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo
2 sourcesall derived$217as of Oct 19

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo is a hybrid digital instant camera, bringing traditional instant photography together with digital convenience. Reviewer Mark G Adams traces how it went from a fun, experimental device to a practical tool for printing family memories across three years of use. It carries a 28mm f/2.0 lens with dial controls for lens and film effects, a selfie mirror, and smartphone connectivity for remote control and social sharing. Purists who want a fully analog instant camera may not warm to it, but as a printer for digital images it does the job well, with a nostalgic feel attached. Casual users and families who want digital flexibility plus instant prints are the audience.

Strengths
  • — Combines digital camera functionality with instant film printing capabilities
  • — Features 10 lens effects and 10 film effects that can be combined for 100 different looks
  • — Includes built-in selfie mirror and dual shutter buttons for versatile shooting
Watch-outs
  • — Limited 5MP resolution when capturing images digitally
Polaroid Go Generation 2
Ranked #11 in Best Instant Cameras
Polaroid Go Generation 2
2 sources$74.9as of Oct 19

The Polaroid Go Generation 2 is the world's smallest instant camera at 105mm × 84mm × 62mm and 273g with film loaded. Analog.Cafe's review covers the 51mm fixed-focus lens with an f9-f42 aperture range and an electronically-controlled shutter. Double-exposure mode, a 9-second delay timer, and a built-in flash with 2m range round it out. Reviewers like the portability and the fun of using it, but note the film costs more than Instax alternatives and the bundled USB-C cable is uncomfortably short. Casual photographers who want something compact and addictive will enjoy it; anyone watching film costs won't.

Strengths
  • — World's smallest instant camera with compact 105mm × 84mm × 62mm dimensions
  • — Built-in rechargeable battery lasts for approximately 15 packs of film
  • — Includes wrist strap and comes in attractive cerulean blue color option
Watch-outs
  • — Film is more expensive than competing Instax brand at 1.4x the cost
  • — Charging cable is described as uncomfortably short
  • — Camera is not quite pocketable due to its size

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo and the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid are both digital hybrids that print on Instax Mini film. The Mini Evo offers 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, while the LiPlay records sound and prints it as a QR code. The Mini Evo costs more than the LiPlay and weighs 285g against about 255 g.

Polaroid Go Generation 2

The Polaroid Go Generation 2 measures 105mm × 84mm × 62mm and weighs 242 g without film, against 104 mm × 121 mm × 65 mm and 330 g for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 40. It costs less than the Mini 40, but its film costs 1.4 times as much as Instax film. It has a double-exposure mode and a rechargeable battery, while the Mini 40 runs on 2 AA batteries.

Specs side-by-side

SpecFujifilm Instax Mini EvoPolaroid Go Generation 2
Film FormatInstax Mini FilmPolaroid Go Film
Lens28mm f/2.051mm polycarbonate resin
Shutter Speed1/8000th to 1/4 second1s to 1/300s
Battery TypeBuilt-in lithium-ionRechargeable, lasts 15 packs
FlashBuilt-in flash with automatic mode, and forced ON modeBuilt-in automatic flash
Dimensions4.8 x 3.4 x 1.4 (123 x 87 x 36mm)105mm × 84mm × 62mm
Weight10.1 oz (285g)242 g without film (273 g with film and strap)
ConnectivitySmartphone app support—
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