Fujifilm is introducing a new hybrid instant camera, the instax mini LiPlay+, alongside a new mini-format film called Soft Glitter, which features muted color gradients accented with gold detailing. The release builds on the earlier instax mini LiPlay, a model that blended digital capture with instant printing at a compact, card-sized format. That earlier device established the core approach: users frame shots on a rear LCD, choose which images to print, and optionally record short audio clips that generate a QR code printed on the photo. The feature found a niche among people looking to pair images with brief voice messages for personal events and casual gift-giving.
The mini LiPlay+ maintains that digital-analog mix but adds a dedicated selfie camera to the instax line for the first time. This small hardware change reflects how instant photography has shifted with smartphone habits; users expect to be able to take group selfies without awkward framing. A new Layered Photo Mode further blends front and rear camera captures, allowing a portrait to be placed over a scene shot with the main lens. The result is a print that merges context and expression, leaning into the scrapbook-style storytelling that instant photography often supports.
Another addition, instax Sound Album, expands the use of audio within the hybrid instant workflow. Up to ten sound-enabled images can be arranged into a short video with background music and then accessed via QR code. While the feature is modest in scope—videos top out at 30 seconds—it underscores the direction Fujifilm has been moving toward: extending physical prints with lightweight digital layers. The company notes that audio and video remain available for two years once uploaded through the companion app.
Print output offers two color modes, Natural and Rich, giving users a choice between the familiar softer instax look or a more saturated palette. The app also gains a Sound Print option that attaches voice clips to smartphone images before printing, and it expands frame selections beyond those built into the camera. Printed images can also be saved back to a phone with adjustable backgrounds for social sharing, a nod to how instant prints are now often used as both physical keepsakes and digital content.
The camera will be offered in two finishes, Sand Beige and Midnight Blue, both leaning on metallic accents rather than the pastel or playful designs often associated with instant devices. The Soft Glitter film launching alongside it aims at users who prefer decorative borders and more stylized prints.
Fujifilm positions the mini LiPlay+ as part of its broader hybrid instant strategy, which currently includes the LiPlay and Evo series. While the company frames these products around creativity and memory-keeping, the releases also reflect its effort to keep instant photography relevant as smartphone cameras continue to dominate everyday image-making. By combining digital tools with the appeal of tangible prints, Fujifilm is trying to preserve the value of instant cameras in a market where convenience often overrides nostalgia.
Release timing and pricing for the mini LiPlay+ and Soft Glitter film remain unannounced. For updates, Fujifilm directs users to official channels, including the instax website and its regional social accounts. Media inquiries are handled through Fujifilm’s appointed communications partners.
