The Instax Mini 13 ($93.95) is the latest iteration of Fujifilm's basic one-button instant camera, and while it doesn't make many major changes from the Mini 12 or Mini 11 that preceded it, it ticks all the same boxes. The Mini 13 is the most affordable camera you can get that works with Fuji's ultra-popular Instax Mini film to snap shareable wallet-size pictures. It's easy enough for photographers of any skill level to use, and includes a mirror and close-focus mode for selfies. The Mini 13 also comes in a new set of colors and adds a self-timer function. While I wish Fuji would add a double exposure mode to its basic model, the Mini 13 is still a fantastic entry point into instant photography and our Editors' Choice for value shoppers. If you want more features and functionality, it's worth spending more on the Mini 99 ($234.95), which is our top-rated instant overall.

Design: Choose Your Favorite Color

The Instax Mini is almost identical to the Mini 12, though its plastic body is slightly less rounded and slightly more sculpted. The 13's facade is broken up into four rounded sections that give it a pillowy look and provide a natural finger rest. The camera is available in five colors: Candy Pink, Clay White, Dreamy Purple, Frost Blue, or Lagoon Green. I received the Clay White edition for review.

(Credit: Fujifilm)

The Mini 13 is an all-analog camera that works with Instax Mini film, available in 10-shot cartridges in color or black-and-white. Color film is sold in a two-pack (20 photos) for around $17, while a single pack of Monochrome film costs $12. You can also get special edition films with printed designs or colorful plastic borders, but they cost more. The camera has a film counter window that shows how many photos you have left in the pack.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Instax Mini 13 measures 4.8 by 3.8 by 2.5 inches (HWD) with the lens retracted, is about 3.8 inches deep with the lens extended, and weighs 14.5 ounces when loaded with batteries and film, about the same as others in the line. Instax Mini film has a 1.8-by-2.4-inch surface area, about the same size as pro-grade 645 medium-format film, so its lens has to extend pretty far to capture enough light to cover the entire frame.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

If you prefer a smaller instant camera, consider one of Fuji's hybrid digital-instants like the $199.95 Evo Mini (4.8 by 3.4 by 1.4 inches, 10 ounces) or the $234.95 LiPlay+ (4.9 by 3.3 by 1.5 inches, 9.3 ounces). Both use a digital sensor to take photos and a built-in printer to make instant prints on demand. The Evo and LiPlay are still pretty wide and tall, but aren't as deep because they use a digital sensor with a tiny lens, similar to what you see in a smartphone. The hybrid Instax cams don't have quite the same charm as an all-analog model, but are more practical if you want to cut down on film costs or simply want a slimmer camera.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Mini 13 uses a pair of AA batteries (included), a good choice since they are readily available. AA cells are easier to find at corner stores than the CR2 batteries that Fujifilm uses for its Instax Square SQ40 ($149.95), though not as economical as the rechargeable power pack that runs the Mini 99.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The camera comes with a wrist strap featuring a rubber Instax charm. This tchotchke adds some flair and also works as a stand that angles the lens upward. It's a nice addition; you can use it to set the camera down on a flat surface and adjust the angle for a group photo, a type of image that's practical to make with this model thanks to its self-timer. If you're a tripod owner, it's worth considering the Mini 99 instead, as it has a standard tripod thread, a feature missing from the Mini 13.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Controls: One Button, Now With a Self-Timer

The Mini 13 is as easy to use as a camera gets. Just pick up the camera and twist the ring around the lens until you hear a click to turn it on. For close-ups (of subjects 1 to 2 feet away), twist it a little more to put the lens in Close Focus mode. Bring the camera up to your eye and peer through the optical viewfinder to set your frame, and press the shutter button to take a photo. The flash fires automatically. For selfies, make sure the lens is set to Close Focus and use the mirror next to the lens to frame your shot.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The self-timer is easy to use, too. It has two settings, 2- and 10-second countdowns, both activated by twisting the ring around the shutter button. A short twist turns on the 2-second timer; you'll know it's on because the orange LED light in the shutter button will blink. Twist and hold for two seconds, and the LED will glow solid orange; that's how you know the 10-second timer is on. Press the button to start the timer, and to cancel the shot, just twist the ring again during the countdown.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

That's it, there's nothing else to worry about, which is why I call the Mini 13 a one-button camera. If you want to take more control over your instant photos, it's worth stepping up to the Fuji Instax Mini 99, the top-of-the-line model. It adds positive and negative exposure value (EV) adjustment, support for double exposures, the option to turn the flash on or off, internal LED lights to add filter effects to images, and a tripod socket.

Image Quality: Plastic Lens, Bright Xenon Flash

The Mini 13 uses the same lens as others in the line: an optical plastic 60mm f/12.7 that captures an angle of view similar to that of a 35mm full-frame lens. It's a good choice for typical snapshot photography—scenes like family photos, landscapes and cityscapes, travel photos, and selfies with one or two people in frame. The f-stop is pretty small, which means it lets in little light, but it works with a bright flash, so it's usable in typical indoor home lighting. Instax film has a high sensitivity rating (around ISO 800), so you're more likely to get overexposed images in bright sunlight than underexposed ones in dim light.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Because the Mini 13 uses the same lens as the Mini 40 and Mini 99, you won't see a real difference in picture quality between them. Photos show soft detail and excellent color, with a narrow exposure latitude, as there's not much visible information in bright highlights or dark shadows. This is typical of instant film in general, and you'll get the same type of photos from Instax Square and Instax Wide cameras. I recommend Instax film strongly for beginners as it delivers consistent results and color, whereas the Polaroid I-Type film used by cameras like the Flip ($199.99) is wildly inconsistent, prone to color shifts in different temperatures, and often has parts of the image missing due to errors in development—it's a better choice for artists who embrace its unpredictability.

You can get sharper images from an Instax Mini Link 3 ($99.95) smartphone printer that works with a mobile app for wireless printing, or look to the Lomo'Instant Automat Glass ($189) if you want an instant camera with a sharp glass lens. The Automat Glass has a very wide-angle lens (21mm equivalent), so it's not as useful for day-to-day photography. I don't recommend it to beginners, though it's a good option for shutterbugs who know what they're doing. The Mini 13 is a better choice for just starting out or taking photos in casual, social situations.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Mini 13's design lends itself to vertical, portrait orientation photos. You can hold the camera in landscape if you prefer, but the shutter button location makes it tricky. If you try and press the shutter with your right hand you'll want to press it with your middle or ring finger, using your index finger (my natural instinct) makes it too easy to block the lens with your other fingers, and using your left hand blocks the viewfinder. You should also be careful not to block the light meter (the two black squares above the lens) when holding the camera horizontally, if you cover it when taking a photo, the camera will most likely overexpose your photo.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

If you prefer taking wide landscape pictures, the Mini 99 is a worthwhile upgrade. It has dual shutter buttons: one on the top, like a typical camera, and one on the front, like the Mini 13, so it's more comfortable to hold in either orientation. If you want to go even further with horizontal pictures, you could also get an Instax Wide 400 ($149.95) or Lomo'Instant Wide Glass ($279); they're both very bulky when compared with the Mini 13, but make a widescreen format picture on film that's twice the size as Instax Mini. Or you could just get an Instax Square SQ40 and simply sidestep the vertical versus horizontal debate entirely.