There is something familiar about the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2. In fact, put it side by side with the original Mini Link and it’s hard to tell the difference between the two at all. Same size, design, and — in this case — a similar colour.
But there are some differences between the Bluetooth printer and its predecessor. They are subtle — an LED here, a small button there — and some functions that you can’t discern simply by looking at the printer.
The Link 2 is the latest addition to Fujifilm’s instant range, a printer that uses the mini film format and spits out your prints within a minute. You print, you wait, and eventually your image appears. It’s reassuringly old-school, and because the film isn’t the cheapest, you aren’t likely to waste it by printing out every image you have taken on your smartphone in the past few days.
This printer is aimed at smartphone users. You can’t hook the Link 2 up to your laptop, because it needs the Link app to work, and that doesn’t exist for Windows or Mac devices.
One of its main selling points is, according to the promo material, bringing the virtual and the real world together. How does it do that, you might wonder? Augmented reality, video “printing” mode and embedding video in your physical photo prints.
First up is the Instax Air mode. That previously mentioned small button has an interesting use: it allows you to “draw” in the air with the printer and have your drawing appear on your print. A small heart, for example, or a star. You hold down the button, draw in the air, and you can add it to your prints.
Testing it was interesting. Did it come out a bit wonky? Mostly. Was it fun? Definitely. Is it something I’d use every time? Probably not. But then, I’m probably not the target market for that particular feature. My seven-year-old daughter, on the other hand, thought it was the most fun she’d had all week.
The ability to embed a video into your physically printed photographs isn’t a new one for Instax. But it is a nice touch that you can use occasionally, recording a video message and adding it to the photo with a QR code so you can scan it and bring the photo to life, in a way.
You can also print stills from videos on your device, which the previous Link offered, and it’s nice to see it make a return here.
To make it all work, you need the Link app. It’s in the app that you’ll choose your images, create your collages and find features such as the match test, which is purely for fun and not at all scientific.
The printer itself will churn out the prints as it is told, in regular or rich colour mode, and you get what you expect: instant quality prints that you can pin up and use as a reminder of moments. It’s a better option that having them marooned in the cloud.
The good
The Link 2 is easy to use and, once you get the app up and running, the whole process is fairly seamless. It’s also reasonably sturdy, and has already survived a drop or two — although I wouldn’t keep pushing that particular point too much. The textured surface means it’s easier to hold on to, at least.
The not so good
The Link 2 is still clinging on to its micro USB port, which in a USB C world now looks outdated. And, as previously mentioned, the film isn’t the cheapest, so be careful how often you are printing.
While the gesture control is a novel feature, it’s also one you’ll probably abandon once the novelty wears off — and it does. Quickly. Ditto for the AR drawing.
The rest
The Link 2 comes in three different colours: white, pink and space blue. The rechargeable battery will give you a decent amount of prints before you have to plug it in.
The verdict
There isn’t enough new here to persuade you to upgrade if you already own the original Link, but if you are new to this, the Link 2 is the obvious choice.
