There's a reason instant cameras died the first time around: They're unwieldy, the film is expensive, and even if you're a great photographer, you're going to have a ton of overexposed or blurry snaps in which no one looks good.

Cost effective; Lots of convenient features; Easy to carry

Lacks that instant camera charm

There's a reason instant cameras died the first time around: They're unwieldy, the film is expensive, and even if you're a great photographer, you're going to have a ton of overexposed or blurry snaps in which no one looks good.

Cost effective; Lots of convenient features; Easy to carry

Lacks that instant camera charm

Instax cameras can be pretty fun. But as more and more have hit the market, it's been tougher to choose between them. Some have compelling shooting features; others are aimed more at higher quality prints. Where does that leave the average user It can be hard to tell.

When I first heard the rumors of the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay, I admittedly groaned. In my opinion, the company's last attempt at fusing digital and analog together was subpar. But with their second attempt in the form of the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay, I'm pleasantly surprised and shocked.

With an excellent, easy-to-use app, the Instax Mini LiPlay gets hybrid instant cameras right.

Digital camera plus mobile printer; Fun sound-recording feature; App works very well; LCD screen; MicroSD expandability

Poor battery life; no replaceable battery; No creative exposure modes; Limited options for mobile printing