Instax Mini Link 3 review

What is the Mini Link 3?

The instax Mini Link 3 printer is the latest smartphone printer from Instax. I say smartphone printer, because that’s the application this instant printer mainly designed for, but the Mini Link 3 is also compatible with the Instax Pal mini camera.

However, let’s be honest, the overwhelming majority of users will be taking fun selfies and snaps of their friends on their phones then printing them immediately to give themselves – and anyone else present – a lasting memento of the occasion.

With the above in mind, this printer is aimed squarely at young, vibrant, digital natives and to say it has all the bells and whistles would be an understatement.

Mini Link 3 design

The printer is pleasingly minimalist with a sleek, but grippy, ridged exterior. It comes in three very ‘Instax’ colours: Sage Green, Rose Pink and Clay White, complemented by multicoloured hidden lights that flash during operation.

Apart from that, the only other things to note on the exterior are a single power/function button, a USB-C charging port and the film cassette release.

Upon release the back of the printer opens to reveal the cartridge slot, which loads in the usual way, by sliding the top in first then pressing the bottom down until it clicks – a process that’s easy and intuitive.

The Mini Link 3 uses Instax Mini instant film, which is a rectangular shape around the same size as a credit card. It’s fantastic quality and the perfect size for wallets and purses, but be warned, the film is quite expensive, working out to be around £1 a print, so go easy!

Mini Link 3 App features

With so few external features, you’d be forgiven for thinking ‘how do I control this thing?’ The answer is via the Mini Link App, which is an essential part of operation.

For that reason, despite the app being very easy to navigate, technophobes may not get on quite so well with the Mini Link 3.

With such reliance on the app, it’s impossible to review one without the other. So, the app is where we’ll start.

The Mini Link app is free to download and packed with features. As you’d expect, at the most basic level, you can simply choose existing photos from your phone’s image library and print them out.

However, delve a little deeper and the fun begins. There is a vast gallery of frames you can add, from love hearts to autumn leaves, snowflakes, angel wings and much more. There are filters, brightness and contrast adjustments and the ability to add stickers like emojis and even text boxes.

It’s also possible to create a collage of different photos and that’s where one of the bigger selling points comes in. The Mini Link 3 is compatible with a new Click to Collage mode.

In this mode, the app automatically takes a pre-defined number of images at short intervals before combining and printing them all on one frame, giving a photobooth experience.

Additionally, the Mini Link 3 offers an augmented reality feature via something called the Instax Air Studio.

Upon opening the app, it asks you to scan the room, so it has some reference. Once scanned, it allows you to add balloons, streamers, falling leaves, glitter and lots of other things to the scene, which remain in the same position even when you move the phone around. This was a fun feature, but the graphics did feel a little basic.

Mini Link 3 printer features

As discussed above, the app has countless features, but what about the printer itself?

I was impressed with the quality. Printing resolution is 318dpi and this is clear from the results. Colours were also rich and accurate and created prints that nearly made my middle-aged face look vibrant.

While there is a lack of buttons on the printer itself, it does offer a motion control function in which you turn the printer upside down, then press and hold the power button to re-print the last photo.

Another handy feature is that, in combination with the smartphone app, the printer becomes a remote shutter release, allowing to you position you phone for a group shot and take the picture by pressing the power button on the printer.

There is an internal rechargeable battery which Instax says is good for around 100 prints. I did not test this, but didn’t have any problems with the two packs of film I used. Charging time is reported to be between 1.5 and 2 hours.