New Instax mini Link 3 adds new 3D AR effects and photobooth-style collages

Fujifilm has just announced the Instax mini Link 3 with a few new tricks to get the most out of your prints including a brand new AiR Studio 3D AR effects, and photobooth style collages.

If you want to make your best phone photos a little more tangible, Instax’s range of printers has long been some of the best portable printers around, coming in three sizes of prints – wide, square, and mini. Like the Instax mini Link 2 before it, the latter is where you’ll find the Instax mini Link 3, printing photos from your phone or tablet directly onto Instax mini film.

The Instax mini Link 3 isn’t a huge departure in style from the previous version, keeping the textured design that is easy to grip, but swapping out the on button in the center of the printer for big bold Instax branding with colorful status LEDs. The mini Link 3 will come in three colors – Rose Pink and Clay White, with the blue version making way for a Sage Green color that looks to closely match the recent Instax Wide 400 released a few months ago.

Not just a cosmetic update, there are several new features headed to the Instax mini Link 3 including the brand new AiR Studio print, which Fujifilm describes as allowing you to add “in-the-moment” 3D AR effects.

This roughly translates to adding stickers to your prints including opens like confetti, spotlights, and sprinkles. The added bonus here is that these sticker effects are 3D so can wrap around subjects giving a sense of depth to images. It looks cute, and a fun way to play with prints, especially for the countless folk out there who enjoy drawing over their Instax prints.

Other new features coming to the mini Link 3 include the ability to print frames directly from a video in the app without having to export the frame as an image.

There is also a new ‘Click to Collage’ mode, which introduces a photobooth-like set of prints with different options for two, four, or six frames on the same mini print.

The Instax mini Link 3 will also come alongside an update to the Instax UP! app which allows you to scan and import all your Instax prints and keep them in one place. The new update adds a calendar feature, which should make it easier to find scanned prints from particular days. The Instax Up! app is available to download for free from the app store on Android/iPhone.

The Instax mini Link 3 will be available starting from August 28 for $tbc / £114.99 – the same as the current price for the Instax mini Link 2. There will also be a case additional case in Soft Pink and Clay White priced at $tbc / £13.99.

New SPRINKLES mini film

There is also a new Instax mini film launching alongside the mini Link 3 called SPRINKLES (yes, in all caps), and it is inspired by the new AiR Studio print features in the mini Link 3 with decorations that should “be reminiscent of cake toppings, ice cream, and sweets”.

The new SPRINKLES film will also be available from August 28 and will cost $tbc / £8.99.

For more check out our guide to the best portable printers and the best instant cameras .