This New Game-Changing Camera Recreates the Look of Past Decades

Time travel will soon be within reach—somehow. Fujifilm is releasing a new hybrid instant camera with a special feature that transforms photos and videos as if they were taken from past decades.

Last Wednesday, January 7, Fujifilm Japan announced the upcoming release of the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, and it’s worth looking forward to for several reasons.

For one, it’s the first Instax camera that’s able to shoot videos—up to 15 seconds and inspired by the Super 8 camcorder, no less, since it was modeled after the brand’s 1965 Fujica Single-8. This ties into its much-anticipated Eras Dial.

The vertical-oriented camera allows users to choose a decade from 1930 all the way to 2020, replicating the defining aesthetics from the respective eras. For instance, 1940 embodies vivid color expression, due to the three-color film process from that period. Selecting 1980 will make your snaps and clips look like 35mm color negatives, while choosing 2010 will apply the effects of editing them through smartphone applications.

Supplementing this is a separate dial around the lens that allows users to adjust the effect, minimizing or maximizing it however they please.

Since the camera shoots videos as well, the effects will be embodied in every aspect. This means the Eras Dial will also affect the video’s audio, so don’t be surprised if you hear the whir of film reels!

Given that it’s an Instax camera, the Evo Cinema can still print images. It can “print” videos, too. Users can select their favorite still, and it will be accompanied by a QR code that allows for easy sharing and viewing. A tactile lever located at the side is there to control the prints. The camera is also equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it can function as an Instax printer for photos captured from a smartphone.

The Evo Cinema will be available in Japan on January 30, 2026, although its retail price and its full specification sheet have not been disclosed yet. There is currently no indication if it will be coming to other regions as well, or if it will be exclusive to the said country.