Kodak is having a moment. The Charmera keychain camera sold out in a day and turned a $30 blind box into a viral hit. All that nostalgia has people asking what else the brand makes, and if what you really want is a photo you can hold, the answer is the KODAK Mini Shot 2 ERA.
Price: $99.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
When someone finally buys an instant camera, they usually buy an Instax, and Fujifilm has owned that shelf for years. The trouble is that an Instax locks you into one way of working, where you point, you shoot, and whatever the film gives back is what you keep.
The ERA takes a different route. It’s a 2-in-1 instant camera and printer that runs on a digital sensor instead of film, so you can preview a shot, fix it, print it, and print it again next week from your phone. If the pull of instant photos is the print itself and not the one-and-done film ritual, this is the version built for you.
A Camera and a Printer in One Body
It does two jobs at once. The Mini Shot 2 ERA pairs a 13MP digital camera with a 4PASS dye-sublimation printer in a single retro-styled body. A 1.7-inch LCD lets you frame and review shots, while autofocus and face detection handle the parts most instant cameras leave to luck. Prints land at 2.1 by 3.4 inches, the size of a credit card, and you can run them bordered or borderless depending on the look you want.
Each print is built up in color layers and sealed with a laminate top coat that Kodak says resists fingerprints, water, and fading. That coating is the part Kodak leans on hardest, since it’s what separates a 4PASS photo from a strip of film that can smudge or yellow over time.
Why It Works as an Instax Alternative
The clearest difference is film versus digital. An Instax Mini 12 exposes real instant film the moment you press the shutter, so there’s no screen, no editing, and no second copy if someone blinks. The Mini Shot 2 ERA captures a digital image first, which means you see the shot before you commit paper to it.
Print size lands in familiar territory. Instax Mini film and the ERA’s paper are both about the size of a credit card, but Kodak fills more of that card with the photo itself, while Instax frames a smaller image inside a wide white border.
Then there’s the reprint question. Lose an Instax shot to a bad exposure and that film is gone, but the ERA keeps the digital file, so you can run another copy whenever you want. For anyone who has watched a sheet of film waste itself on a thumb over the lens, that safety net is the whole pitch.
It Doubles as a Phone Photo Printer
You don’t have to use the camera at all. Over Bluetooth, the ERA prints straight from your phone’s gallery through the KODAK Photo Printer app, so the shots you already took on a better lens can come out as physical prints. It works with iOS and Android, and there’s USB-C on board with a Lightning pin adapter in the box.
The app is also where the editing lives, with filters, frames, and stickers you can layer on before printing. That flexibility makes the ERA a fit for two different buyers: the one who wants a playful point-and-shoot, and the one who only wants a pocket printer for phone photos. Both camps win here.
What You Give Up
This is a snapshot camera, not a phone replacement. The 13MP sensor, 25.4mm fixed lens, and auto-only exposure are tuned for quick casual shots rather than control, which is why Kodak aims it at everyday users, beginners, and kids. If you want manual settings or real low-light muscle, that’s not the job this camera signed up for.
Paper is the bigger commitment. The 4PASS system uses cartridges you buy over time, so the true cost of an instant camera shows up print by print, the same way it does with Instax film.
Price and Where to Buy
Kodak lists the Mini Shot 2 ERA at $127.49, but it rarely sells at that number. It usually goes for much less, recently around $99.99, often with an extra cart discount on top, and sheet-pack bundles are the usual way people buy it. Because that price moves with sales and bundles, check the live number before you commit.
The camera is the cheap part. Whichever bundle you pick, budget for cartridge refills as the ongoing cost.
Price: $99.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
The Bottom Line
The Mini Shot 2 ERA isn’t trying to out-charm the Instax on looks or nostalgia. It’s making a practical case: keep the instant print, drop the guesswork, and get a device that prints from the camera or straight from your phone. You can see how the film option compares in our Instax buying guide [TO FILL: internal link to prior TG Instax coverage]. If you love the idea of instant photos but not the waste of one-shot film, this is the alternative to reach for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the KODAK Mini Shot 2 ERA better than a Fujifilm Instax?
It depends on what you want. The ERA is digital, so you get a preview screen, filters, reprints, and phone printing, while an Instax shoots real film with none of that. Pick the ERA for flexibility and the Instax for the pure analog feel.
Can it print photos from my phone?
Yes. It connects over Bluetooth and prints from your phone’s gallery through the KODAK Photo Printer app on both iOS and Android. You can skip the camera and use it as a pocket printer.
What size are the prints?
Each print is 2.1 by 3.4 inches, about the size of a credit card. You can print with a border or borderless.
How much does it cost?
Kodak lists it at $127.49, though it’s frequently discounted to around $99.99. Cartridge refills are an ongoing cost on top of the camera.
Are the prints durable?
Kodak says the 4PASS prints are laminated to resist fingerprints, water, and fading. That’s a durability edge over uncoated instant film.
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(as of July 13, 2026 18:55 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
