We have finally put our hand to the small Canon Zoemini S, let’s find out in the review every detail about this instant camera!
The camera Zoemini S is a very interesting product which allows both printing via smartphone (using the appropriate app) and direct printing of photos taken via the camera itself. This is Canon’s flagship product among Canon’s 3 × 2 Zink snapshots. The premises are excellent, will this product live up to expectations?
Technical features | Canon Zoemini S review
- Instant camera and 2 in 1 printer with 8 megapixel sensor and Micro SD slot that allows you to take, print and share images (JPG format)
- Available in black, pearl white and rose gold versions. An extremely light solution, perfect to keep in your pocket or bag
- The front mirror and circular LED light ensure spectacular selfies, while the Canon Mini Print app can remotely trigger the shutter, simplifying group shots
- Thanks to Bluetooth and the Canon Mini Print app, you can print images on a smart device after editing them by applying filters and frames
- Zink inkless technology enables instant photo printing on smudge-proof, tear-resistant and water-resistant paper
- Included in the package are 10 sheets of Zink adhesive photo paper in 2 × 3 ″ size
The camera | Canon Zoemini S review
After briefly explaining the technical characteristics of this camera we are ready to understand what this product actually is. Let’s start from the beginning! Zoemini simply represented a Zink mini printer capable of connecting to the smartphone and printing photos directly from it. Canon’s product has been a great success so the company has decided to expand this range of products: thus Zoemini S and Zoemini C are born. This Zoemini S is practically a printer including an 8 megapixel camera, a viewfinder, a series of LEDs, a flash and a huge mirror for selfies. A simple concept that manages to provide the user with a comfortable product to carry around and able to work both in association with the smartphone and as a camera in itself.
So let’s focus on the quality of the integrated camera. We have an 8 megapixel module that manages to guarantee good image quality in optimal light situations. In the evening, or in lacking lights, this module shows several limits, while guaranteeing sufficient quality for printing in the 2 × 3 ″ format characteristic of Zoemini S. Things change a lot if instead we use the LED flash and the integrated flash ring for selfies.
But let’s take a step back. The classic is integrated on the camera led flash and a circular led light. The flash and the circular light can work together to ensure proper illumination of subjects placed up to 2-3 meters from the camera. The guaranteed lighting is therefore sufficient to take selfies of excellent quality, on average superior to any mobile phone not so much for the quality of the sensor as for the management of the lights. It is possible to choose the flash lighting mode between “off”, “auto” and “fill” adapting the lighting to the scene. This functionality combined with the large front mirror make Zoemini S a very good product for selfies.
The integrated viewfinder is of the Galilean type, Inside it has several frames designed to accurately represent what is the printing area. In fact, we have the possibility to choose a 2 × 3 ″ or 2 × 2 ″ format. Depending on the position of the camera, with the 2 × 2 ″ format, we will have a white frame on one side of the image: viewable thanks to the frames being shot. These frames, among other things, are also present on the front mirror! The autonomy seemed good to us but it could still be improved, depending on the use we could make about 30 prints which are slightly less than what we would have liked.
Of note is the possibility to save photos on a micro-SD card which however is not necessary for the operation of the camera, this is able to photograph and print independently. On the other hand, it is impossible, at least for now, to photograph without paper. This choice, which for some may be questionable, makes a lot of sense from our point of view. What is the point of using an instant camera without printing the photo immediately? It would go against the very concept of an instant camera. The last interesting point of Zoemini S concerns the size and comfort in transport. Carrying Zoemini S with us has never been challenging, we conveniently put it in our pocket or in our backpack.
The dedicated app | Canon Zoemini S review
The “Canon Mini Print” application deserves a special mention. This app turns out to be an excellent corollary to the functionality of Zoemini S, making it an extremely flexible product, capable of being both a normal instant camera and a small printer. Through the app we will be able to edit the photos on our smartphone, but also those that we have published on our social networks or shared in Dropbox folders. The app also allows remote control of the camera, making it very practical to use for taking group photos!
One of the strong points of this application is the ability to go beyond the 2 × 3 ″ print format thanks to the possibility of composing collage prints with 4 or 9 single prints. Taking advantage of the fact that the Canon Zink paper is also adhesive we can assemble some beautiful collages!
The print quality turns out to be very good even if we have noticed at times some chromatic inaccuracies when printing photographs obtained by Reflex and Mirrorless (downloaded from Dropbox). This discrepancy is probably the result of some problem in the compression of very large images which, however, the printer is not, in theory, designed to print. In fact, by limiting ourselves to printing the photos obtained with the smartphone we did not encounter this problem with prints perfectly faithful to what we saw on the screen.
We can be satisfied with the offer of this product also by virtue of the cost of the card not excessive compared to that of the competition. As you will see shortly, even in the field test it provided us with various satisfactions.
Walking with… | Canon Zoemini S review
We used Canon Zoemini S in various conditions before writing this review. This month we went for a walk with Zoemini S in different locations, from the sea to the mountains passing through different cities. In all this succession of movements, what we most appreciated was the small size of this camera. Bag, pocket, simply hanging on the wrist, on every occasion it was not a problem to take it with us.
We used Canon Zoemini S instead of the smartphone to take selfies. The large front mirror turned out to be extremely comfortable in this context as well as the led ring, in low light conditions it managed to do its job very well. People we met were often extremely surprised to see how it was possible to have the photo printed immediately after the shot. Even in particular climatic conditions, such as torrid heat or even light rain, our Zoemini S continued to carry out its work, always printing everything without undergoing alterations due to external temperatures.
The signaling of the Zoemini S status via multicolored LED is very convenient. Despite the initial effort to fully understand the associations between colors and state, after just a couple of days we were able to memorize everything. We liked the viewfinder very much, it performed well in all situations, proving to be bright in low light and able to handle even strong contrasts without ever annoying. We also appreciated the build quality of the product and the simplicity in the card refill phase. We have always done everything quickly.
Obviously we are not in front of an extremely fast camera, but simply with a speed suitable for what are the scenarios of use. The shutter button is sensitive to the right point and the camera signals that it has been focused, and then the shutter release, with a beep. The synchronization with the smartphone must be done only once, after which it will be enough to access Zoemini S and open the app. Through the app we have printed several photos from smartphones, even on the go without encountering problems. A truly splendid product that we used with pleasure!
Instant and convincing
Zoemini S is a winning product that manages to offer the best of the instant camera world and the best of the world of Zink printing. All in one product. There is not much to say at the end of this Zoemini S review, except to recommend the purchase to those looking for a very flexible product able to function with dignity in all conditions and without having to keep up with complications of any kind.
You insert the card into the card slot and the camera is ready to use. In your pocket and away, to immortalize and touch every moment with your hand.
Points in favor
- Price
- Print format
- Connection with smartphone
- Selfie mirror
- Image quality
Points against
- Yield not excellent in low light