Taking photos with a phone is easy, but for children it can be much more fun when the picture becomes something they can actually hold in their hand. myFirst Insta Lux combines a digital camera for children with a built-in photo printer that prints real color photos.
That makes Insta Lux something of a modern version of the classic instant camera. A child can take a photo, choose one, and have it in front of them on paper moments later. At the same time, the images are saved digitally on a memory card, and the camera can also be used as a photo printer for pictures from the family’s phones. It’s a combination that opens up far more uses than taking photos alone.
From screen to real photo
Children growing up today are used to pictures ending up on a screen. We take a photo, look at it for a few seconds, and then move on to the next one. Insta Lux makes the process a little more physical. When a picture turns out well, it can be printed straight from the camera and, for example, put on the wall, given to grandparents, or pasted into an album.
Unlike several of myFirst’s earlier instant-print cameras, Insta Lux does not use ordinary thermal printing. Instead, it uses dye sublimation, a technology that makes it possible to print color photographs. The prints are also laminated, water-resistant, and resistant to fingerprints. myFirst says the images should keep their colors for more than ten years.
A camera built to be simple
The camera itself has a 5-megapixel camera with automatic exposure. The idea is not for the child to have to think about shutter speeds, ISO, or other settings. In principle, it should just be a matter of pointing the camera and pressing the button.
On the back there is a 2.8-inch IPS color screen where the child can see the subject and review the images afterward. Insta Lux also has both a standard camera and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. That makes it easier to take pictures with friends without having to guess what actually ends up in the frame.
An LED flash helps when the light is not quite enough. The camera also has a dial for built-in filters and frames. It may not be a feature that makes adult photographers throw their system cameras aside, but for a child who wants to make a fun picture of a friend, a cat, or the family, it fits much better.
Photos that can do more
The nice thing about a camera that prints photos right away is that photography can easily turn into something else creative. Holiday photos can become a travel journal, family pictures can become personal birthday cards, and pictures of friends can end up in an album.
It also makes photography a little more thoughtful. When each picture does not just disappear among thousands of others on a phone, there is a reason to think about which one you actually want to print. First, the child gets to take the photo, then choose a favorite, and finally decide what to do with it. It simply becomes a small creative project rather than just another picture on a screen.
Also works as a phone printer
One of the more interesting features of Insta Lux is actually something the rest of the family can benefit from. The camera has built-in Wi-Fi and can connect to a smartphone via the myFirst Circle app. From there, you can choose photos from the phone’s image library and print them with Insta Lux.
That means the camera also works as a small wireless photo printer. If you’ve taken a better family picture on your phone, for example, you can send it to Insta Lux and print it there. That means the printer is not limited to photos taken with the child’s camera, which feels especially practical when the whole family is on holiday, celebrating a birthday, or just wants a few favorite pictures on paper.
Images are saved digitally too
Even though instant printing is the main attraction, Insta Lux still works like a regular digital camera. Images are saved in JPG format on a TF or microSD card, and the camera supports cards up to 64 GB. A 4 GB memory card and a card reader are included in the box, so you can get started right away.
The images can then be transferred to a computer by removing the memory card and using the card reader. However, Insta Lux is entirely focused on still images and does not support video recording. For anyone who mainly wants a children’s camera for filming, there are other models that are a better fit.
Just the right size to take along
Insta Lux measures about 12.4 x 8.7 x 4.8 centimeters and weighs 310 grams. It is therefore larger than a small compact camera, which is hardly surprising since the camera, battery, and printer all have to fit in the same body. A neck strap is also included, so the camera can come along on outings without needing to stay in a bag.
The battery is 700 mAh, and myFirst states a battery life of up to five hours. Charging is done via USB-C and takes about 2.5 hours. One detail worth knowing is that the printing function turns off when the battery level drops below 35 percent. It may therefore be wise to charge the camera before a longer outing if the child plans to print many photos.
A different way to discover photography
There is something charming about taking photos when the result is not just another file. With Insta Lux, the child still gets the simplicity of a digital camera, but also that little sense of anticipation that comes when a physical photo comes out of the camera.
It does not have to be about getting perfect photos either. On the contrary, a big part of the appeal is experimenting, using frames and filters, photographing family and friends, and then doing something creative with the result. The fact that the camera also works as a color printer for the family’s phone photos means it can stay useful even when it is someone other than the child behind the camera.
FAQ
Does myFirst Insta Lux print color photos?
Yes. Insta Lux uses dye sublimation technology to create real photographic color prints. That sets it apart from myFirst’s models that use thermal paper and mainly print black-and-white or simpler color effects. The prints from Insta Lux are also laminated and resistant to water and fingerprints.
Can I print phone photos with Insta Lux?
Yes. Insta Lux has built-in Wi-Fi and can connect to a smartphone via myFirst Circle. You can then choose photos from the phone’s image library and print them directly with the camera’s built-in printer. Insta Lux therefore also works as a small wireless photo printer.
How good is the camera in myFirst Insta Lux?
The camera shoots at 5 megapixels and has automatic exposure that handles the settings for the child. There is both a standard camera and a 5-megapixel selfie camera, as well as an LED flash. Images are shown on a 2.8-inch IPS color screen.
Can myFirst Insta Lux record video?
No. Insta Lux is built for photography and instant printing and does not support video recording. Images are saved in JPG format on a memory card. The camera supports TF or microSD cards up to 64 GB, and a 4 GB card is included in the box.
What comes with myFirst Insta Lux?
The box includes the camera, a neck strap, a USB-C cable, a 4 GB memory card with card reader, stickers, and a cartridge that is enough for ten prints. For more color prints, the camera needs to be refilled with myFirst Insta Lux Film.
