There is something nice about Fujifilm’s range of Instax cameras. Film rather than simply digital. Something tangible you can stick up on a desk or in a frame, rather than leave it in the cloud, marooned along with your good intentions. The latest addition to the range is the Instax Square SQ1. As the name suggests, it uses the square format that is more reminiscent of old Polaroid shots rather than the more company mini Instax format. The Square SQ1 has also been improved to make your shots brighter, with an auto exposure that removes the risk of a murky shot. That’s handy as the camera has no digital element, so you have to take your chances with framing your photos. And the camera comes in three colours – it’s like a nostalgia trip, albeit a more colourful one.
Perhaps it’s the nostalgia factor; perhaps it is the risk that comes with a pure instant camera. No digital means no safety net for your shot. If you don’t get it, the camera is printing anyway, and the film for these cameras isn’t exactly cheap.
The advent of digital cameras has made us less careful about our photography; we can always keep snapping away and delete later. The Instax Square SQ1 marries instant gratification and care. You get that photo in your hand (after about 90 seconds) but unless you want a handful of useless prints, you have to be careful about it.
The improvements to the camera such as the autoexposure removes some of that risk. Shots are bright and almost always perfectly exposed. It also has a dedicated selfie mode, so you can still get those perfect shots even when there is no one around to hold the camera for you.
