Fujifilm got really whimsical building its latest camera in the Instax line. This digital camera for casual shooting resembles analog point-and-shoot models from the 1960s, but it's half the size and includes a bunch of handy modern features that'll make it a treat to use.
The Instax Pal 2 blends retro styling with chunky tactile controls for a unique look that suits its purpose as a fun way to capture memories.
Like the rest of the Instax lineup, this isn't designed for high-fidelity photography. The diminutive 1/3.06 inch image sensor dishes out 10.7-megapixel images at high quality, and 1.2-megapixel images at low quality. On the higher quality setting, you can store about 400 images per GB.
You get an f/2.2 lens with automated shutter speed that ranges from 1/4 to 1/80,000 second and automatic white balance. For framing your shots, there's an authentic optical viewfinder on the front, accompanied by a tiny 1-inch LCD screen on top to review photos and navigate settings.
You're probably wondering what the physical controls on either side of the viewfinder are for. The lever on the right switches between mini, square, and wide formats for stills, and also activates a neat animation mode.
The latter lets you snap 10 frames to create a flipbook-like animation which you can share via your phone.
The dial on the left, meanwhile, cycles through a handful of filters and effects you can apply to your photos in-camera.
Speaking of which, the companion mobile app connects to the camera to not only download pictures, but also to trigger the shutter from a distance. That's handy for selfies and group shots. This app can also beam your images over to an Instax printer – including individual frames from your animation sequences. Handily, there's an option to connect to these printers directly, no phone required.
The Pal 2 also comes with a little accessory to prop it up at an angle, so you can take group photos by placing it on a table, for example. It'll even fit on a tripod with a traditional mount, if you've got one on you. A hand strap is also included.
If you've had your eye on these cute little keychain-sized cameras from Kodak and Yashica, but wanted slightly more capable hardware, this is worth a look. I'd say it'll offer a somewhat similar experience to the larger Yashica Tank, although that one skips the viewfinder for a 3-inch flip-up LCD preview screen.
The Pal 2 is priced at US$169.95, and will be available later this month. Fujifilm also has a new Instax Link WIDE 2 printer ($180) that quickly spits out small photos in a novel format with filters, frames, and QR codes – and it's meant to work well with the Pal 2.
Check out the Instax Pal 2 on Fujifilm's site. Oh, and if you want to shoot retro-style video, take a look at
that captures 15-second clips.
Source: Fujifilm
