The small digital camera combines software filters with tactile controls.
Fujifilm made its smallest instant camera, the original Instax Pal, by separating the camera sensor from its printer. The new Instax Pal 2 takes the idea even further by becoming more of a standalone digital camera in its own right, complete with tactile controls and a collection of downloadable color filters.
In terms of size and overall design, the Instax Pal 2 is larger than the original lump-shaped Pal and designed to be used in a horizontal orientation like a Kodak Charmera. The camera’s 1.46 x 1.65 x 3.63-inch (37 x 42 x 92 mm) size means it’s not small enough to tag comfortably on a keychain like the Charmera, but it operates under a similar philosophy: People like to sacrifice image quality for a shooting experience that feels all spontaneous, spontaneous or tactile.
FujifilmThe Pal 2 has a 1/3.06-inch CMOS image sensor that can switch between 10MP or 1MP photos, with an f/2.2 aperture, LED flash and support for things like autofocus and auto white balance. You’ll probably be able to take more detailed photos with your smartphone, but the Pal 2 caters to the growing audience of people who are deliberately looking for older cameras for a fallback.
Case in point: the Pal 2 different controls. The camera has both an optical viewfinder on the back and a digital viewfinder on top that can be used to frame your shots and navigate the camera’s simple menus. Things like a digital timer and a neat flipbook animation-style capture mode are included, but it seems like people will spend most of their time setting up shots using the Pal 2’s dial and lever.
The lever lets you select frames that match Fujifilm’s various Instax films, while the dial cycles through the color filters or effects you’ve downloaded onto the Pal 2. The Pal 2 also supports wireless Bluetooth transfers and printing directly to an Instax Link printer if desired.
The biggest problem of the camera, per PetaPixel‘s video review of the Instax Pal 2, is how slow its interface is. Given how fun the camera looks otherwise, this could be a minor bump in the road for anyone already invested in Fujifilm’s ecosystem or dying for a slightly more affordable digital camera.
The Fujifilm Instax Pal 2 is available for pre-order now for $170 in all-white or two-tone silver and black.