Fujifilm Instax Pal review

Fujifilm has put out some of the best instant cameras and the best cameras, full stop. I even used a Fujifilm Instax camera to document my vacation a few months ago. A lot of its cameras are easy to use and can be quite fun at parties. The Fujifilm Instax Pal is one of them.

This is probably the cutest camera I’ve tested (so far). It’s small, highly portable, and it even comes with a loop to put it around your lanyard or belt. With just two physical buttons, it’s very easy to use and it’s compatible with several Instax printers if you like retro-style physical prints. But it’s far from perfect. The Instax Pal heavily relies on an app to unleash its full potential, and it has a “viewfinder” that isn’t a viewfinder.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Fujifilm Instax Pal review.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Specs

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Price & availability

The Fujifilm Instax Pal has a retail price of $99 at Amazon U.S. / £89 at Amazon U.K. and is available in an array of fun colors: pistachio green, milky white, lavender blue, powder pink, and gem black. You can also get the bundle which includes an Instax mini Link 2 printer and 10 pieces of film for $199 at Instax U.S. For the same price, you could get the Fujifilm Instax mini Evo ($199), a hybrid digital and instant camera with better image quality and lots more creative control.

This is the smallest digital camera I’ve tested so far, and there aren’t many others like it. The Fujifilm Instax mini 12 ($79) falls in the same price range but is much bigger, as is the Polaroid Go Gen 2 ($79). And these are instant cameras that print photos. If you want to print photos from the Instax Pal, you’ll need a compatible Instax printer or an instant camera, which I’ll discuss later.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Design & build quality

There are a lot of Fujifilm Instax instant cameras with the word “mini” in their names. Oddly, though, given this is the brand’s smallest camera, the Instax Pal isn’t one of them. But it truly is mini, and reminds me of BB-8 from the Star Wars films. It measures just 1.74 x 1.69 x 1.66 inches and fits right into your palm. Its weight is negligible too, as it weighs just 1.44 ounces. Combine this with the size and you have a camera you can hold between your index finger and your thumb.

While its body is made entirely of plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap, and I wouldn’t expect less at this price point. It’s reminiscent of the Instax mini 12’s ($79) build quality.

If, like me, you like going to concerts and always wish you could save those memories in print but don’t want to carry a bulky instant camera around, you could try the Instax Pal. It easily slips into a pocket and its weight is so negligible that you won’t feel its presence.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Lens & viewfinder

The Fujifilm Instax Pal is fitted with a fixed-focus lens with a 16.25mm focusing distance, and the 1/5-inch CMOS sensor takes 4.9MP photos. This isn’t a very high resolution but the camera is tiny so I wasn’t expecting wonders. The good thing about the Instax Pal is that you can choose to shoot in the mini, wide or square format, so you can quickly switch it up via the app (more on that soon) depending on whether you’re shooting group portraits, landscape shots or selfies. The Instax Pal has an f/2.2 aperture which should suffice in moderately low-light conditions, and it’s got a built-in flash which can be set to either automatic or manual via the app.

Given the camera’s size, there’s no LCD screen or viewfinder. It does, however, come with a “multi-use detachable ring” that doubles as a “viewfinder.” You basically attach it atop the power button and look through it to frame your shot. As someone who has reviewed many instant and regular cameras, let me tell you that this is not a viewfinder. A majority of the shots I shot through this “viewfinder” didn’t line up and didn’t turn out how I imagined. I’d recommend leaving it off as I got better results that way. Use the ring to hang it around your thumb or even hook it on to a lanyard instead.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Controls

There isn’t much going on in terms of the Fujifilm Instax Pal’s controls — I can’t think of an easier camera to use. It’s even easier to use than the Instax mini 12. There are just two buttons on its body. The power button is located on the “top plate” which also houses a tiny RGB light that continuously cycles through a few colors. Hold this button down and you’ll hear a cute start-up sound play which almost humanizes the Instax Pal. You also hear a sad noise when you turn it off. Why is this camera making me feel guilty about putting it to sleep? It’s cute nonetheless.

On the back of the camera, you’ll find the shutter button which is big enough for the average thumb. It feels good to press but it doesn’t go deep enough, so there were instances where I meant to press it once but pressed it thrice by mistake, resulting in accidental photos.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Image quality

The Fujifilm Instax Pal comes with internal storage which can save 50 photos, and there’s a microSD card slot along the left edge to extend this. Photos taken on the Instax Pal aren’t the best but I wasn’t expecting them to be, considering they’re just 4.9MP. If you want to decorate your Instagram feed with retro photos, then you might like the Instax Pal’s image quality.

The Instax Pal is a very shareable camera because it’s so easy to use. My coworkers and I had a lot of fun playing around with it even though we didn’t know what we were shooting, so it could be a great addition to a party or social gathering.

You can see a few examples of what photos look like indoors and outdoors. While they aren’t the most detailed and you can see fine detail being lost, the photos are still good. I love the shot of the plant and of the dog sitting in the window. The last was taken on an overcast day in Bath, U.K., but the picture doesn’t appear as dull as I originally thought it would.

(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Future)

(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Future)

I also love the photos in the gallery above. The autumnal colors have been captured well. The Instax Pal doesn’t have a dedicated macro mode so photos taken really up close don’t always turn out great or crystal clear. But they still fit the retro-style most photographers will be after. The last photo of the building, though, looks like someone turned up the contrast. Therefore, using the camera will take a bit of trial and error.

Photos taken in moderately lit environments aren’t bad either. I wouldn’t say they’re as good as the ones I’ve taken on the Instax mini Evo, which reproduces colors very faithfully, but for a small camera like the Instax Pal, it’s good enough. You can see a few examples above. I love the photos of the fairy lights draping Bath’s streets, and though not all of them are in focus, the photos feel artistic. Similarly, I really like the fourth photo where I accidentally moved the camera but it created a cool effect.

Selfies taken on the Instax Pal turn out detailed and the camera does a good job of faithfully reproducing colors, and you can see a few examples above. The first and second are slightly pixelated but again, this is a low resolution camera. Overall, I’m pleased with the Instax Pal’s imaging capabilities — I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: App

The Fujifilm Instax Pal has a dedicated app of the same name, available on iOS and Android. Via this app, you can remotely trigger the shutter, add stickers and text to your photos, print them, change the film format, add pre-shutter sounds, add filters to photos you’ve taken, and more. You can also use the app to connect to an Instax Link printer and print directly from it.

The app is very straightforward to use. When you connect the Instax Pal to the app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to name it, so I called it Pally — couldn’t be more obvious. The Instax Pal is heavily reliant on its app though. It’s almost impossible to use it without having your smartphone within reach.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Film cost & yield

The Fujifilm Instax Pal is a digital camera so just like other digital cameras, you’ll need a printer if you want physical copies. The good news is that if you already own an Instax printer, like the Instax mini Link ($99), Instax mini Link 2 ($99), Instax Square Link ($139), or the Instax Link Wide ($149), you won’t have to spend money on a separate printer. The Instax Pal can also be connected to an Instax mini LiPlay ($149) or an Instax mini Evo instant camera.

The cost of film will depend on the format you desire. For example, Instax mini film is cheaper than Polaroid Go film, 16 pieces of which usually cost $19 / £18.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Battery life

Fitted with a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, the Fujifilm Instax Pal lasts approximately 350 shots on a single charge. It’s equipped with a USB-C port and takes just under three hours to go from zero to 100%. That’s a long charging time for such a small camera!

The camera’s battery life is rated at 350 shots but that depends on whether you’re using the app as a remote shutter, whether the flash is on all the time, and other usage conditions. In my testing, I was able to take 240 photos before the camera died, and I was shooting in a mix of conditions — so the battery life will vary.

Fujifilm Instax Pal review: Verdict

As cutesy cameras go, the Fujifilm Instax Pal doesn’t have much competition and comes out on top. This camera sports an adorable design and it even makes sounds when you power it up and down. It’s very small which makes it extremely easy to travel with, and the fact that it has just two buttons means anyone can use it without knowing the semantics of photography. It’s compatible with a range of Instax printers and takes retro-style images which look great.

However, the Instax Pal is heavily reliant on its app, which lets you view photos in real time — which massively helps with shooting as the “attachable viewfinder” is, frankly, redundant. So you’ll always need to have your smartphone within reach.

But the Instax Pal is cute, portable and takes cool photos, and it could be best your BFF at a party.