7.5
Score

Pros

  • Analogue Instant Camera
  • Packed with Features
  • Shoots in a Square Ratio
  • Beautiful Pictures
  • Good Quality

Cons

  • Unconventional Battery CR2
  • A Very Niche Product
  • Film Pack is Expensive

Final Verdict

The whole idea behind the Instax in general, is to capture the moment. The right moment. The Instax SQ6 seals the core essence and the memory into it – making it a precious picture.

Fujifilm – as the name suggests, has been in the film and photography business ever since 1934. That’s a long time. As time went by, they did step their photography game up with all these cool new Mirrorless cameras. They are also known for their other camera series – the Instant Camera called Instax. It’s very popular because it still carries the core DNA of it capturing images instantaneously.

Last month, they announced their new Instax Square – the Instax Square SQ6. It is a step behind the Instax SQ10 – their hybrid version. The Square SQ6 goes back to analog and witnessing a company announce such camera in 2018, sure is interesting. But is it really necessary? Is it really a camera that’s worth owning? Find out in this Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Review.

Design & Build Quality

1/8

The Fujifilm Instax SQ6 comes in three different colors. We went for the Blush Gold. The moment you look at the Instax SQ6, you’ll feel like the camera has a very familiar look to it. It felt like the older Instagram Logo, except that this does not have any color stripes on it. Other than that, it has a square shape with rounded off edges that looks very appealing. The dual tone finish is very attractive – especially with this black and gold finish. The shutter button is on the right side and so is the viewfinder. The lens does protrude out of the body just like any other Instax but it sits flushed when it’s turned off.

The Instax Square SQ6 body is constructed in a hard shell plastic which feels nice in the hands. Unlike the other Instax that we have seen, this one feels a lot nicer in the hands. It sure is light and weighs about 400 grams. I like the feel of it and even there’s no rubber grip to hold in place, the texture on the front let’s you hold it in place. The flap on the back that opens up to add your film pack feels solid and not flimsy. It also has a monopod/tripod screw mount at the bottom which is a nice touch.

For convenience, the camera has a camera strap loop at the side – making it easier to carry it around just by hanging it around your neck.

Features

1/3

For an Analog Instant Camera, the Instax SQ6 sure does pack a bit of features to have some fun. It comes with 7 different modes for you to play with. The Automatic Exposure Control allows the camera to handle the light and dark scenes and produce a good image. It also has a Selfie Mode with a Selfie Mirror on the front, making it easier to take a Selfie. You can even do Macro, where it allows you to capture a subject around the range of 30cm – 50cm. It also has a landscape mode for those who likes to shoot street photos and sorts.

One of the features that I personally find interesting and attractive about the Instax Square is the Dual Exposure Mode – where you can press the shutter twice to capture two different images in the same print. Usually it takes a fair bit of time to take such photos but in this case, Fujifilm has made things easier for their users. Thumbs up for that!

 

Other than these modes, you also have a Timer for 10 seconds to shoot images together instead of a selfie and a No Flash button that disables the flash. Speaking of the flash, Fujifilm included three different color filters that snaps on to the flash component, thus allowing you to snap picture with a different hue.

Quick Film Comparison

The Instax Square SQ6 is their second Instant Camera to shoot in this square format. With that being said, you might be wondering – how different it is from the Instax Mini. Here’s a quick comparison. The Instax Square has a 1:1 ratio whereas the Instax Mini has this 4:3 ratio. Both of the films still carries that small white space where you can write what ever you want to. Unlike the Instax Mini, the Instax Square is only available in two different finish – one with the White border and their new one which has a black border instead.

Image Quality

Each image takes approximately 90 seconds to develop once you take a picture. I have to say, the quality is pretty good for an Instax. Most of the landscape pictures I’ve taken using this has a sharp look to it. There might be a bit of blur because the camera does not have any sort of stabilizer, with is normal. So, make sure to have steady hands to snap pictures while you’re at it.

The color production looks nostalgic and has a beautiful shade to it. Not to forget, it’s vibrant too. It almost has the shade of shooting with a Film Camera. As for millennials who has zero clue how those look like, you can relate with VSCO Filters. The selfie mode requires both the subject to be close, if you’re not – the pictures doesn’t look as clear as it should be. This is because – Instax has a very short range of distance and in order to capture the right one, you need to work with those settings. It’s not a bad thing at all.

Below here, you can take a look at some of the shots I’ve taken with the Instax SQ6. Let me know what you think in the comments below.

1/10

Battery

There is one thing that I am not really happy with what Fujifilm did. It’s the battery. The Fujifilm Instax SQ6 requires two CR2/DL CR2 Lithium Batteries for it to run. Good thing they actually included two batteries. The batteries lasts about 3-5 months. But one battery cost you roughly about RM 25 at least.

I really wish they opted in for a rechargeable battery, just like their Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 which uses a rechargeable battery instead.

Conclusion

That’s our review for the Fujifilm Instax SQ6. With all the honesty, I love the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 for various reason. For one, it has a 1:1 ratio that I personally prefer and the camera itself has this beautiful design and look to it. But there is one prime reason why I like the Instax Square SQ6.

The whole idea behind the Instax in general, is to capture the moment. The right moment. I love snapping pictures and sometimes, certain story or images gets lost in the process. But the Instax SQ6 seals the core essence and the memory into it – making it a precious picture. For RM 598 – I can say it’s a good option for those who is planning to get an Instax camera. But if you think it’s a bit to the pricey side, you can always try their Instax Mini which is half the price.

Personally, I recommend the Instax Square SQ6 and it’d be awesome to own one for myself. 😊