Fujfilm's Instax SQ40 marries retro charm with larger square film
It has a retractable lens with a macro mode for selfies.
Fujifilm's line of instant cameras has grown again with the launch of the Instax SQ40. The new model borrows retro cues from the Mini 40, while shooting larger-format square film like previous SQ models.
Unlike the shiny plastic square format models of the past, the SQ40 is wrapped in faux black leather with silver accents. It measures 5.25 inches wide by 4.5 inches tall by 2.25 inches thick, so it's considerably larger than the Mini 40 and other rectangular cameras. For easy carrying, it comes with a shoulder strap with quick release loops.
The lens is retractable and has three modes, starting with the fully retracted "off" position that makes the camera relatively flat and closes the protective cap. In the "on" position, it extends and the lens cap opens, giving a field of view equivalent to 65.75 mm (35mm equivalent, presumably) for shooting no closer than 19.7 inches. And finally, there's a "macro" mode for selfies that lets you shoot between 11.8 and 19.7 inches, with a small mirror at the front so you can see yourself and friends.
It has automatic exposure and shoots on the Instax Square frame to a 2.4- by 2.4-inch image area on a 3.4- by 2.8-inch film size. Unlike some Instax models, there doesn't appear to be any saving to a digital format, so this is about as analog as modern cameras get.
The SQ40 costs $150 and is expected to be available for purchase by the end of June 2023. The basic white-border version of the square film costs around $19 for 20 exposures, and a new version called Instax Square "Sunset" with pastel shaded borders (above) is $15.75 for a 10-pack. Finally, Fujifilm released a new brown colorway for the Mini Evo priced at $200, also available at the end of June.
