For my birthday a few years ago Player 2 got me an Instax Square SQ6 camera… in rose gold. And I love it. At the time I was pretty specific that I wanted an Instax that did not print of phones, like some do. I wanted that old school point, shoot and print while hoping for the best. I was a fan of the Square because I preferred the slightly bigger photo prints than what many of the Instax Mini options were offering at the time. For a bit of a better understanding of what Instax I own and why I went that route, there is a review here:
A new Square option
Fujifilm has now dropped a new offering that is sort of an updated version of the SQ6. It is the Instax Square SQ1. I’m pretty much the target market for this one because I much prefer the Square prints. So I decided to give the SQ1 a try and review it. Going in to this I was obviously going to have my SQ6 in mind at all times, because it was my original choice and the one I own.
First impressions
Straight up, I didn’t like the SQUARE SQ1 out of the box. It has a solid matte plastic colour palette. It is available in Terracotta Orange, Glacier Blue and Chalk White. I received the Orange one to review. Next to my slightly smaller rose gold SQ6 I thought it looked cheaper. For me the finish on the SQ6 is far superior. The SQ1 does have a slightly protruding section which makes it easier to grip for photos and selfies. It also includes the selfie mirror, which is a small little mirror on the side of the lens to help with selfie framing. It is chunkier than the older model as well. In the box you’ll get the camera, the CR 2 lithium batteries, a small hand strap (versus the bigger neck strap of the SQ6) and an instruction guide. I prefer the smaller strap if I’m honest.
The improvements
While I didn’t like the look of the SQ1 there is no doubt that it is superior to the SQ6 once you start using it. When on, the SQ6 lens protrudes and you set your various modes on the back accordingly. The SQ1 doesn’t have the mode selection but the lens either protrudes when on, or more so for selfies. It also has two new added features to help take better quick snaps. The first is automatic exposure, which basically determines the light when you hit the shutter button and then optimises accordingly to try improve the lighting of the shot. This helps compensate for too much sun if need be – the SQ6 has always, in my opinion, produced somewhat washed out photos while the SQ1 seemed to have rectified the colour balance a bit. It also has a one touch selfie mode which you activate by rotating the lens to Selfie mode. It then changes up the lens position to make sure you get a decent shot.
Final Thoughts
I really do love the Square Instax range. It is why I have my own. The Instax SQ1 does not disappoint. While I’m not in love with the look of the camera, it definitely takes some super shots and is exactly what I’d be getting if I didn’t have the SQ6. The new improvements are a step in the right direction and if you’re looking for an Instax, you won’t be disappointed with this one. However, if you have an SQ6 you won’t be convinced to upgrade just yet. The camera currently retails for R1999.
Disclosure: I was sent the Instax Square SQ1 to review, it goes back now that this post is published.
