Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Verdict
There is no denying the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ10 is a fun piece of kit. It's guaranteed to have folk gathered around at parties, keen on taking one of the inimitable snaps home.
The 1:1 square format film is also neat, boasting an overall aesthetic that will be immediately recognized by both the Instagram generation and those with longer, Polaroid-tinged memories.
Unfortunately, the digital camera element is poor, as the image quality can't rival other digital cameras – or smartphones – and so renders futile the whole rigmarole of transferring digital files to a device.
Essentially, it comes down to personal taste. If you'd like more control over images and the ability to adjust and edit in-camera, then the SQ10 feels like a good fit.
But if you simply want fun, instant prints that rarely fail to raise a smile, the firm's cheaper Instax Wide, Mini and super cool Mini 90 Neo Classic do just as good a job.
Competition
Polaroid Z2300
Although it doesn't print to the same cool 1:1 format as the Instax Square SQ10, the Polaroid Z2300 does a better job of pulling off the instant print/digital camera hybrid act, with a 6x power zoom lens and 10MP resolution.
There's also 32MB of internal storage, the ability to shoot video, an external LCD monitor, a choice of quality compression and control over white balance. The resulting images look better, but don't have the same retro-tastic feel as snaps from the Instax Square SQ10.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo
The Instax Square SQ10 also faces stiff competition from other cameras within Fujifilm's Instax stable. The cheaper Instax Mini 90 Neo produces instant prints that look just as good, and while there's no digital camera functionality, and the film format is 54 x 86mm rather than 1:1, the overall design more than makes up, with classic elements borrowed from Leica and Fujifilm's own X-Series.
It also features six built-in shooting modes, which take care of most auto settings to suit various situations, including macro and landscape.
Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 Photo Printer
You could negate the need to buy an Instax camera entirely by opting for Fujifilm's very own printer. This lets users beam any image they like to the diminutive unit and print 320dpi images on Instax Mini film in a matter of seconds.
It's not quite as fun to take to parties, but it does mean image quality is improved, and users can take advantage of the many powerful photo-editing apps that are widely available for smartphones before committing to print.
