The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 takes great photos and has a feature I haven’t seen on an Instax before

Looking for the best instant camera for landscape photography? The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is here to answer your call. It’s incredibly easy to use thanks to its straightforward controls, and it sports a cute design while not compromising on the build quality. The photos it captures are lovely with a retro touch, and there are two built-in filters for controlling the mood of the shots.The Instax Square 2 has a few shortcomings, though. Its flash is perpetually on which can create bright spots in photos, and while its battery life is super long, the camera uses four disposable batteries. There aren’t any double-exposure or creative modes either.Should you still buy it? I think so. To find out why, read my full Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: SpecsPrice$119 / £94Lens65.75mm retractableViewfinderYesMonitorNoExposure controlAutomaticShutter1/2-1/400s (automatic)Aperturef/12.6Shooting range0.3m - ∞ (Landscape) | 0.5-3m (Standard) | 0.3-0.5m (Close-Up)FlashYes, built-inFlash refresh time7.5 seconds or lessFlash range0.3-2.2mSelf-timerNoPower4x AA batteriesDimensions5.47 x 4.70 x 2.80 inchesWeight15.87 ounces (camera only)Film usedInstax Square filmFilm development timeUp to 90 secondsCost per print$1.10Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Price & availability(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Launched in October 2026, the Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is the latest addition to Fuji’s Square instant cameras lineup. It’s preceded by the Instax Square SQ1 which first came out six years ago. The new Instax Square 2 is around $40 cheaper than its predecessor, retailing for $119 at Instax U.S. / £94 at Amazon U.K., and is only a little pricier than its smaller sibling, the Instax mini 13 ($93).Since the Instax Square 2 prints square photos (the name’s a dead giveaway), it competes with the likes of the Lomography Diana Instant Square ($129) and the Lomography Lomo’Instant Square Glass ($149), but trumps them when it comes to build and image quality.There’s also the Polaroid Now Gen 3 ($129), and the Polaroid Mod ($169). The latter is more expensive but gives you more manual control over shooting settings. If you want a simple point-and-shoot-and-print camera, though, the Instax Square 2 is hard to argue against.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Design & build(Image credit: Tom's Guide)The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 looks similar to its predecessor, the Instax Square SQ1, but with a more rounded body and edges. It looks and feels premium, with its body made of high-quality plastic. The Instax Square 2 comes in three colors: Misty White, Slate Blue, and Brick Red. I tested the Slate Blue model and it looks lovely — neither too loud nor too understated.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)There are a few differences between the Instax Square 2 and the Instax Square SQ1. While it’s still turned on by twisting the lens barrel, the Instax Square 2 adds a dedicated Landscape focus mode (alongside Standard and Close-Up), and I’ll discuss this in detail shortly. In addition to that, the Instax Square 2 now features built-in Warm and Cool filters which can be toggled via a switch also located on the lens.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)As I’d expect from a Fuji Instax camera, handling is sublime. The Instax Square 2 features a chunkier grip than on the Instax SQ1. My fingers wrapped very comfortably around it, and it made shooting with either one or both hands easy. The camera measures 5.47 x 4.70 x 2.80 inches and weighs 15.87 ounces, so it takes up more space in your bag than, say, the Fujifilm Instax mini 13. But it’s bigger to accommodate square-sized film. Still, I didn’t have any issues carrying it around in my backpack.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)The Instax Square 2 also has a selfie mirror, located on the front, and it’s big enough to accommodate two people. Overall, the Instax Square 2’s design and build quality don’t give you much to complain about.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Lens & viewfinder(Image credit: Tom's Guide)The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is fitted with a retractable lens with an effective focal length of 65.75mm and a fixed f/12.6 aperture. The 65.75mm lens is neither too wide nor too telephoto which makes the instant camera suited to landscape, portrait and street photography.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)In Standard mode, the Instax Square 2 has a focus range of 0.5m to 3m, and 0.3m to 0.5m in Close-Up mode. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a new Landscape mode which has a focus range of 0.3m to ∞. Because instant cameras are more about “imperfect” and candid photographs than technically perfect shots, I haven’t found the Standard and Landscape modes to make much of a difference. Close-Up mode, on the other hand, is a bit hit or miss, and I’ll discuss that in the Image Quality section below.The Instax Square 2 adjusts exposure, shutter speed and ISO automatically, so all you need to do is look through the viewfinder and shoot. I’ve found the viewfinder comfortable and spacious enough to look through, even while wearing my prescription glasses.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)You also get a built-in flash that’s located above the lens barrel. Frustratingly, the flash can’t be turned off and is always on — just like on the Fujifilm Instax mini 13. This isn’t a dealbreaker per se, but it can create bright spots when shooting close to a subject.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Controls(Image credit: Tom's Guide)I mean it when I say the Fujifilm Instax Square 2 could be used by a six-year-old. Its controls are extremely straightforward. The round shutter button is located on the protruding grip and it gives good tactile feedback when pressed. Switching between Landscape, Standard and Close-Up modes is easy, too, as all you need to do is twist the lens barrel.(Image credit: Tom's Guide)You can swap between the Cool and Warm filters via the toggle on the front. Again, it’s self-explanatory. But unlike the Fujifilm Instax mini 13, the Instax Square 2 doesn’t feature a self-timer, so you can’t put it down and pose for a photo.There isn’t a double-exposure mode either, which limits how creative you can get. You’ll need to spend a little extra on the Polaroid Now Gen 3 or the Polaroid Mod if you want more creative control and features. The Mod features modes like Split Shot, Light Painting, and Motion Freeze, but I haven’t tested the camera (yet) so can’t comment on their effectiveness.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Image qualityNikita Achanta / Tom's GuideNikita Achanta / Tom's GuideNikita Achanta / Tom's GuideThe Fujifilm Instax Square 2 prints on square film which is big enough for landscape shots. Most of the photos I captured turned out lovely with a retro touch to them. Colors, especially greens, appear vivid and vibrant, as you can see in the gallery above. I love how bright the shades of yellow look, too. The Instax Square 2 has done a great job at capturing the fall colors.(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)As with any instant camera, the images can be hit or miss, and it’s true in the case of the Instax Square 2, too. While I don’t have an issue with the balance between the shadows and highlights in the first image above, the shot is slightly out of focus.I also love the second photo of my partner, but the camera has slightly overexposed her face. But what I appreciate is that the square-sized print is wide enough to capture a lot of the scene around her, giving some context to the image. You don’t get that with smaller instant cameras, like the Fujifilm Instax mini 13 or the Polaroid Go Gen 2 ($79).(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)I’ve loved messing around with the Instax Square 2’s Warm and Cool filters. The Warm mode adds an orange filter to the shot, giving the scene a warmer and oversaturated look. Meanwhile, the Cool mode adds a blue filter, giving the scene a cooler look.The first photo in the gallery above was taken using the Warm filter, while the second is the same image with the Cool filter (so is the third). I love how both have turned out. No other analog instant camera has this feature, and it’s a neat party trick — one I hope shows up on other Instax cameras going forward.(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)Finally, let’s talk about the Close-Up mode, which doesn’t always work as intended. It’s quite difficult to gauge the distance between the camera and the subject, which can result in ruined shots. In the first photo above, can you take a guess what I was trying to capture? If you said, “I have no clue,” you’d be correct, because I was trying to photograph a wild blackberry that’s nowhere to be seen in the print!A little trial and error can yield decent shots, though, like the second image of my Highland cow trinket (which has come out nice and sharp), so don’t be afraid to experiment.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: AppFujifilm / Tom's GuideFujifilm / Tom's GuideThe Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is accompanied by the Instax Up! app, which I’ve always sung praises of in previous Instax reviews. Sporting a clean interface with no intrusive pop-ups, the Instax Up! app enables you to scan your prints, save them to your phone, create wallpapers out of them, and edit their brightness, contrast and more. The Remove Reflections feature works well, too.If you don’t own a scanner (like I don’t) and don’t want to spend ages scanning your prints using third-party apps, Instax Up! is worth downloading on your iOS or Android phone.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Film cost(Image credit: Tom's Guide)The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 uses Instax Square film which generally costs $22 / £16 per double film pack (20 pieces of film). That equates to approximately $1.10 per picture. Alongside the Instax Square 2, Fujifilm also launched Soft Haze film that produces prints with softer color tones — 10 sheets of this costs $18 / £9.One reason why I’d pick the Instax Square 2 over the Polaroid Now Gen 3 or the Polaroid Mod is that film for those cameras usually costs more. Eight sheets of Polaroid i-Type film costs $18 / £15. That alone makes the Instax Square 2 better value for money.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Battery life(Image credit: Tom's Guide)To power the Fujifilm Instax Square 2, you’ll need four AA batteries. Yep. Four. I’m not a big fan of cameras using disposable batteries as these are difficult to recycle, and would have much preferred it if the Instax Square 2 had a built-in rechargeable battery instead, like on the Polaroid Now Gen 3 or the Polaroid Mod.But one thing I’m thankful for is that the Instax Square 2 uses AA batteries, which are easily found at any superstore. Its predecessor, on the other hand, used harder-to-find two CR2 3V batteries. The Instax Square 2 utilizes the same number of batteries as the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 ($149).The upside of this is that the Instax Square 2 can last a long time. Fujifilm says that it can shoot and print 300 photos between battery replacements. That’s the longest battery life on a Fujifilm Instax camera yet. That’s a hard claim to test, though, as I’d have to burn through 30 packs (10-exposure each), and that would be a waste of film.Fujifilm Instax Square 2 review: Verdict(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Fujifilm continues to impress with its Instax line-up of instant cameras. The Instax Square 2 is a fun instant camera that looks good, handles well, and is built superbly. The square-sized photos it prints are suited to landscape photography. Colors are vibrant with a lovely retro touch, and the camera’s built-in Warm and Cool filters are great for creating moody shots.The Instax Square 2 boasts long battery life, too, rated for 300 prints — but it’s powered by four disposable batteries. And while I love its built-in filters, I wish it had a double-exposure mode, something its competitors, like the Polaroid Now Gen 3 and the Polaroid Mod, offer. The Instax Square 2’s flash can’t be disabled either which can be a little annoying at times.Given that the Instax Square 2 offers fantastic value for money, I still think it’s worth picking up, especially if you want an easy-to-use instant camera that takes and prints gorgeous photos.