Fujifilm redesigns the Instax Pal 2 — the pocket instant camera grows up a little

Fujifilm announced the Instax Pal 2 this week, a fully redesigned version of the tiny digital pocket camera it first launched in 2024. The original had a rounded, almost spherical body; the new model gets a rectangular body with a vintage-camera feel, a real optical viewfinder, a control dial and a lever, plus a one-inch screen on top for reviewing shots.

Inside, resolution goes from 5 to 10 megapixels on a 1/3.06-inch sensor — smartphone-class territory. The camera stores up to 100 images internally, accepts a microSD card, and transfers photos over Bluetooth or USB-C to the instax app, where they can be printed on instax printers in mini, SQUARE, WIDE or frameless formats. Fujifilm has added 30 effects across five themes (Modern, Y2K, Vintage, Chromatic and Fantasy) and an Animation mode that captures 10 consecutive frames and turns them into a short flipbook-style clip.

The Pal 2 comes in black or white at $169.95 in the US, with availability expected in late September; Japan follows on October 9. According to DPReview and Fstoppers, Fujifilm also announced the Instax Link WIDE 2 printer alongside it, adding a Photo Mixer feature for collage-style layouts.