Instax Square Link
Best portable instant photography printer
Pros
- In-app editing tools give saturation and contrast a boost
- Only Instax Link printer to use square film
- AR Print and Instax Connect aren’t available on other printers
Cons
- Limited editing tools
- QR codes are too big
- Film development takes slightly longer than advertised
The Instax Square Link is one of three instant “Link” printers sold by Fujifilm. While each printer in this series has its own unique feature set, the deciding factor here ultimately comes down to film size – that is if you want to print mini, wide or, in this case, square photos.
The Square Link makes it easy to print bright and detailed 6.2 x 6.2cm images on the go with help from the smartphone app. Photos take just 15 seconds to print, though we found film development lasted a few minutes once the paper was ejected from the printer.
The editing controls in the app are very basic, but offer a convenient way to crop and rotate your images and boost the brightness, saturation and contrast before you hit print. You also have the option to edit the images in a third-party app before uploading them.
There’s a good range of features available through the Instax Square app, including stickers, filters, collage templates and themed frames.
There’s also an AR Print option not found on other Instax printers. This feature allows you to attach secret augmented reality messages and animations that can be unlocked by scanning the QR code on the print.
Instax Connect is another Square Link-exclusive feature that gives you the ability to decorate images before sending them to friends and family to print. There’s even a calendar to make sure you don’t miss any important birthdays or holidays.
The printer itself is quite chunky, but still small enough to slip into most small bags, making it a great option for taking on the go.
Of course, being an instant printer (and not an instant camera) also means you also have the option to snap photos when you’re out and wait until you get home to print them, making the Square Link a convenient gateway into instant photography.
Reviewer: Hannah Davies
Full review: Instax Square Link review