Fujifilm’s Instax portable photo printer series is the photography equivalent of having your cake and eating it too, converting digital photos into real instant film prints. But the latest in the series goes oversized – and finally gets USB-C charging.
The Fujifilm Instax Link Wide 2, announced late on September 14, brings the same oversized Instax Wide format of the original printer launched in 2021. But the second generation moves from the old micro-USB to USB-C charging. That’s a welcome change as USB-C becomes the standard – and mico-USB cords more annoying to dig out.
Besides the change to the charger port, the printer has a refreshed design that doesn’t need a stand to sit upright. The Instax logo on the front doubles as a light that signals battery life and connection status. Loading the film remains simple – pop open the back and match the yellow on the printer to the yellow mark on the film cartridge.
Much of the printer’s updates come in the form of the Instax Wide Link app, rather than the printer itself. A new Photo Mixer feature automatically creates a collage from selected photos. The feature generates a collage that will even cut out some of the photos for you and add themed text and backgrounds based on what’s in the photographs. The app will generate up to five remixes and those collages are also possible to edit.
The app also retains the ability to build your own collages, including using different templates. QR codes allow creators to put links, audio, and hidden messages inside their prints, while the app remains packed with editing tools and stickers.
While the iOS and Android app can print from nearly any camera, two cameras can connect to the printer without needing a smartphone at all. The Instax Pal 2, which was announced alongside the new printer, and the Fujifilm X-T30 III can print directly from the camera menu.
Surprisingly, in the US at least, the Link Wide 2 comes in at a slightly lower list price than what the $235 first generation was selling at prior to the launch. The printer is set to begin shipping in late September for $179.99 / CA$239.99.
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Read the full Instax Link Wide 2 review, or browse the best portable photo printers.
