Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Review

The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 is an excellent option for those who are seeking high-quality imagery from an easily portable and compact camera. This model is unique in that its mid-sized body produces square prints (as the name implies), which display beautifully accurate colors, textures, and skin tones. Aside from a mild learning curve, this camera is quite user-friendly and offers a significant amount of creative opportunities. The only issue that occurred during our testing of the SQ6 was a malfunction of the film count display. Other than that, we found this camera to be reliable in its ability to produce prints with rich and vibrant colors, as long as the settings were just right for the lighting situation. Overall, this camera is a nice compromise between the larger models, which are harder to travel with, and the smaller ones whose images aren't of the same quality.

Performance Comparison

Image Quality

The images that the Instax Square SQ6 produces were among the most realistic and consistent in our lineup. Even though it takes a little time to get familiar with the controls, this camera does an excellent job of picking up the full spectrum of colors, and the controls can be set to fit any lighting situation. The photos tend to get blown out when the conditions are harsh (bright background with dark subjects or dark background with light subjects), but the right balance can be achieved by adjusting the settings. This camera captures textures especially well, along with accurately matching skin tones better than any other model in our lineup. Unfortunately, the square monochrome film packs were unavailable at the time of testing, so we were unable to see how this camera performs with black and white film.

Still, despite the vibrant color display, the Square SQ6 wasn't our highest scorer in this metric. Being that the prints are small, there can be a loss of clarity and smaller details. The SQ6 is also somewhat difficult to just point and shoot with, as it tends to shoot rather dark, and the prints often end up blown out if there's any backlighting. Again, an accurate image can be achieved by messing with the settings, but it rarely happened for us on the first try. That said, even though this camera didn't score as high in this particular metric, it still takes beautiful pictures, and the camera itself is easier to transport than the other strictly analog models in our review.

User Friendliness

Although it does have a mild learning curve, the SQ6 is very user-friendly. The interface is simple to operate, with a mode button that allows the user to swap through the different camera settings and another button to turn the flash on/off. The design is well thought out, as the square body is durable, comfortable to shoot with, and convenient for travel. While it is heftier than the instant digitals we tested, it is smaller and lighter than comparable instant film cameras. The hardest part of shooting with the SQ6, even for our experienced photographers, was finding the best settings for each lighting scenario, which usually meant taking multiple shots to get the desired output. Luckily, this is a pretty small price to pay for the incredible images that this camera can produce.

Along with being a mid-sized camera that creates mid-sized square prints, the SQ6 is right around the middle with its user-friendliness as well. While it's not at the top of the pack, the cameras that had the most similar scores didn't offer nearly as much creative control and were more complicated to understand and use. So, for anyone willing to spend some time improving their photo knowledge but who doesn't want to get overwhelmed, this camera is an excellent starting point.

Features

Compared to the other analog machines, the Instax Square SQ6 comes equipped with more features than any others. Its creative controls include multiple shooting options like portrait, macro, landscape, light or dark mode, a timer, adjustable flash, selfie mode + mirror, multiple exposures, and three color flash filters. The camera body also houses a socket for connecting a tripod and a hook for attaching a strap, whereas most models only have one or the other. The only feature that we had an issue with was the shot count indicator which occasionally malfunctioned, displaying an inaccurate reading for some packs of film, but not all.

During our features test, the SQ6 beat out most of the other analog film cameras, except for the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300, which it tied with. While this may be surprising since the SQ6 has several features that the Wide 300 doesn't, the SQ6 includes some external add-ons that the 300 lacks. Regardless, they both offer a good amount of creative freedom while still staying true to the classic experience of an instant camera.

Battery

The Square SQ6 is the only camera in our review that used CR-2 batteries, and it's capable of taking way more shots than any of the others. While the other cameras that use replaceable batteries all use AAs, they didn't last much past 100 prints. The SQ6, on the other hand, can print up to 300 photos before the batteries need to be replaced (per the manufacturer's statement, which we found to be accurate). None of the cameras that use rechargeable batteries can come anywhere near that amount; some claim to be able to go over 100 but, in reality, need to be charged well before that. We used the same set of two CR-2 batteries throughout our weeks of testing and never noticed any lag or diminished power from any of the harsh conditions or extended use.

Top scorers in this metric all made it through our tests without their batteries needing to be charged/changed. However, due to the sustained functionality and power of the SQ6, as well as the increased number of prints it can produce, this camera eked out the top spot.

Value

With its gorgeous square photos, durable and portable design, and ease of use, we found the Instax Square SQ6 to be well worth its price. While the prints may not be as large as the wide-format film used by others, the SQ6 has more features and is more compact for travel. It's a little too big and heavy to fit in a pocket, but it packs easily in a bag and takes much better pictures than pocket-sized cameras. The main drawback of the SQ6 is the time it takes to ensure that each shot comes out as desired, but this decreases as you get more familiar with the settings. Overall, this mid-sized camera that produces medium-sized images also has a middle-of-the-road price, which we think is both fair and fitting.

Conclusion

For those who prefer the analog experience of classic instant cameras, but would like something easier to carry around, the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 is your best bet. It includes a number of creative features, which allow it to do much more than just point and shoot, and its square prints are incredibly accurate in their color depiction. Even though it's slightly bigger than its digital hybrid competitors, the SQ6 is far more durable, reliable, and consistent in its ability to capture life's moments in beautiful photos.