Fujifilm will release the instax Pal 2, a shoot-only digital camera in its instax Cheki lineup, on October 9. It succeeds the original instax Pal launched in October 2023 and keeps the same palm-sized body, but adds a top-mounted monitor, an optical viewfinder, a dial, and a lever, bringing the handling closer to a film camera. Resolution doubles from about 5 megapixels to about 10 megapixels, and the camera gains 30 effects plus an instax Animation mode that turns burst shots into a flipbook-style video. Pricing is open, with an expected retail price of ¥25,300 including tax. It comes in black and white.
A shoot-only Cheki that now feels like a camera
The original instax Pal stripped printing out of the Cheki formula and focused solely on shooting, which is how it achieved its rounded, palm-sized form. Photos are transferred to a smartphone and printed as Cheki prints through instax Link smartphone printers or hybrid instant cameras. The catch was that the original had neither a viewfinder nor a monitor, so you had no idea how a shot turned out until you looked at your phone.
Pal 2 changes that in a big way. A small monitor sits on the top of the body, letting you review a photo right after taking it. On top of that, you can frame through an optical viewfinder, turn a dial to switch effects, and flip a lever to change shooting modes. The design aims to deliver a sense of operating a camera that differs from a smartphone, all in this tiny package.
The body has a semi-matte finish with knurling (fine grooves cut into the surface) to improve grip. It measures 37 × 42 × 92.3 mm and weighs about 87 g. The lens is a 28 mm equivalent (35 mm format) F2.2, and the sensor has been updated to a 1/3.06-inch type. Internal storage grows from 50 to 100 photos, and with an optional microSD card you can keep shooting up to the card's capacity.
30 effects in 5 themes, switched by dial
Pal 2 offers a total of 30 effects. They are organized into five themes with six effects each: Modern for natural tones, Y2K for the look of old compact digital cameras and cinema film, Vintage for heavy, nostalgic tones, Chromatic for emphasized color and light, and Fantasy for dreamlike, vivid hues.
What makes this interesting is that not all 30 live on the camera at once. You choose up to six in the dedicated app, load them onto the camera, and switch between them with the dial. You can load a full theme, or mix and match six favorites across themes. The idea is to change the look to suit your mood on a given day, much like swapping lenses or film.
When shooting, you can choose from four formats: mini, square, and wide with instax frames, or frameless. When printing, you select a format that matches your instax Link printer or instax Evo or instax LiPlay series camera to produce a Cheki print.
instax Animation turns 10 burst shots into a video
The new instax Animation mode is engaged by pushing the lever toward the monitor. Holding the shutter button captures up to 10 frames in a burst, which are stitched into a flipbook-style animated video. The look is deliberately choppy, preserving a subject's small movements as a short clip.
The video can be converted into a QR code and placed on a Cheki print alongside the photo. Whoever receives the print can scan the code with a smartphone to play the animation. It is a feature that fits neatly with the Cheki culture of giving prints away.
USB Type-C transfer at 0.7 seconds per photo
In addition to Bluetooth, the camera now supports wired transfer by plugging its USB Type-C port directly into a smartphone. After pairing with the dedicated app over Bluetooth, connecting the cable transfers photos to the app at roughly 0.7 seconds each. The goal is to cut waiting time when importing shots in bulk. Once transferred, you can adjust brightness and contrast in the app, save to the camera roll, or share to social media.
The package includes a strap and an angle-adjustment accessory that doubles as a camera stand, a practical extra for propping the camera up at an angle for group shots. A dedicated camera case is scheduled for release in November.
Summary
The instax Pal 2 keeps the original's small, casual character while adding a monitor, viewfinder, dial, and lever to put the fun of operating a camera front and center. Resolution and storage capacity have doubled, and practical upgrades such as 30 effects across 5 themes, the instax Animation mode, and fast USB Type-C transfer round out the package. It launches October 9 at an expected retail price of ¥25,300 including tax, in black and white. The Cheki line, which debuted in 1998, is sold in more than 100 countries with cumulative sales exceeding 100 million units, and Pal 2 takes its place on the digital side of that lineup.
