Fujifilm's Pocket Camera Gets an Optical Viewfinder
The instax Pal 2 turns ten quick shots into a flipbook-style animation, adding a classic optical viewfinder to Fujifilm's palm-sized digital camera.
Photo source:
instax.com
Fujifilm's Pocket Camera Gets an Optical Viewfinder
Fujifilm launched the instax Pal 2 on September
14, 2026, following up on the original instax Pal it introduced in 2024. Bing
Liem, division president of Fujifilm North America's Imaging Division, said
that while some people weren't sure what to make of the first Pal, others found
it "a perfect go-anywhere camera" and liked its overall image-making
process. The Pal 2 is designed for ages 13 and up and comes in black or white.
A Smaller Camera with a Classic Look
The Pal 2 keeps its predecessor's palm-sized
design but adds what Fujifilm calls an "authentic optical
viewfinder," giving the camera what Liem described as "a classic
analog look and feel." A 1.0-inch LCD screen sits on top of the camera
body. The device weighs approximately 87 grams and measures 37.0 by 42.0 by
92.3 millimeters, excluding projecting parts, and runs on an internal
lithium-ion battery that Fujifilm says takes about two to three hours to
charge. The device ships with a camera angle adjustment accessory and a hand
strap already included.
What's Behind the Lens
The Pal 2 uses a 1/3.06-inch CMOS sensor with a
primary color filter, capturing images at up to 3,776 by 2,832 pixels in its
high-quality setting, or 1,280 by 960 pixels at a lower-quality setting. Its
lens has a focal length equivalent to 28 millimeters on a 35mm film camera, an
aperture of F2.2, and a focus range starting at 8 centimeters out to infinity.
The shutter speed switches automatically between 1/4 of a second and 1/8000 of
a second depending on the shot, and images save as JPEG files.
Turning Ten Shots Into an Animation
Beyond capturing still images, the Pal 2
includes an instax Animation shooting mode that captures 10 frames and turns
them into a flipbook-style animation. The camera also offers five filter
themes, each with six unique effects, giving a photographer 30 total filter
combinations to shoot with directly on the device.
Moving Photos Off the Camera
The Pal 2 holds up to 100 photos before a
transfer is required, and connects to a smartphone over Bluetooth 5.1 using the
free instax Pal app, which supports remote shutter control and photo transfer.
The camera also includes a built-in USB Type-C connector and accepts microSD,
microSDHC or microSDXC cards up to 2 terabytes, none of which are included in
the box.
Printing Through instax Film or Evo Cameras
The Pal 2 doesn't print photos on its own.
Instead, Fujifilm built it to work with separately sold instax smartphone
printers or instax Evo hybrid cameras, supporting instax mini, SQUARE and WIDE
instant film as well as frameless formats. Liem said this setup "puts
options in the palm of your hand," letting a photographer choose between
sending an image digitally or printing it through one of Fujifilm's other
instax devices. Each Pal 2 ships with a USB Type-C cable, a hand strap, the
camera angle adjustment accessory and a one-year limited warranty.
You have exceeded your free limits for viewing our premium content
Please subscribe to have unlimited access to our innovations.
Get The Latest In Innovation
Join Our Newsletter
Where bold ideas find bold readers.
