A few weeks back we covered Fujifilm’s Instax Mini EVO, an instant camera-digital camera hybrid that prints its own photos with the aid of Fujifilm’s EVO app. Excited for all the possibilities this Instant camera offers creatives, we saw it fitting to also cover Fujifilm’s Instax Link WIDE printer, which brings even more customization options to those looking to see their photography printed in Instant Film format. Let’s dive into more about this exciting printer below.
Build
The Instax Link WIDE is consistent with the Fujifilm brand with its compact size and fun design. Measuring 5.5 x 1.3 x 5 inches, and weighing only 12oz, the Link WIDE printer is easy to use on the go, befitting of a device that runs via mobile app. The printer uses Lithium-Ion batteries and comes with its own charger when purchased. A full charge can take around 80-120 minutes, lasting around 100 prints, giving you plenty of use before needing more juice. The prints themselves are the largest in the Instax print line-up, measuring 2.4 x 3.9 inches with a 1260 x 800 dpi color resolution, meaning you get some beautiful outcomes with this device. I printed both photos taken with my smartphone and mirrorless camera–the Link WIDE was able to produce beautiful color renditions for both.
Features
Aside from being, well, a printer—the Instax Link WIDE offers a deluge of features that the user can control via the Instax Link WIDE smartphone app. By easily connecting your printer to your phone through Bluetooth, you are given the options to not just print photos taken with an Instant camera, but any photo in your smartphone album. In fact, the app supports JPEG, PNG, HGIF, and DNG file formats, giving you a ton of flexibility with your file saving options.
Through the Simple Print feature, these photos will be brought to life in a matter of seconds, also offering you the ability to edit aspects such as the exposure, contrast, and saturation of the photos. Editable Template Print allows you to add text, stickers, and emojis to your photos, all of which can be customized in size, color, and rotation. You can also use this feature to add a Sepia, Monotone, or an Auto-Filter onto the photo.
Collage print is a feature reminiscent of some formats popular on Instagram, giving users the option to use multiple photos in one print, and customize borders for more creative output. There are also 29 pre-made templates that give users a base to work with while still giving them the space to customize their images as they would like.
The last two options are my personal favorites: the first being the Sketch and Edit option, which allows you to take a photo of a sketch with your phone and paste it onto your print. I’m not sure how the people at Fujifilm thought of this one, but I’m glad they did because it can lead to a ton of possibilities. Lastly, the app gives you the option to add a QR code to your photo. Through the QR code people can access your website, a recorded sound, a location, or a hidden message. With this function you can turn your Instax photo into a business card, a link to your website, or really anything you can think of.
Verdict
The Instax Link WIDE not only gives you an affordable option to print your own photography onto instant film, but puts the vision into your hands. We love when Fujifilm thinks outside of the box and highly recommend this product to anyone who loves the Instax Film format and wants to experiment with the medium.
It’s safe to say the Instax Link WIDE is more than just a printer.
