Fujifilm has introduced Instax Pal, its latest instant-digital camera hybrid. It’s as tiny as a keychain, it looks adorable and offers tons of options to play with. However, it’s separated it from the printer, making everything unnecessarily complicated. You need your phone and a dedicated Instax printer to get a tangible batch of your favorite snaps.

The Instax Pal is a user-friendly, small camera designed for people aged 13 and above. Although, I don’t think we who are far above 13 would find it that interesting. It lets you take photos and print them separately on an Instax printer and “capture life’s spontaneous moments for photo printing,” according to the company.

On the plus side, Instax Pal pairs with any Instax printer like Mini Link, Square Link, or Link Wide. This means you can print in any format. It’s also cool if you already have an Instax printer so you don’t have to pay an extra $150 to get one and complete your mini new camera.

Instax Pal automatically adjusts its settings to different lighting conditions, indoors or outdoors. You can also use a built-in flash, and add a bunch of effects to your photos. You can shoot by pressing the shutter or using an app to control the camera remotely. Additionally, the camera can quickly take a few pictures in a row.

It comes with a detachable ring which can be a strap, a camera stand, or a “simple viewfinder” which I highly doubt. The camera has a speaker for audio alerts, and you can record your own voice to personalize it. Despite such a small size, it even has a tripod mount. Before we move on, here are the full specs:

Camera function
Image sensor
1/5-inch CMOS with primary color filter
Number of recorded pixels
2560 × 1920
Storage media
Internal memory, microSD/microSDHC memory card
Storage capacity
Approximately 50 images in internal memory, approximately 850 images per 1 GB in microSD/microSDHC memory card
Maximum number of shots when the app is not connected
50 shots
Recording method
DCF compliant Exif Ver 2.3
Focus distance
f = 16.25 mm (35 mm film equivalent)
Aperture
F2.2
Shooting distance
19.4 cm to ∞
Shutter speed
1/4 second to 1/8000 second (automatic switching)
Shooting sensitivity
ISO100 to 1600 (automatic switching)
Exposure control
Program AE
Exposure compensation
−2.0 EV to +2.0 EV (1/3 EV step)
Metering method
TTL 256 split metering, multi metering
White balance
Auto
Flash
Automatic/OFF/ON
Shooting range with flash: Approximately 60 cm to 1.5 m
Self-timer
Approximately 2 seconds / approximately 10 seconds
Zoom
Not equipped
Other function
External interface
USB Type-C port (for charging only)
Power supply
Lithium ion battery (built-in type)
Charging time
Approximately 2 to 3 hours
* Charging time depends on the
temperature.
Main unit dimensions
42.3 mm × 44.4 mm × 43.0 mm (excluding projecting parts)
Main unit weight
Approximately 41 g
Operating environment
Temperature: 5°C to 35°C
Humidity: 20% to 80% (no condensation)
Direct print compatible models
INSTAX mini Link™
INSTAX mini Link2™
INSTAX SQUARE Link™
INSTAX Link WIDE™
Models that can print via the app
INSTAX mini Link™
INSTAX mini Link2™
INSTAX SQUARE Link™
INSTAX Link WIDE™
INSTAX mini Evo™
INSTAX mini Liplay™
Shooting format
INSTAX mini™
INSTAX SQUARE™
INSTAX WIDE™
Number of transfer data pixels
mini: W600 × H800 pixels SQUARE: W800 × H800 pixels WIDE: W1260 × H840 pixels
Image transfer time
mini: Approx. 10 sec/shot SQUARE: Approx. 15 sec/shot WIDE: Approx. 20 sec/shot

Now, remember I sad that using this camera is unnecessarily complicated? When you take photos, you need the smartphone app to edit them and share them online. But if you also want to print them, it gets even more complex. You need a Fujifilm printer, and a separate app for it. Then you take photos with the Instax Pal, transfer them to your phone through the app, and then print them from your phone via the printer. I got tired just writing this.

The Instax Pal package, along with its app, will be available at the end of October. Another downside is that it will cost $200. It’s the same price as the Instax Mini EVO, which is also a hybrid instant-digital camera. But, remember that Instax Pal also requires a separate printer, which is an additional $100-$150. It looks like fun, but is it worth it? I’ll let you decide and tell us in the comments.