Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 hands-on review: A fresh new look

Fujifilm launched its latest instant camera today (June 18, 2024), the Instax Wide 400, and it’s the much-awaited successor to the 10-year-old Instax Wide 300 — one of the best instant cameras around — which was launched all the way back in 2014. Fujifilm's largest instant camera now has a fresher look in a gorgeous sage green colorway, with a rounded body for better handling.

The Instax Wide 400 shoots double the width of Instax mini film — the prints measure 4.25 x 3.34 inches with an image area of 3.89 x 2.44 inches, and take just under two minutes to develop. The camera retains a lot of its predecessor's features, such as the fixed 95mm focal length and a close-up lens attachment for macro photos at 40cm from the subject. But there are some new changes too. There's a handy self-timer feature which can be set at increments of 2 seconds up to 10, and a new strap with two adjustment feet which lets you prop the camera at two different angles.

Ahead of our full Instax Wide 400 review, we had the chance to get hands on with the camera for a few hours — here's the result.

Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: Specs

Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: What I like

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is a gorgeous camera. It looks more modern than its predecessor, allows you to capture a lot of the scene, and I love the new self-timer.

Design and build quality

Given that the Instax Wide 400 uses wide format film, it should come as no shock that this is a bulky camera. The camera measures 6.37 x 4.84 x 3.85 inches and I was a little skeptical about how it would feel to hold, so I was pleasantly surprised by how light it feels in your hands. It weighs 21.72 ounces, which is heavier than the Fujifilm Instax mini 99 (14 ounces), but it's comfortable to hold. Despite the all-plastic build, it looks and feels premium too. The Instax Wide 400 looks better than its predecessor, as the optical viewfinder and handgrip don't jut out awkwardly from the body.

Ergonomically friendly

The Instax Wide 400 is a point-and-shoot camera, so there's only one button you need to familiarize yourself with: the shutter button on the handgrip. This provides tactile feedback when pressed and sits at a 45-degree angle, which feels natural under your index finger — it's a lot more comfortable than the shutter button on the Polaroid Go Gen 2.

Detailed prints

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I really enjoyed shooting with the Instax Wide 400. It has a 95mm f/14 maximum aperture lens with a wide angle of view. The wide film captures a lot of the scene so it's the ideal instant camera for group photos, landscapes and sports. For selfies, you get a handy self-timer which can be set to 2, 4, 6 and 10 seconds. The prints turned out nicely, and are well-detailed with some extra saturation due to the film's glossy finish.

A 20-film pack of Instax Wide color film will cost you $18 / £16, or you can get a 10-film monochrome pack for $14 / £11.

Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: What I don't like

While the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is a likeable camera, it does have its shortcomings, and there are a few things I was a little disappointed with.

Disposable batteries

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400's handgrip houses a battery compartment for four AA batteries which will last you approximately 10 packs of film. I'm personally not a fan of disposable batteries as they aren't good for the environment when not disposed of properly, so I'd have preferred a rechargeable one.

No exposure control

There's no way to manually change the exposure on the Instax Wide 400 — a feature we loved on the Instax mini 99. Your creative capabilities are also limited as there aren't any fun modes, like double exposure, which I really enjoyed using on the Polaroid Go Gen 2.

No flash control

The Instax Wide 400 has a built-in automatic electronic flash. You can't turn the flash on/off manually as an integrated sensor reads ambient light to determine if the flash should fire. This can prove to be a little frustrating as it gives you less control over the camera.

Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: Outlook

My initial time with the Instax Wide 400 was brief but enjoyable. As a simple point-and-shoot camera, you don't need much time to get acquainted with Fujifilm's latest offering. It isn't the most portable of cameras, but I think the Instax Wide 400 will still appeal to people who like to travel, as the wide prints capture so much of any scene. It looks cuter and more modern than the Instax Wide 300, and with the addition of a self-timer, you don't have to always be behind the camera.

Although there are some features it would have benefitted from — such as manual exposure and flash control — the Instax Wide 400 is still a likeable camera, and we're looking forward to seeing what else it is capable of.

The Instax Wide 400 will be available in the sage green colorway on 12 July for $149 / £129.