The Instax Wide 400 takes the simplicity of instant photography and literally expands it

In an increasingly AI-driven and digital world, analog instant film and retro-style cameras remain popular, fueled by a combination of both nostalgia and appeal. Instant cameras in particular stand out for their simplicity and experience that remains largely unchanged over time.

Fujifilm’s $175 Instax Wide 400 builds on the familiar instant photography experience and expands it with a wider format. As someone who appreciates simple, easy-to-use instant cameras and often shoots with the Instax Square, I was interested in trying a model that offered support for larger prints and landscape photography.

The Instax Wide 400 is built for capturing group shots, scenic landscapes, and more moments where framing the scene really matters. It produces 62×99mm prints that are nearly twice the size of Instax Mini photos, giving you more room to work with each shot.

Being a simple point-and-shoot camera, it requires no photography experience and is designed to be easy and intuitive to use. Its appeal lies more in fun and simplicity than in advanced controls.

With its one-button design, the camera offers no manual exposure control. It automatically controls the flash, focus and other settings and lets you simply frame the picture and shoot.

When the lighting is ideal, images print with a good amount of detail, with nice color and some added saturation. I was very impressed with the quality as it managed to pick out accurate colors and distant details.

However, the simplicity of the camera has some advantages, because unless you’re in ideal lighting conditions, there’s not much you can do to make photos brighter. I ended up with less-than-ideal shots, as details tended to blend together in high-contrast scenes, such as dark trees against a bright sky.

The rest of the camera is equally simple. Turn the lens counterclockwise to turn the camera on. The first click activates close-up mode for objects approximately 0.9-3 meters away. Flipping it again switches to landscape mode for objects more than three meters away. Rotating the lens clockwise turns the camera off.

The camera comes with a close-up lens mount that attaches to the front for close-up shots. I found the attachment to be good at helping avoid focus and blur issues when shooting close-ups.

Loading the cartridge is simple, with guide lines to help align it correctly in the camera. The door is securely closed using a locking lock. There’s also a small indicator on the back that shows how much film is left.

At 162mm x 98mm x 123mm and 1.4 pounds, the camera is quite large. It is noticeably larger than the Instax Mini cameras and the Instax Square models. However, I wasn’t too impressed with the size, as larger photos require a larger camera.

That said, it’s not something you want to carry around without a bag, and while the shoulder strap helps, I was still aware of it and careful not to bump it into people or things in busy areas. While Instax offers a camera case sold separately, I didn’t receive one with my review unit, so I can’t speak to that.

Since it’s a bit bulky, it’s quite noticeable and caught the attention of a few people when I tested it. An employee at a downtown gelato shop even stopped to compliment it, calling it a “cool looking camera.”

That kind of attention is part of the appeal.

The camera’s self-timer is a nice feature because it lets you get everyone in the frame without anyone having to press the shutter button. It works by pressing the lever on the side and selecting one of four durations ranging from two to 10 seconds. The camera makes a clicking sound to indicate the timer is active, and red lights provide a visual countdown.

If you don’t have a tripod, the camera strap includes two angle adjustment accessories that can help you prop and position the camera on a flat surface. To use one, slide it into the recessed slot on the bottom of the camera, set the self-timer, and slide it back into the frame.

Camera film is available in standard white frame, black frame, metallic borders and monochrome. Fujifilm sent me standard white film along with my review unit, which is the film I used for this review. Each box of film comes with 20 sheets and costs between $25 and $28.

As far as colors are concerned, the Instax Wide 400 comes in two variants: green and jet black. As someone who loves a good shade of green, I liked how the camera color gave it a more playful, fun vibe.

Overall, I think this camera is a great choice for people of all ages, as it delivers high-quality images while being simple enough for kids and teenagers new to photography.