The SQ1 and SQ40 share a lens, flash, batteries and film, and cost the same at the last check, so the choice is the body. Buy the SQ1 unless you want the SQ40's black leatherette look; the discontinued SQ6 only makes sense used, for its self timer.
Fujifilm sells two analog Instax Square cameras, the SQ1 from 2020 and the SQ40 from 2023. The SQ40 replaced the SQ6, which launched in 2018 and is now discontinued. All three take the same Instax Square film and print the same 86 x 72 mm picture. The SQ1 and SQ40 are close enough that most of the decision is about how the camera looks and what it weighs.
What is actually different
Inside, the SQ1 and SQ40 are much the same camera. Both use a 65.75 mm f/12.6 lens, two components in two elements. Both set exposure themselves and fire the flash on every frame, with automatic light adjustment, a recycle time of 7.5 seconds or less and a range of 0.3 to 2.2 m. Both run 1/400 second at the fast end, with slow synchro for low light. You twist the lens to turn either camera on and to switch to selfie mode, which covers 0.3 to 0.5 m and comes with a selfie mirror. Two CR2 lithium cells last about 300 shots. Neither has a self timer, double exposure, bulb mode, a tripod socket or any manual control, and both work with the instax UP! app.
The differences are small. The SQ1’s normal focus starts at 0.5 m, the SQ40’s at 0.3 m. Fujifilm lists the SQ1’s shutter at 1.6 seconds to 1/400 and its exposure range at Lv 5.0 to 15.5 at ISO 800. The SQ40’s shutter runs 1/2 second to 1/400, and we do not have a published exposure range for it. The SQ1 weighs 390 g and the SQ40 weighs 453 g. The SQ40 measures 134.2 x 120.2 x 60.5 mm; we do not have verified dimensions for the SQ1. The SQ1 comes in Chalk White, Terracotta Orange and Glacier Blue. The SQ40 comes in black with a leatherette finish.
The SQ6 is the odd one out. It has the same 65.75 mm f/12.6 lens, retractable in this case, and the same 1.6 seconds to 1/400 shutter as the SQ1. What it adds is a self timer and a flash you can switch off or set to fill-in. It weighs 393 g and measures 118.7 x 128.1 x 58.1 mm. It does not list app support, and it came in Pearl White, Blush Gold and Graphite Gray.
Reviewers describe the SQ40 as a restyled SQ1. Trusted Reviews said it is not bursting with features but looks great and is easy to use, a good pick for anyone put off by the bright, colourful SQ1. TechRadar called it stylish and point-and-shoot simple, though pricier than the Mini 12 and restricting if you want to get creative. On the SQ1, DPReview said that despite a couple of quirks, photographers and non-photographers alike will find it fun to use. Casual Photophile said it delivers square-format instant photography without the fuss of the more feature-laden SQ6.
Price and film cost
At the price check on October 5, 2026, the SQ1 was $199.95 and the SQ40 was $200, a five-cent gap. Both were selling well above list. The SQ1 lists at $119.95, so it was $80 over. The SQ40 lists at $149.95, so it was $50.05 over. If you see either camera near its list price, that is a better deal than the numbers above.
The SQ6 has no current price. It is discontinued and only available second hand, so what you pay depends on the seller. Its list price was $129.95. We do not have a confirmed year for when Fujifilm stopped making it.
Film costs the same in all three. Instax Square film prints 86 x 72 mm with a 62 x 62 mm picture. A twin pack of 20 shots was $31.40 at Amazon on the same date, about $1.57 a shot. That makes 100 shots about $157, while the CR2 cells last about 300 shots in every one of these bodies.
Which one to buy
Buy the SQ1. It costs the same as the SQ40, takes the same picture through the same lens, and is 63 g lighter. Buyers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 677 ratings, against 4.4 out of 5 across 401 for the SQ40. Digital Camera World called it a superb, simple point-and-shoot.
Buy the SQ40 if you prefer its black leatherette body to the SQ1’s colours. Buyers who choose it mostly do so for that plainer, more classic look, and it focuses a little closer in normal mode. At today’s prices it costs no more than the SQ1, and it adds no features.
Look for a used SQ6 only if a self timer or the option to turn the flash off matters to you, and you are comfortable buying a discontinued camera second hand. It is the only one of the three with either feature. If you need a self timer and a tripod socket and do not care about the square picture, the Instax Wide 400 has both.
Where to buy
Instax Square SQ1$199.95 (list $119.95)Check price on Amazon
Instax Square SQ40$200.00 (list $149.95)Check price on Amazon- Instax Square SQ6DiscontinuedList $129.95
Specs side by side
Same on all three: Analog instant camera · Instax Square film · 86 x 72 mm print · 62 x 62 mm image · $1.57 a shot · selfie mirror · close-up mode · no double exposure · no bulb mode · no tripod socket · Power: 2 x CR2 lithium · Shots per battery / prints per charge: 300.
| Spec | Instax Square SQ1 | Instax Square SQ40 | Instax Square SQ6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Current | Current | Discontinued |
| Launched | 2020 | 2023 | 2018 |
| Lens | 65.75 mm f/12.6, 2 components 2 elements | 65.75 mm f/12.6, 2 components 2 elements | 65.75 mm f/12.6, 2 components 2 elements, retractable |
| Focus | fixed; 0.5 m and beyond, selfie mode 0.3 to 0.5 m | fixed; 0.3 m and beyond, selfie mode 0.3 to 0.5 m | fixed; selfie mode close focus |
| Exposure | automatic, Lv 5.0 to 15.5 (ISO 800) | automatic | automatic |
| Shutter | 1.6 to 1/400 s, slow synchro for low light | 1/2 to 1/400 s, slow synchro for low light | 1.6 to 1/400 s |
| Flash | constant firing flash, automatic light adjustment, recycle 7.5 s or less, range 0.3-2.2 m | constant firing flash, automatic light adjustment, recycle 7.5 s or less, range 0.3-2.2 m | automatic, with off/fill-in flash options |
| Self timer | No | No | Yes |
| App | instax UP! | instax UP! | n/a |
| Dimensions | n/a | 134.2 x 120.2 x 60.5 mm | 118.7 x 128.1 x 58.1 mm |
| Weight | 390 g | 453 g | 393 g |
| Colours | 3 (Chalk White, Terracotta Orange, Glacier Blue) | 1 (Black) | 3 (Pearl White, Blush Gold, Graphite Gray) |
| Street price | $199.95 (checked October 5, 2026) | $200.00 (checked October 5, 2026) | n/a |
| Amazon rating | 4.6 (677 ratings) | 4.4 (401 ratings) | n/a |
| Buy | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon | n/a |
Specs from manufacturer pages; prices and ratings checked October 5, 2026.
What reviewers and buyers say
Instax Square SQ1
Published reviews of the Instax Square SQ1:
- “Despite a couple of quirks, the SQ1 is a camera photographers and non-photographers alike will find fun to use, producing appealing Instax images even with only a basic understanding of photography.” (DPReview, 2020)
- “The Instax Square SQ1 is a superb, simple point-and-shoot instant camera, though it's missing features like the self-timer found on the discontinued SQ6.” (Digital Camera World, 2020)
- “The SQ1 delivers simple, square-format instant photography without any of the fuss of the more feature-laden SQ6.” (Casual Photophile, 2021-03)
Amazon buyers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 677 ratings.
Praised for: square format prints feel more premium than Mini prints, simple point-and-shoot operation, compact for a Square-format camera. Criticised for: no self-timer, unlike the discontinued SQ6, square film costs noticeably more per shot than Mini film.
Instax Square SQ40
Published reviews of the Instax Square SQ40:
- “The SQ40 isn't bursting with features, but it looks great and is incredibly easy to use, a good pick for anyone put off by the bright, colourful SQ1.” (Trusted Reviews, 2023)
- “If you're looking for a no-frills shooting experience, the SQ40 is one of the best instant cameras you can buy, though competition has grown since it launched.” (Digital Camera World, 2023)
- “The SQ40 is everything an instant camera should be: stylish, point-and-shoot simple, and it delivers decent-sized square prints, though it's pricier than the Mini 12 and restricting for anyone wanting to get more creative.” (TechRadar, 2023)
Amazon buyers rate it 4.4 out of 5 across 401 ratings.
Praised for: classic leatherette design looks more grown-up than the colorful SQ1, solid, weighty build. Criticised for: no advanced features beyond point-and-shoot, square film cost per shot is higher than Mini film.
Instax Square SQ6
Published reviews of the Instax Square SQ6:
- “The SQ6 was Fujifilm's first analog Square-format Instax camera, adding a self-timer and off/fill-in flash control that its successor, the SQ1, later dropped.” (DPReview, 2018)
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Instax Square SQ1 and SQ40?
Mostly the body. Both use a 65.75 mm f/12.6 lens, automatic exposure, a flash that fires on every shot, two CR2 lithium cells for about 300 shots and Instax Square film. The SQ40, launched in 2023, has a black leatherette finish, weighs 453 g and focuses from 0.3 m in normal mode. The SQ1, launched in 2020, weighs 390 g, comes in Chalk White, Terracotta Orange and Glacier Blue, and focuses from 0.5 m in normal mode. Neither has a self timer or a tripod socket.
Is the Instax SQ40 better than the SQ1?
Not in what it does. Trusted Reviews called the SQ40 a good pick for anyone put off by the bright, colourful SQ1, and the main difference buyers report is the classic look. At the October 2026 check the SQ40 was $200 and the SQ1 was $199.95, and buyers rate the SQ1 higher, 4.6 out of 5 against 4.4.
Does the Instax Square SQ1 have a self timer?
No. Neither the SQ1 nor the SQ40 has a self timer, and it is a recurring complaint about the SQ1. Digital Camera World called the SQ1 a superb, simple point-and-shoot that is missing the self timer found on the discontinued SQ6. The SQ6 also let you turn the flash off or force fill-in flash.
How much does Instax Square film cost per shot?
About $1.57 a shot. A twin pack of 20 shots was $31.40 at Amazon on October 5, 2026. The SQ1, SQ40 and SQ6 all take the same Instax Square film, which prints 86 x 72 mm with a 62 x 62 mm picture.