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

Even in an increasingly digital, AI-driven world, analogue instant film and retro-style cameras remain popular with both nostalgia and charm. Instant cameras in particular stand out for their simplicity and the fact that their experience remains largely unchanged over time.

Fujifilm’s $175 Instax Wide 400 builds on the familiar instant photography experience and extends it with a wider format. As someone who prefers simple and easy-to-use instant cameras and often shoots with Instax squares, I wanted to try a model that was also compatible with larger prints and landscape photography.

The Instax Wide 400 is made for capturing group shots, beautiful landscapes, and moments when it’s important to capture more of the scene in the frame. You can create 62 x 99 mm prints, which is nearly twice the size of an Instax Mini photo, giving you much more space to work with on every shot.

As a simple point-and-shoot camera, no prior shooting experience is required and it is designed to be easy and intuitive to use. Fun and simplicity are more appealing than advanced operability.

Due to its one-button design, the camera does not have manual exposure controls. Flash, focus, and other settings are automatically managed for you, so all you have to do is frame your image and shoot.

When the lighting is ideal, images print with high saturation, beautiful colors and plenty of detail. I was very impressed with its quality as it was able to capture accurate colors and even distant details.

However, the camera’s simplicity comes with some trade-offs, as there’s not much you can do to brighten your photos if the lighting conditions aren’t ideal. Scenes with high contrast, such as dark trees against a bright sky, tended to blur details, resulting in some less-than-ideal shots.

The rest of the camera is equally easy. To turn on the camera, rotate the lens counterclockwise. The first click activates close-up mode for subjects approximately 0.9 to 3 meters away. Turn it again to switch to landscape mode for distant subjects more than 3 meters away. Rotating the lens clockwise will turn off the camera.

The camera comes with a close-up lens attachment that can be snapped to the front for close-up shots. I found this attachment to be effective in avoiding focus and blur issues when shooting close-ups.

Loading the cartridge is easy and includes guidelines to help properly align the cartridge in the camera. The door closes securely with a latched twist lock. There’s also a small indicator on the back that shows how much film is left.

At 162 mm x 98 mm x 123 mm and 1.4 pounds, the camera is quite bulky. It’s definitely larger than the Instax Mini camera and Instax Square models. But I wasn’t really surprised by its size, as it’s only natural that bigger photos require a bigger camera.

However, it’s not something you want to carry around without a bag. The shoulder straps are helpful, but I was very careful not to bump into people or objects in crowded areas. Instax offers a camera case that is sold separately, but I wasn’t able to purchase it with my review unit, so I can’t speak to that.

It’s a little bulky so it’s quite noticeable and attracted the attention of a few people during the test. An employee at a downtown gelato shop stopped by and complimented me on how cool-looking the camera was.

This kind of consideration is also one of the attractions.

The camera’s self-timer is a useful feature that allows you to capture everyone in a photo without having to press the shutter button. It works by pressing the lever on the side and selecting one of four durations from 2 seconds to 10 seconds. The camera emits a ticking sound to indicate the timer is active, and a red light provides a visual countdown.

If you don’t have a tripod, the camera strap includes two angle adjustment accessories to help support and position your camera on a flat surface. To use it, slide it into the recessed space on the underside of the camera, set the self-timer, and return to the frame.

Camera film is available in standard white frame, black frame, metallic border, and monochrome. Fujifilm sent me a standard white film with the review unit, and that’s the film I used for this review. Each box contains 20 films and is priced between $25 and $28.

You can choose from two colors: green and jet black. As someone who loves shades of green, I loved that the color of the camera gave it a more playful and fun vibe.

Overall, I think this camera is a great choice for people of all ages, as it’s simple enough for kids and teens just getting into photography, yet provides high-quality images.