October 9 is the date. That is when Fujifilm’s instax Link WIDE 2 smartphone printer goes on sale in Japan, the company said in its September 15 announcement. It prints instax images twice the size of mini-format ones.
The original Link WIDE earned a global following for large, vivid prints of group photos and landscapes. The sequel adds a redesigned body and new features. One is a function called Photo Mixer in the dedicated app.
Photo Mixer
Photo Mixer builds collages on its own. Pick the photos you like, and the app suggests several layouts. Choose one, and it adjusts image size, angle, layout, text placement and font style to suit. Suggested collages can be edited before printing: resize and move photos, add text and stamps.
A cutout function, powered by image analysis, pulls people and objects out of photos so they can sit in a collage as the focus. The result looks like a scrapbook page. The wide print area is meant for gathering highlights from trips and events that would not fit on one print before.
Body and colors
The printer comes in two-tone finishes, “Duo Beige” and “Duo Blue”, pairing a soft light color with a dark one. Either side can face outward, so owners can match it to their mood or room. Fujifilm said it will keep proposing new ways to enjoy photography through instax prints.
Pricing was not given, and Fujifilm named no markets beyond Japan.
