While instant cameras are great fun at parties, the Canon IVY CLIQ’s ZINK prints will leave you wanting more.

The popularity of instant cameras has seen a resurgence in recent years, and the IVY CLIQ is the Canon’s entry-level product targeted at this market. Fujifilm is currently dominating the instant camera market with their various Instax cameras and printers. Canon is hoping to compete by pricing the IVY CLIQ at just under US $100. Lacking some of the features of the more premium IVY CLIQ+, the IVY CLIQ is a no-thrills instant camera that creates photo prints using Polaroid’s ZINK Zero Ink Technology. The prints have a peel-apart back that turns them into stickers as well. The compact size of the IVY CLIQ allows it to fit into most pants and shirt pockets, making it easy to carry around. Is the Canon IVY CLIQ the right instant camera for you?

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Autofocus

Image Quality

Additional Image Samples

Conclusion

Likes

Dislikes

Pros and Cons

Pros

Low profile, pocketable design

ZINK prints double as stickers

Cons

Selfie mirror is tiny and nearly useless

ZINK prints do not cover the entire image captured

Optical viewfinder’s grid lines aren’t accurate

Will not capture images when no ZINK paper is loaded, even if a microSD card is inserted

Short battery life

ZINK photo paper has disappointing image quality

Gear Used

We tested the Canon IVY CLIQ Instant Camera Printer with Canon ZINK Photo Paper.

Tech Specs

Tech specs for the Canon IVY CLIQ Instant Camera Printer taken from Adorama

Takes 5 MP photos

Small selfie mirror

Print instant 2×3″ photos

MicroSD card slot

Reprint button on camera

All photos have a peel & stick back

Ergonomics

The front of the Canon IVY CLIQ is minimalist. The camera’s front element is surrounded by a large black plastic ring, likely to emulate the look of much larger lenses. A tiny, fingernail-sized selfie mirror can be found adjacent to the camera’s front element. Also visible on the front of the IVY CLIQ are the small LED flash and the optical viewfinder.

The minimalist design continues on the rear of the IVY CLIQ. The rear of the camera is covered with tiny bumps that give the back of the camera some texture, making it easy to grip. Most of the space on the back of the camera is taken up by the ZINK paper compartment’s cover. Above the cover, you’ll find the optical viewfinder, the print aspect ratio button, and the reprint button. You can choose whether the IVY CLIQ will print rectangular 2″ x 3″ prints or square 2″ x 2″ prints using the print aspect ratio button. The reprint button will reprint the last image taken with the IVY CLIQ, handy for when you want to give copies of selfies to friends at a party.

Looking at the top of the IVY CLIQ, you’ll find a status light, the power button, and the shutter button.

Finally, we move to the bottom of the IVY CLIQ where we’ll find the micro USB charging port, microSD card slot, and the small reset hole.

Build Quality

The Canon IVY CLIQ is a lightweight instant camera that can fit into most pants and shirt pockets. While the plasticky exterior of the IVY CLIQ helps keep the camera’s weight low, it also gives it a toy-like feeling in hand. A rugged camera the IVY CLIQ is not, so you’ll want to handle it with care, but the back of the IVY CLIQ does feature tiny bumps that help give the camera extra grip. If you’re accident prone, the included wrist strap will help minimize the chances of dropping the camera. During our time with the IVY CLIQ, the ZINK paper compartment cover slid open unintentionally on more than one occasion. If you’re storing the IVY CLIQ in tight pockets or compartments in your bag, you’ll want to be careful not to open the compartment accidentally when pulling the camera out. Having ZINK paper fall out of the camera was quite annoying. A revised rear cover design would be welcomed should Canon revise the IVY CLIQ’s design in the future.

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