The Best Instant Cameras (2024) for instant photography

Despite living in an era dominated by digital technology, instant cameras continue to maintain their popularity. People of all ages and skill levels are drawn to the best instant cameras due to their simplicity and user-friendly nature. This makes them particularly appealing for children and beginners in photography.

What sets these cameras apart is the incomparable uniqueness of their results. While individuals may spend hours attempting to recreate the aesthetic of Instagram filters and Lightroom presets, there’s nothing quite like the authenticity of instant photography. Brands such as Polaroid, Instax, and Lomography employ traditional photochemical exposure methods, enabling the creation of striking low-fidelity shots with crushed contrasts, vibrant colors, and ethereal exposures that can only be achieved with instant film.

Instant cameras encapsulate the enchantment of photography itself. With a simple press of a button, you can capture a moment unfolding before you and witness it come to life instantly. If you desire high-quality prints that exude a retro-cool vibe without breaking the bank, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 is an excellent option. The versatility of instant cameras extends beyond casual use as well.

Best Instant Cameras Comparison Table

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 11

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Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 11 is a good choice if all you want to do is press a button and get a good print for a fair price. It is a simple quick camera that is easy to set up and use, making it a good choice for kids or people who are just starting out with photography. We were able to put in the AA batteries and film (which was not included), quickly read the instructions, take a picture, and print in less than five minutes. It took about 20 seconds for the picture to start to show up and less than a minute for it to fully show up.

The Instax Mini 11 uses credit card-sized Instax Mini film, which usually costs around $0.99 per sheet and comes in packs with up to 20 pictures for around $19.99, though you can get it from Walmart right now for only $13.98. Unlike some other films, like the one you need for Kodak’s Mini Shot 3 Square Retro, Instax Mini film is easy to find at most big stores.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo

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With its black fake leather finish and silver accents, the Mini Evo has a vintage look like the Fujifilm X100V compact camera. Its plastic construction keeps it light. There is a 3-inch LCD screen for viewing photos, and the controls include a lens that turns to turn on the camera, two shutter buttons, flash, a preset dial, and a physical lever to print your pictures.

The hybrid design means you don’t have to waste paper and ink writing out every picture you take, and the camera can hold 45 pictures (or more with a microSD card) while still having the charm of an instant camera. We found that the Mini Evo’s image quality was similar to that of other Instax cameras, with bright colors and a good amount of detail. However, skin tones can come out quite pale, and the camera has trouble focusing in settings with less than ideal lighting.

Polaroid Now+

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The Polaroid Now+ is the most advanced Polaroid yet because it has a retro look and current features. On the outside, the Now+ doesn’t look too different from its vintage peers. It has the same iconic OneStep silhouette, but its lines are softer and more refined. Under the hood, though, things are much more modern.

If you use the Now+ by itself, it works just like a standard Polaroid: load the film, point, and shoot. There is a simple two-zone autofocus system, exposure correction to make your pictures brighter or darker, and a switch to turn the flash on and off. It also comes with a set of colored lens filters that you can use to make your photos look more creative.

Fujifilm Instax Wide 300

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With its 95mm f/14 lens, the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 camera makes instant pictures that are twice as wide as those made by the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11. It has an electric shutter release that can be set, an automatic flash for taking pictures in low light, and a focal zoom dial. Plus, the LCD screen shows you how many shots you have left, the exposure correction, and the flash mode.

With the fill flash mode, you can use backlighting to make your instant shots look better. The camera also comes with a close-up lens adapter, which lets you get as close to the subject as 15.5 inches.

Instax Mini 12

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This camera looks cool and is easy to carry. It comes in five soft colors to choose from. The new twistable lens makes it even easier to use than the Mini 11, which was the last camera of its kind. It has an auto-exposure mode and a flash, so it can take some pictures even when there isn’t much light. However, situations that are too dark or too bright aren’t good for taking pictures.

But users can use the Instax Up! app to share photos digitally and change them if they want to.Images are printed on Instax Mini film, which makes Polaroid-style shots that fit in your pocket. This instant camera is especially appealing to younger people who don’t know much about photos.

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1

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The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 instant camera has the best mix of performance and speed, and it costs less than every other model. It is a vintage film camera that you just point and click. There is only one shutter button. This means that anyone can pick it up and start taking pictures. Since the camera instantly adjusts its white balance and exposure for each setting, almost every photo comes out well-lit and colorful, just like our top-performing camera, the Instax Mini Evo, which is its big brother.

It’s easy to hold because it’s big and has a rough surface, and it comes in a lot of fun colors. When you’re ready to shoot, you just twist out the lens to turn it on, look through the scope, and press the shutter button. The Square doesn’t have a half-press button, but almost every shot it takes is in focus.

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