Not only can you once again buy a new Polaroid camera, but Fujifilm’s Instax has become a global phenomenon, and other companies like Kodak have gotten in on the action too. Some instant cameras even now pack digital tech too, allowing you to do things like take multiple shots before picking which to print, save digital copies of photos for your Instagram, or even print shots straight from your phone. Thanks to connected apps, others even offer interactive games and the chance to tweak your prints with stickers, filters, or QR codes to access videos and the like. The downside is that there are now multiple competing film formats, sizes, and brands, and it’s hard to know which instant camera is right for you. Luckily for you we’ve tested the leading cameras that are on the market, and here’s what we think.
Best instant camera reviews
Affordable Easy to use Range of colours
Toy-like design Too simple for some
The auto-exposure dial makes low light photography reasonably visible, and the design is slimmer and more refined than its predecessor overall. There aren’t any manual adjustments that users can make to the camera, but at this price point that’s to be expected. The Mini 11 prints on Instax’s Mini film – which produces pocket-sized polaroid-style photos. This instant camera is a compelling option for younger audiences with not much photography experience.
Compact retro design Long battery life Great physical controls
Expensive Limited storage
But you don’t just have to print snaps taken on the Evo – it can also connect to your phone and print photos, just like a standard portable printer. Combining the digital camera features with analogue buttons results in a fun shooting experience, and the fact that it doubles as an instant printer is the icing on the cake. It looks more professional than cheaper Instax models, with a retro-inspired design. That said, be prepared to spend a pretty penny to get your hands on one.
Classic square format Simple to use Great design
Chunky More expensive film
The SQ1 takes Instax Square film, which in turn means this is a bigger, chunkier camera than the Instax Minis. It comes in a similar range of attractive pastel colours though, and there’s a definite charm to the camera’s look. This is another Instax that’s designed to be as simple to use as possible. There are only two shooting modes – regular, and a selfie/macro mode you access by twisting the lens round. You can’t even turn the flash off. We wish it had a few more options to be honest, especially given its price, but if you want an easy-to-use Instax that shoots on square film, this is your best bet.
Prints digital photos Easy to use
Divisive design Still Expensive
The camera is also an instant printer, which allows you to print photos directly from your smartphone via the companion app very easily on to the Instax Mini film. It’s also generally an easy camera to navigate. The design is user-friendly, and you can choose from a number of different shooting options to enhance your experience. The camera itself is enough to give you a decent-quality image, with a little flair if you wish. However, the design may not be to everyone’s tastes. The Mini LiPlay lets you record audio and play it back via QR codes, though this feature may only be useful to a small portion of users. It sits just slightly higher than average on our price range, but the flexibility that this camera offers seems worth the extra bump in cost.
Retro aesthetic Easy to use
Pricier than Mini 11 No advanced options
As the name suggests, the Mini 40 takes Instax Mini format prints, and in fact this is essentially the same camera as the Mini 11 above – the functionality is almost identical, with the higher price driven by the premium, retro design. That means simple features: a flash, a selfie mirror, and two focal length settings. You don’t get a lot of flexibility, but the simplicity is welcome when you just want to point and shoot. If you’re not fussed on the design then save money and grab the Mini 11, but if you want an Instax Mini camera that feels like a camera, not a toy, then this is the one.
Retro design Tripod mountable Included accessories
Big and bulky Expensive
With a range of shooting options, supported by an app that enables remote controls and other modes, this is more complicated than some of the simple point-and-shoot cameras from Instax. That will appeal to capable photographers, but might put you off if you want something more straightforward. Like other Polaroid cameras it is big and bulky, and the film runs fairly expensive – but that’s the price you pay (literally) for getting the classic Polaroid camera design and iconic large format square prints, which obviously up the appeal.
Multiple shooting modes microSD support Compact design
Disappointing photo quality
Unlike the film used in an Instax Mini 11 camera, Zink paper uses heat to form images. Each sheet contains micro-crystals that produce either cyan, magenta or yellow hues depending on the intensity and duration of heat applied. When combined, you are left with the final image. This makes printing on the Step more affordable too. Colours are the most impressive when you have good lighting – but the prints can struggle with exposure. That said, there is an automatic flash available if you’re in darker conditions. The Kodak Step is a budget-friendly tech toy best suited for casual point and shoot use, making it ideal for students and scrapbook keepers.
Large prints Great for landscapes Easy to use
Big & heavy Ugly design
Controls are simple: two levels of autofocus for the 95mm lens, basic flash settings, and the option to reduce or increase exposure. It’s no surprise the Wide 300 excels at longer range, picking up more detail in landscape and building photos than its rivals, but struggling on close-ups or selfies – though the included close-up lens does help. Portraits can turn out great once you get used to framing for landscape though, with warm skin tones. The new orientation is also great for parties – it takes a lot less work to cram multiple people into the same shot now. Others get more intricate though, adding in functionality like long exposures, multiple exposures, different focus levels, customisable brightness, and more. All of these advanced features are nice to have, but you have to think about whether you’re the sort of photographer who’s really likely to use them. If you want to play around with multiple exposures or shoot photos in varied conditions then they might be worth it, but if you just want to take photos of your mates at parties, a simpler point-and-shoot will probably be plenty. Remember that if you don’t want to get your head round a whole new camera, you don’t have to – you might be better off buying an instant printer, which lets you print photos directly from your smartphone instead. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Digital hybrids let you export photos to other devices, and mean you can get the perfect photo before you hit print – saving you from wasting expensive film. The downside to that flexibility is that you lose some of the immediacy of a pure film camera. Part of the charm of using film is that you only get one chance – it saves you from fussy posing for the perfect shot. If you’re not going to commit to the old-fashioned appeal, why are you looking at instant cameras at all? Plus, the quality you can expect from the digital photos you export is pretty low – nothing compared to what you could expect from the camera on a budget smartphone, let alone any of the best phone cameras around. Most cameras can only take one type of film, so make sure you know which size you prefer before you pick your camera. You should consider price too – the larger prints tend to cost more, so your choice will affect the long-term running cost of your camera too. Some cameras from other manufacturers – such as Lomography – use Instax film too, so you don’t have to commit to a Fujifilm camera to take advantage of the film prints. Polaroid uses its own i-Type film, which sticks close to the classic Polaroid prints – about the same size as Instax Wide, but square rather than rectangular. You can use it in the Polaroid Now+ in our ranking, or the older Polaroid Now, OneStep+, and OneStep 2. Zink cameras tend to be cheaper – and so are the prints – but since the photos are digital they tend to have a bit less warmth to them, and the physical prints don’t have quite the same nostalgia value to them. We prefer the proper film by miles, but Zink will do the job if you’re on a budget. Tech Advisor’s Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he’s a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
