✅ 17 years reviewing cameras
✅ Over 2,200 reviews
✅ ️48,000 hours of testing
✅ 25 instant cameras tested
The best instant cameras do something that no other camera can do: give you an immediate, physical, one-of-a-kind, actual photograph!
These photos can be gifted, scrapbooked, slipped into greetings cards, stuck on the fridge, kept in a wallet… in short, the best instant cameras produce real photographs on the spot. I love using them at weddings or on days out with friends.
While most models are analog, popping out an image as soon as you press the shutter, there are also digital instant cameras that combine a digital camera with a built-in printer – so you can choose which shots to print (and when you print them). Here, though, we're focusing on the analog kind.
My top pick is the Instax Mini 12, which is the perfect blend of quality, size and price. Speaking of, I believe that these cameras should be affordable – so I haven't included the likes of the Polaroid I-2 (with its eye-watering $600 / £600 / AU£1,000 price tag), even though what it's technically the best instant camera ever made!
What I look for
Above all, I think instant cameras are about one thing: taking photographs quickly and easily. Cameras score extra points with me for packing in more features, but if that interferes with their ease of use then that will count against them.
Quality of photos is obviously crucial as well, but bear in mind that with instant cameras this is more down to the kind of film used by each system more than the cameras themselves (see the Instax vs Polaroid section for more on that). Ditto how fast the pictures take to develop.
Battery life is the other big one. Instant cameras have built-in flash units and mechanical parts to process photos – so they burn through energy pretty fast. And a camera with no juice isn't much use!
I took my first Polaroid in 1984, and I've been addicted to instant cameras ever since! I've still got a Polaroid 600 from the 1980s, and I bought the very first Instax camera ever made (the Mini 10) which is now 25 years old. I currently own 19 instant cameras, and my collection keeps growing!
The Quick List
This is the quickest way to navigate the best instant cameras. Check out my quick thoughts below, and you can jump to my in-depth verdict of each pick along with specs and a link to my full review.
If you're looking for your first instant camera, this is the one to get! It's affordable enough to be a spontaneous purchase, but I think the quality is up there with much more expensive models. It's also super compact and uber-cute – and the film is very affordable, too.
Read more below
Polaroid is the OG of instant cameras, and the Now+ Generation 2 is the Polaroid I always reach for. I love its full-size images and great quality, but I also love how fully featured it is – using the Polaroid app on your phone, this is an absolute powerhouse for creativity.
Read more below
If you want the best that Instax has to offer, it's gotta be the Mini 99. While the Mini 12 boasts bubblegum colors and contours, the 99 is sleek, serious, and is far and away the most creative Instax thanks to the internal LEDs that create in-camera light and color effects.
Read more below
If you love to capture scope in your images, this camera produces the widest prints possible! It uses Instax Wide film with a rectangular image ratio that's perfect for group shots, landscapes and photos to put on the fridge. It's a big huge tank that takes big huge shots!
Read more below
The Go is truly picket-size, coming in even smaller than the Instax Mini 12. I think it's the cutest camera ever made, and it's perfect for passing around at parties and getting people talking. It's also the ideal size for kids' hands, if they catch the photo bug.
Read more below
If you want square photos with the best conventional image quality, I suggest going for the SQ40 – its photos are smaller than Polaroids, but they're much punchier (not to mention cheaper). Like the Mini 99, it also looks a bit more grown-up than the other Instaxes.
Read more below
The best instant cameras I recommend
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Here are my detailed thoughts on each of the best instant cameras that have made the cut for this guide. I've tested them all out, and I also personally own quite a few of these – I put my money where my mouth is, so you can trust my recommendations!
Best budget
✅ You want great photos and great value: All Instax cameras boast (broadly) the same image quality, but the smaller size of Mini prints makes them the most affordable.
✅ You love color choices: Instax Minis come in five bright colors, so they're brilliant for expressing yourself – and perfect for gifting, if you know someone's favorite color!
❌ You already own a Mini 11: Not a huge amount has been changed since last year's model, so it's not worth the upgrade if you've already got an 11.
❌ You want a serious-looking camera: The candy colors and cutesy design aren't for everyone. For something a bit more grown-up, look to the Mini 99.
The Mini 12 is my top pick for a whole bunch of reasons, but above all is the price: if you've never owned one before, or you don't want to spend a lot of cash, this is the best bang-for-buck option. (Though if you're in the US, the Walmart-exclusive Instax Mini SE is even cheaper.)
Not only that, I love that the Mini 12 is super simple to use; just turn the lens to "On" to take regular pictures or "Close-up" to take selfies or close-up shots. No hassle, no complications.
It's also easy to compose your shots even when you're taking close-ups, thanks to "parallax correction" – which means what you see in the viewfinder is very close to what you get. No more wasted frames!
The camera comes in five different colors, though I'll be honest – the subdued hues aren't particularly to my taste, and I do miss the more fun and vibrant colors of previous generations. Still, it's nice to have choices – especially if you're giving one as a gift.
Crucially, the image quality is great too – it's actually on par with the Instax Mini 99, which is the most advanced model available. I just wish you could disable the flash (though you can cover it with a hand!).
Read our full Instax Mini 12 review for more details
Ease of use | ★★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Best Polaroid
✅ You want truly vintage-looking photos: Instax prints are cleaner and crisper, but Polaroid photos have that dreamy retro quality that's straight out of an old family photo album. This is the real "vintage look"!
✅ You love extra features: Pair this with your phone to unlock extra shooting modes, use the lens filters for cool in-camera effects, and there's even a mount for tripod use.
❌ You're worried about price: Polaroid film is more expensive than Instax, and you get less of it per pack – so this will cost you more per shot you take.
❌ You just want to shoot, not mess with settings: If you've got no interest in things like double exposures or light trails, you're paying for things you won't use.
While the Mini 12 is what I recommend to most people, the Polaroid Now+ Gen 2 is what I call "the photographer's instant camera". (The Gen 2 is identical to the original version, but has a USB-C instead of Micro USB port for charging.)
For most people, instant cameras are about straightforward snapping – but this is loaded with features that make it the best choice for anyone who loves taking creative photographs. As such, it's my personal favorite instant camera.
It offers creative functions like light painting, manual control, aperture priority, double exposures, portrait mode and more, all available through the phone app (which pairs instantly via Bluetooth and works like a dream).
Even better, it comes with physical lens filters that create cool in-camera effects (the red vignette filter is the pick of the bunch, in my opinion). And I love that it comes with a lens cap, to protect the lens!
It even has a tripod mount, which again isn't present on many other instant cameras, so you can take proper selfies and group shots using the self-timer – and I like using it to take advantage of the long exposure modes on offer.
It's a chunky, boxy thing that's a little bit cumbersome to hold, but the image quality is fantastic. Especially since Polaroid film is the same size (just a different shape) as Instax Wide – just remember that it's also pricier, so will cost more in the long run.
Read my full Polaroid Now+ Generation 2 review
Ease of use | ★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★★★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Best Instax
✅ You want to get creative: The Mini 99 features colored LEDs inside to simulate light leaks and other creative effects. It sounds cheesy, but it works brilliantly!
✅ You hate replacing batteries: This is the only analog Instax camera that comes with a rechargeable battery – so no more waste or scrambling around when you run dry.
❌ You're on a budget: This is the priciest Instax analog option, coming in about $100 / £75 / AU$100 more than other Instax Mini cameras.
❌ You want to take selfies: Bafflingly, unlike the cheaper Mini 12, there is no selfie mirror on the Mini 99 – so aiming and framing selfies is trickier.
I'll admit, I was skeptical when I first heard about the Mini 99's party piece: it has four colored LEDs inside the camera, which can turn on while you take pictures to produce in-camera effects.
But as soon as I tried it out, I was hooked! By flashing colored light during the exposure process, you get genuinely worthwhile effects like Faded Green, Warm Tone and (my personal favorite) Light Leak. They're not the tacky effects I feared, but rival the kinds of filters you find on Instagram – or even when shooting on old film cameras.
However, as exciting as the ability to have extra lights is the ability to turn them all off. While the flash on the Mini 12 is always on, here you can disable it when you want to – ideal when there's plenty of light and you don't want your subject or scene washed out.
While the double exposure mode is always fun, and the rear LCD display is really useful for seeing your settings, I found things like sports mode a bit needless (obviously this isn't a sports camera!) and I never bother with the included grip – though it does double as a tripod mount. And, infuriatingly, there's no selfie mirror!
Worth noting is that this is the only analog Instax with a rechargeable battery (which lasts the same 100-ish shots as AA batteries in other Instax cameras). So if you're worried about waste, this is a big plus – but obviously AAs are easier to replace if the camera runs out of juice at a party, rather than waiting for this one to recharge.
Read our full Instax Mini 99 review
Ease of use | ★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★★★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Best for wide photos
✅ You want the widest prints: Instax Wide film produces the widest images of any instant camera system. Perfect for those "prestige pics" and group shots.
✅ Simple to use: Unlike some rival wide cameras, the WIde 400 is incredibly straightforward to use – just turn the lens to turn it on, and start shooting.
❌ Not very feature rich: Despite being big, it doesn't pack a lot of features – though the self-timer and tripod mount are definitely very welcome.
❌ You want something small: This is a tank of a camera! Big and bulky, it's about the size of a medium format camera – you'll definitely need a big bag!
The Wide 400 is the daddy of the Instax family. It's powered by four AA batteries rather than the usual two, making this chunky camera bigger than some of my medium format cameras!
Still, it has to be this big to accommodate Instax Wide Film – which is the widest instant film you can buy (though not the biggest, as regular Polaroids actually have a slightly larger image area). I love using this for group shots, or landscapes, or anything I want to look big and impressive in a scrapbook or on the front of the fridge.
Helpfully, there's a self-timer and built-in tripod mount for these purposes. If you're somewhere with a sturdy surface, there's also a brilliantly simple height adjustment system built into the strap: essentially two small plastic "wedges" that you can put under the camera to prop up its viewing angle.
Sadly, though, there aren't any other features. I think Fujifilm made the right call by keeping things simple, so that anyone can use it, but I look at the long exposure and tripod mode on the Polaroid Now+ Gen 2 and can't help but wish that was available here as well.
The color is also pretty divisive, and it's the only option available (for now), so hopefully you don't mind it!
Read our full Instax Wide 400 review
Ease of use | ★★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Best pocket-sized
✅ You want a truly pocketable camera: "Fits in your pocket" doesn't always mean that, but the Go is smaller than the Instax Minis and really is pocket-sized!
✅ You want the smallest prints: Polaroid Go film is the smallest available, so it's perfect for wallet windows or slipping into the back of your phone case.
❌ "Image quality" is top priority: I love the dreamy look of Polaroids, but not everyone agrees – and Polaroid Go film tends to overexpose and undersaturate.
❌ Price per print is important: Polaroid film is always pricier than Instax, and that's the case here – your pennies go further with packs of Instax Mini film.
The Polaroid Go is officially the smallest analog instant camera you can buy – and I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. In fact, so does everyone who sees this camera! Trust me, if you want to make friends, just whip this out at a party – it's an instant conversation starter.
Not only is it the tiniest camera, it takes the tiniest pictures as well. It uses Polaroid Go film, which just like the camera itself is even smaller than its Instax Mini rival. And it's one of the most all-out fun cameras – instant or otherwise – that I've ever used.
Initially I thought that its tiny size – bearing in mind you can literally hold this camera between your thumb and forefinger – would make the Go difficult to hold and use. In fact, it's probably the easiest instant camera to handle! And because it's so teeny, it's the perfect size for small hands – and kids love taking pics with this camera.
Despite being even smaller than the Instax Mini 12, it boasts more features – such as double exposures, and a rechargeable battery with USB-C port – and even packs in a selfie mirror.
So what's the catch? Well, it's the image quality – there's no arguing that Instax Mini cameras take "better" photos, with crunchier contrast and more consistent colors.
Some people love the dreamy and imperfect quality of Polaroid film – but for some reason, Polaroid Go film is very prone to overexposure. On the one hand this gives them a washed-out nostalgic quality (which I personally enjoy), but they're definitely more "fun" than "forever" if you're thinking about keepers for a photo album.
Read my full Polaroid Go Generation 2 review
Ease of use | ★★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Best for square photos
✅ Fantastic battery life: The Square SQ40 gives you brilliant performance out of its batteries, lasting you around 30 packs of film – that's 300 shots!
✅ Great image quality: Photographs take on Instax film are consistent, contrasty, crisp and just plain great.
❌ You want easy-to-find batteries: While battery life is great, the SQ40 takes CR2 cells – which can be tricky to find, especially when on vacation.
❌ You want advanced features: If you want to get creative with things like double exposures, look to the Polaroid Now+ or the (smaller) Mini 99.
For me, Instax Square is the sweet spot of all the Instax formats. It's the Goldilocks "not too big, not too small" of the family, but I think it's also down to the square shape of the images: for me, it just works better for instant photography.
Of course, that puts it toe-to-toe with Polaroid cameras, like the Now+ Gen 2 above. So why would you go for one over the other?
Well, while I'm sad that Instax removed so many features from the Square lineup (such as a self-timer, tripod mount and double exposures, which were all in the discontinued SQ6), I appreciate that this camera is so straightforward to use. You can give this to anyone in your family, from kids to grandparents, and they can take a picture without having to read a manual to figure it out.
So basically, if you want a square camera with loads of shooting modes and special features, that's where the Polaroid Now+ comes in. If you just want a simple-to-use camera that takes great-quality photographs (and has a selfie mirror), the SQ40 is for you.
The best thing that this camera has going for it is the amazing battery life, which is good for around 300 shots – triple that of any other Instax! However, it achieves this by using extremely tricky-to-find CR2 batteries – which, wastefulness aside, can be a real pain to replace, as most stores don't carry them.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Square SQ40 review
Ease of use | ★★★★★ | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Features | ★★ | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Photo quality | ★★★★★ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Battery life | ★★★★★ | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Value | ★★★★ | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
Honorable mentions
There are so many instant cameras available (there are ten different kinds of Instax, for starters!) that it's really brutal having to come up with a short list. However, the cameras mentioned above are definitely my top recommendations.
Still, if you haven't found something that you feel is quite right for you, here are some honorable mentions that are also great cameras worth considering:
Instax vs Polaroid
When it comes to the best instant cameras, you're basically looking at the two big brands: Instax vs Polaroid. And there are some key differences between them – many of which come down to the film used by each system, which I break down more in the instant film types section below.
The main difference between the two brands is the design and handling. Modern Polaroid cameras keep the aesthetic and ergonomics of the traditional ones that your parents and grandparents might still have in their attic – which is to say that they are chunky art deco-looking rectangles, and aren't the most comfortable to hold and shoot with.
Instax cameras, by contrast, are typically easier to hold and use. Where Polaroids are thick and deep, Instaxes are long and slim – and some of the Minis have two shutter buttons, so you can hold the camera in portrait or landscape orientation.
Both systems accept cartridges of film, with Instax packs containing ten shots and Polaroids only having eight – so you'll need to reload the latter more often. Loading and emptying cartridges is equally easy on both systems.
The other big difference is battery life. You typically get more shots on Polaroids, which last for around 120 exposures compared to 100 for Instax cameras. The one exception is the Instax Square SQ40, which is good for an incredible 300 shots. Worth noting is that all Polaroids have built-in rechargeable batteries, whereas all Instaxes on this list aside from the Mini 99 (and Evo) take AA or CR2 batteries.
Instant film types
While there are only two different brands of instant camera in this guide, there are six different types of instant film – and they're all very different from each other! You can check out my guide to what type of instant film you need for the full breakdown, but here are the basics.
In the Instax camp, there are three different film formats: Instax Mini, Instax Square and Instax Wide. On the Polaroid side, there's Polaroid Go and standard Polaroid film – the latter of which comes in either 600 (where each film cartridge has a battery, so they will also work on vintage Polaroid cameras) or i-Type (which does not have a battery, so only work on modern Polaroids).
All Instax film behaves the same: photos are very high key and contrasty, with deep solid blacks, consistent colors, and they are typically very sharp. Polaroid film is generally less contrasty and more evenly exposed, while Polaroid Go film is prone to overexposure and undersaturation.
The next difference between the various formats is their physical shape and size, which I've broken down in the table below (but I think it's more helpful to see the visual comparison in the image above):
Film | Overall size | Image size | Image area |
|---|---|---|---|
Instax Mini | 54 x 85mm | 46 x 62mm | 2,852mm² |
Instax Square | 86 x 72mm | 62 x 62mm | 3,844mm² |
Instax Wide | 108 x 85mm | 99 x 62mm | 6,138mm² |
Polaroid Go | 53.9 x 66.6mm | 46 x 47mm | 2,162mm² |
Polaroid | 88 x 107mm | 79 x 79mm | 6,241mm² |
A key difference between the film formats are their development times and processes. Instax film develops in around 90 seconds, while Polaroid film takes 10-15 minutes – and on top of that, Polaroid film needs to develop in the dark (such as face-down on a table or in a pocket) while Instax film can process even in broad daylight.
Another big difference between the formats is their cost. It is cheaper to buy film packs in bulk, and both Instax and Polaroid tend to sell all their film in double-packs. However, all Instax film cartridges are loaded with ten exposures, while Polaroid cartridges only have eight.
This makes Instax film comparatively cheaper than Polaroid; even Instax Wide, the brand's physically largest film, is only marginally more expensive than Polaroid Go, the smallest instant film stock of any brand.
The below table contains a breakdown of the costs in US dollars (the relative price differences are the same in the UK and Australia):
Film | Price per pack | Price per print |
|---|---|---|
Instax Mini | $7.99 (10 shots) | $0.79 |
Instax Square | $9.99 (10 shots) | $0.99 |
Instax Wide | $13.99 (10 shots) | $1.39 |
Polaroid Go | $19.99 (16 shots) | $1.24 |
Polaroid | $16.99 (8 shots) | $2.12 |
How I test instant cameras
While the way I test instant cameras is slightly different to how we test and review mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, I still apply the same principles and empirical testing.
Since Digital Camera World receives cameras on their day of release or earlier, I've been able to evaluate their performance on a long-term basis – and spot any issues that only arise from extended use. This also helps me assess things like battery life, which you only get a feel for after taking hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds!) of shots.
I conducted comparative testing between every camera on this list (as well as my two honorable mentions), which you can see in the comparison photos section below. I tested them in a variety of environmental conditions – such as indoor, outdoor, backlit, flash / no flash – as well as their ability to take selfies and close-ups.
Where apps or special modes are present, I test those to see how well they work or if they're pointless spec sheet stuffers. And since each film format processes differently, I make sure to develop them precisely according to manufacturer instructions (such as making sure that Polaroids spend 15 minutes in total darkness).
Comparison photos
