The best instant cameras are still incredibly popular, even in today's digital age. It's the simplicity of the best instant cameras that makes them so appealing for people of all ages and experience levels. After all, they're so straightforward that they make some of the best cameras for kids as well as the best cameras for beginners.
And the results are utterly unique; the best instant cameras can produce photos that people spend ages trying to recreate using Instagram filters and Lightroom presets. Yet there's nothing that matches the real deal! Cameras from Polaroid, Instax, and Lomography use a traditional photochemical exposure process that creates striking lo-fi shots with crushed contrast, saturated colors, and ethereal exposures that are unique to instant film.
There's also a new breed of digital instant film cameras, that combine the thrill of instant photography with the convenience of modern-day technology. Hybrid digital cameras combine a digital camera with a built-in printer so you can choose which shots you print, thereby saving on print costs.
We've divided our guide to the best instant cameras into sections for film and digital. If you pick the former, don’t forget to pick up the right kind of instant film to have plenty of ammunition for your shooting! And get the best Instax photo albums to display your finished prints.
best instant cameras: our top picks
Best instant camera overall
If you're after full-size instant photos that are great quality and possess that elusive 'vintage look', we found the Polaroid Now+ to be the best instant film camera available. It combines the same image quality and base shooting of the Polaroid Now and the modern-day features of the OneStep+ so that the user can have the best of both worlds.
Best hybrid instant camera
If we’re looking for one instant print camera that does it all – plus we’re satisfied with the credit card-sized print format output from the device itself – then the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo camera has much to recommend it.
Best budget instant camera
Fujifilm continues to perfect its most-popular instant camera, with new and improved power and lens controls, the camera is simpler to use than ever before, just simply point and shoot and the inbuilt auto exposure mode will do the rest. The camera has also has a minor redesign, with a smaller and more slender bubble-inspired shape.
The best instant cameras in 2023
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Instant film cameras
If you're after full-size instant photos that are great quality and possess that elusive 'vintage look', we found the Polaroid Now+ to be the best instant film camera available. It combines the same image quality and base shooting of the Polaroid Now and the modern-day features of the OneStep+ so that the user can have the best of both worlds.
It has several creative modes you can use such as light painting, aperture priority, double exposure, portrait mode, and many more which are available through the app.
There are also several physical lens filters that create a starburst effect, a red vignette, and blue, yellow, and orange colors for in-camera effects. The biggest downside to instant photography is how expensive the film is, but we had more fun using this than any other kind of film camera, and you will too. You might end up spending a fair amount on film, but the memories you capture with it will be priceless.
Read our full Polaroid Now+ review for more details
If we’re looking for one instant print camera that does it all – plus we’re satisfied with the credit card-sized print format output from the device itself – then the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo camera has much to recommend it.
Once we’d discovered what all the unmarked buttons do, and got over our initial period of familiarization, it quickly became apparent that, unusually, this isn’t an instant print camera we’ll rapidly become bored of. And that in our book makes it well worth the asking price.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo review for more details
Fujifilm continues to perfect its most-popular instant camera, with new and improved power and lens controls, the camera is simpler to use than ever before, just simply point and shoot and the inbuilt auto exposure mode will do the rest. The camera has also has a minor redesign, with a smaller and more slender bubble-inspired shape.
It's a shame the flash still cannot be disabled, but the new auto exposure system produces some mostly consistent results. The Instax Mini 12 still provides instant print gratification - not knowing how photos are going to turn out and watching them develop in front of you gave us that signature instant camera buzz during our time with the camera, and isn't that really what instant cameras are all about?
See also: Instax Mini 12 vs 11
The Polaroid Now is a welcome arrival to the Polaroid product line and a worthy addition to the increasingly crowded instant camera world. For pure point-and-shoot simplicity, we found the Polaroid Now very hard to beat – and while the Instax Mini 11 does have it beaten on price, we prefer the full-size square prints that Polaroid delivers.
And much as we love the Instax line, when you're shooting an old-school instant film there's nothing quite like the tactility of holding a big, boxy Polaroid. If you don't need the extra bells and whistles of the Polaroid Now+, the regular Polaroid Now is sure to wow.
Read our full Polaroid Now review for more details
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is a chunky, plastic camera that comes in a variety of refreshing pastel colors. It may not hot have the same vintage feel as the Polaroids but it does have its own charm. Whether you're going on holiday, attending a wedding, or escaping to the countryside for the weekend, the Instax Mini 11 is small enough to keep in your bag at all times.
You can also buy rather trendy, cross-body cases to keep them in so it's even more accessible. It's powered by two AA batteries, but while easy to find, we found battery life to be a weak point of the Instax Mini 11. Fujifilm has done away with the exposure control dial and instead opted for automatic exposure so you have one less thing to worry about and are less likely to waste shots.
The film works out at roughly $1.30/£1 per image though you can often save a little bit by bulk buying in packs of five. They make great gifts for adults or kids if you want an easy-to-use instant film camera.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 review for more details
Instax cameras are knockabout fun with a side of lo-fi cool, and none exemplify this more than the beautiful Instax Mini 40. With its stylish black-and-silver trim, the Mini 40 looks the part, and we found it incredibly simple to operate.
There are no exposure controls, or really controls of any kind; you just point, and shoot. This might be a bit too simple for some users, but if you're the kind of person who just wants to produce instant images without having to worry about it, this is a fantastic buy. The simplicity also makes it a good option for kids, who will be able to easily get the hang of operating it.
Instax prints are smaller than Polaroids, but still, look pretty great, and will develop with unbelievable speed. Plus, let's not forget, that the film is cheaper to buy, and these costs will add up over time if you're a frequent shooter.
Read our full Instax Mini 40 review for more details
The Polaroid Go is a palm-sized camera that everyone will fall in love with faster than it takes a photo to develop. Bigger instant cameras balance exposures better, and rival Instax Mini cameras deliver slightly better image quality indoors, but neither are as fun to use nor will make you as many friends as the Go… which still produced pleasing pics when we tested it.
A consideration is that Instax Mini film works out cheaper than Polaroid Go film, but then you'll also need to replace those AA batteries on the Mini whereas the Go just needs a USB connection to top up the power. And the Go boasts double exposures, which you won't get unless you opt for pricier options like the Instax Mini 90.
A fun and funky little camera, the Polaroid Go will be the star of your next party and will deposit an endless amount of memories in your pocket or wallet. And if you've got kids, this could be the ideal camera for little hands to get started with. Don't forget to pick up a pack of the new Polaroid Go instant film.
Read our full Polaroid Go review for more details
Available in brown or black, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic is Fujifilm’s only instant camera to handily come with a rechargeable battery, which the company claims will last as long as 10 (credit card-sized) film packs. With retro styling, it feels like it's pitched at the photo enthusiast, with some manual control over exposure and even the option to disable the built-in flash if you feel pictures are too bright.
A double exposure mode extends creativity options for the curious (although the results were a bit hit and miss when we got stuck into these features) as does a shutter-release button above its lens, which doubles up as a selfie mirror (another shutter-release button is in the usual top-plate location). The advantage here over a cheaper instant-print camera is an LCD display strip at the back revealing your chosen settings. We found the viewfinder to be small but adequate for its purpose, while the faux leather finish adds a splash of style.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 review for more details
The Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 is the big daddy of the Instax family. It's powered by four AA batteries rather than the usual two but this chunky camera isn't far off the size of a medium format system. It's able to deliver much larger prints using the Instax Wide film packs which makes it much better for group shots.
However, if you're looking for a camera to take selfies with, the chunky design of the Instax Wide 300 makes it really hard so one of the smaller cameras on this list might be better. Despite its size, it is still relatively lightweight thanks to its plastic build and it benefits from a lens that can extend up to 95mm.
We found the built-in flash to be much more powerful than on other Instax cameras and is great for use as a fill although the viewfinder is still really small. It doesn't have any creative modes and can't be used with an app but if you just want larger prints, then this is the best option for you.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 review for more details
The Instax Square SQ1 is powered by two small CR2 lithium batteries (included) that the manufacturer claims will last a whopping 300 shots (30 packs of film). As you might expect the camera uses Instax Square film, with a size and shape reminiscent of traditional Polaroid prints.
During our time with the camera we were blown away with how easy it was to use, with automatic exposure and focus (after you select between standard or close-up shooting), so you simply point and shoot and you get a pristine photograph whether you're indoors or outdoors.
The only reason this isn't ranked higher is that it omits a number of really useful features from the now-discontinued Instax Square SQ6, such as a self-timer, tripod mount, and double exposures. So if you want more advanced features you're best to look towards Polaroid's options, but if you want straightforward shooting with sumptuous square shot, look no further.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 review for more details
Digital instant cameras
Not only can you take photos using the Instax Hybrid Mini LiPlay but it can also print photos from your phone. It's small enough to fit in your pocket which makes it perfect for having on you at all times and there is space for a Micro SD card so can images can be stored as well as printed.
Its gorgeous design makes it stand out from the other digital instant film cameras and it comes in a range of colors including Blush Gold (our favorite), Stone White, and Elegant Black.
There’s no denying that the camera is pretty basic. We found autofocus to be sluggish and there’s only a single AF point, at the center of the image frame. There’s no zoom facility and the 5-megapixel sensor makes the camera pretty low-res. Even so, that’s more than enough for the 1.8 x 2.8-inch Instax Mini prints, and the built-in memory can store 45 images.
Photos can also be edited in the LiPlay app where you can add filters, borders, and other effects before printing and the internal memory mean you can take multiple photos before deciding which is the best one to print.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay review for more details
The Kodak Smile Instant Print is one of the best digital instant cameras – a modern update of instant photography that combines the best of analog with the beauty of digital. This slim-as-a-smartphone camera sports a sleek design and uses Zink (zero ink) technology – it's essentially a miniature printer with a lens, producing 2x3-inch sticky-backed prints.
Inside the camera is a relatively humble 5MP sensor (up to 10MP through interpolation), though for images this size you don't need all the resolution in the world. Ultimately the pictures it produces look more like printer images than they do instant photographs – not necessarily a bad thing, but they don't possess quite the same magic as instant film.
The ability to add up to 256GB of microSD memory means that you can snap to your heart's content, then cherry-pick the images that you want to print. The integrated battery keeps the camera nice and svelte, though you only get around 40 prints per charge – a far cry from the 120-160 shots you get from Polaroids. The LCD screen is definitely on the basic side, too, so don't go expecting the same kind of fidelity as in your traditional DSLR or mirrorless screen.
Kodak's Mini Shot 3 is a tidy little instant print camera that's great for anyone who doesn't want anything too complicated. It doesn't use Zink like the Kodak Smile above but houses a proper little printer that uses Kodak's 4PASS all-in-one cartridges to spit out little square prints, 3 inches by 3 inches. The colors pop a good deal better than Zink, and they are also rated to be long-lasting.
The camera overall is pretty cheap and running it isn't too expensive either, making it a good option if you want to shoot instant on a budget. It also produces 10MP digital photos that you can save via Bluetooth on the app (and you do have to do it this way; there's no internal storage). A cheap option that's good fun for anyone, especially those who aren't too confident with using a camera.
How to choose an instant camera
How easy is an instant camera to use?
In short, very. You don't need to worry about complicated autofocus settings, image stabilization modes or JPEG compression options - simply load your film (this can be a little fiddly first time, but should soon become a cinch) and press the shutter button - cameras don't get much more simple than this! Some instant cameras do offer more advanced creative features (see below), but you don't have to use them, and most instant cameras are purposefully basic to be in-keeping with the retro, no-nonsense instant camera ethos.
What's the print quality like?
The resurgence in popularity of instant cameras is largely due to retro nostalgia, and most instant camera manufacturers play along with this when it comes to image quality. Slightly subdued colours, a little softness, the occasional subtle color cast and limited dynamic range: all 'features' that would kill the success of a serious digital SLR or mirrorless camera, but they're ideal image traits if you want a vintage, retro, 'lo-fi' aesthetic from your instant camera snaps. Here's your window into life in the 1980s!
Do instant cameras have any extra features?
In ye olden days, a traditional Polaroid instant camera might have a flash, but that was about it. Nowadays you can pick up a modern instant camera with multiple photo modes, plus Bluetooth connectivity to pair with a smartphone app. This can open up extra creative control, as well as letting you use your phone as remote shutter release. LCD info screens and built-in rechargeable batteries can also be found in today's instant cameras. Finally, don't rule out hybrid instant cameras - these are essentially digital cameras, but with a tiny in-built printer to turn your digital snaps into analog prints right at the point of capture.
How much will each print cost me?
If there is a downside to instant cameras, it's that each and every shot you take is going to cost you money (remember the days of traditional film photography?). Naturally, the cost of film varies considerably between cameras and depending where you buy it, but as a very rough guide, expect to pay in the region of $0.75-$1.00 per print of Fujifilm Instax film, and between $1 and $2 per print for Polaroid I-Type or Go film.
How we test instant cameras
The way we test instant cameras is rather different from how we evaluate a typical digital camera. Here were less concerned with the conventional benchmarks of image quality - detail, dynamic range, color accuracy, etc - and instead assess shots based on their physical printed size, character and distinctiveness. We also assess ease of use, as an instant camera should be effortlessly intuitive - the ease of film loading and unloading is also factored. Any extra features will also be tested and their effectiveness and usefulness analyzed, along with more mundane aspects like batter life. Finally, the overall value of the camera will factor into our final review rating, based not just on the camera's retail price, but also the cost of its film.
