I’ve shot with almost every current Instax camera, but ask me what my favorite model is, and I won’t even have to think: The Instax Mini Evo. Now, Fujifilm is back with a refresh, and the Instax Mini Evo 2 takes the creative shooting modes and retro design but updates the sensor and overhauls the controls with a giant touchscreen.

The Instax Mini Evo 2 is my new favorite Instax camera, no question – but I also think it makes a worthy contender as a cheap point-and-shoot even for creators who weren’t looking for an instant film camera.

Fujifilm Instax Evo 2 review: Specs

Fujifilm Instax Evo 2 review: Price

The Instax Mini Evo 2 retails for about $289.95 / £229.99 / CA$379.99 (about AU$413). Shipping is expected to begin at the end of November, 2026.

That’s a slight price increase over the original Mini Evo, which retails for about $234 / £174 / CA$299 / AU$299.95.

As a digital camera, it can keep shooting without any additional costs beyond a microSD card. But if you want instant film prints, a pack of 20 prints costs about $19.49 / £16.99 / AU$34.95 / CA$25.98.

Fujifilm Instax Evo 2 review: Design

The Instax Mini Evo 2 fully embraces the retro look – not just in the silver body and textured wrap but in the camera’s different controls. A dial at the top of the camera flips through different color presets, while the control to print photos is a lever that feels like the film advance lever on an old film camera.

At the front, a dial around the lens swaps through the camera’s different creative modes like double exposures and light leaks. There’s a secondary shutter release button at the front too, along with the on-off toggle and a small selfie mirror.

From the front, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the Instax Evo 2 for the original – but from the back, the difference is far more obvious. The screen on the Evo 2 is much larger than the first generation, taking up almost the entire back of the camera. It’s so large, there’s no room for the menu buttons, but that’s okay because the screen is a simple-to-use touchscreen.

Beyond being oversized, the screen shows more than what the lens is about to capture, giving a sort of peripheral vision of what’s going on just beyond the frame. A frame indicates what’s in the shot.

The oversized touchscreen will likely be easy to pick up for anyone who has ever used a smartphone for photos, down to the icon in the corner to view the shots that you’ve already taken. The screen also houses shortcuts for exposure compensation, as well as settings to turn the flash on and off and even enter into a macro mode.

The Evo 2 mixes color presets with creative looks – and that’s a lot of different settings to flip through. Thankfully, the camera does allow creatives to save their favorite combos with three custom presets accessible from the touchscreen.

My only complaint about the screen is that there is no viewfinder, and the screen is sometimes hard to see in bright sunlight. The original Mini Evo didn’t have a viewfinder either, though the smaller Instax Pal 2 does.

The instant film loads by popping a lever just under the screen, then prints spit out the side of the camera.

The built-in printer means the Evo 2 is a bit oversized compared to traditional point-and-shoots – it may fit in a jacket pocket, but wouldn't fit in the pocket of my jeans. That printer can be used not just for photos taken with the Evo 2, but also for shots from another camera using the Instax Evo app and a smartphone.

There is a cold shoe slot at the top of the camera to house accessories like a constant LED light.

The Evo 2 uses a built-in battery that recharges via USB-C. I would have liked to see a bit more battery life – it’s rated for about 90 shots.

There’s enough internal memory to hold 45 photos, but a microSD card is required for the immersive movie and wide-angle lens settings.

Fujifilm Instax Evo 2 review: Performance

The Instax Mini Evo 2 is a camera that’s more about creative possibilities than technical specifications. The camera has ten different “film effects” or color profiles built in, along with ten different “lens effects.” Multiply those ten film profiles by the ten lens effects, and that’s 100 different creative combinations.

The film effects are like Fujifilm’s film simulations, though on an Instax camera these are far different from Fujifilm’s X series. The “normal” mode did feel a bit plain and undersaturated to me, but I loved the retro mode and the different color options. The monochrome mode is full of contrast and probably my favorite out of the ten.

The “lens effects” contain a myriad of effects beyond just the look of the lens. There’s a double exposure option, which was my favorite one to play with, as well as a half frame to put two photos side-by-side. I love the light leak effect, though I wish it would randomize the effect a bit so it doesn’t place the light leak the same way in every shot.

The lens effects also include a blur option that keeps the center sharp but blurs the edges, along with a soft focus that gives the entire image a hazier look. The after image setting mixes a first exposure with a second in quick succession.

One of the new lens modes is the wide-angle, which replaces the fisheye lens mode from the original Mini Evo. This mode actually comes with a higher resolution than the normal photo mode.

The Instax Evo 2 uses a 1/2.77-inch sensor. That’s larger than the 1/5-inch from the original. But, the Evo 2 also uses an “expanded view” screen, which shows more than what the camera is actually capturing, leaving a white frame to indicate what’s actually being captured. That, along with the higher-resolution wide-angle mode, suggests that some of the sensor is being used for the wider view. The larger sensor than the original version, then, isn’t quite as exciting as it sounds.

In the standard photo mode, the Evo 2 takes photos that are about 6.13MP. The wide-angle captures a higher resolution at 12.8MP.

Like other Instax digital-film hybrids, the photos from the Evo 2 are a low resolution that’s great for printing on Instax film and sharing on social media. But it’s not going to do well printing out larger than Instax Mini film. Zoom in on the digital files, and the details get muddled and noisy quickly.

The smaller sensor also means that dynamic range is limited. I found that the camera tended to overexpose a bit. But thankfully, there’s exposure compensation accessible from the touchscreen, so it’s easy to prevent that overexposure.

The Evo 2 does get a new “movie” mode – but it’s not quite a typical movie mode. The Immersive Movie setting records the four seconds up to taking a photo, and adds a cute Instax animation to the footage. It feels a bit like Instax’s take on Apple’s Live Photos.

Like the still photos, the Immersive Movie footage is low-fi at 560x992. Unfortunately, this mode also downsizes the resolution of the photo itself, turning a typical 2860 x 2144 resolution down to just 616 x 464, so these photos really aren’t usable. I was rather bummed when I plugged in the microSD card and realized using the Immersive Movie seriously downgraded the photo quality.

I can see this mode being used to share behind-the-scenes shots on social media of how a photo was taken, but not much else beyond that. I love that the video mode also works with double exposure, though it just shows the second shot.

The photos from the Evo 2 aren’t meant for pixel peeping – but I do think that the photos hold up well among other point-and-shoots that cost under $300. Other cheap compacts like the Kodak Pixpro FZ55 offer zoom that’s missing on the Evo 2. But there’s not really much else like the Evo 2’s built-in creative modes with different color filters and tools like double exposure.

The built-in printer mixes those retro-inspired digital photos with actual film. As a hybrid, there's no wasted film – you only print the photos that you want to rather than every single photo.

Printing a digital photo on instant film isn't quite the same thing as using an analog instant camera, but prints still have the colors and charm of instant film. The credit-card-sized prints are colorful and sharp for their small size. Using the app, you can also print photos from a smartphone, including photos shot with a more advanced mirrorless camera.

Instax Mini Evo vs. Instax Mini Evo 2

The original Instax Mini Evo is one of my favorite Instax cameras, so how does the second generation compare?

The Mini Evo 2 has a larger sensor at 1/2.77-inch over 1/5 inch, but keep in mind that some of that sensor size is used for overshooting the view on the screen, so the difference is smaller than it sounds. The Evo 2 shoots a still resolution in the standard mode of 2860 x 2144, an improvement over 2560 x 1920 pixels. The Evo 2 does have a boost in image quality, but both cameras still fall under small-sensor, low-fi cameras.

A handful of the Evo 2’s shooting modes are different from the original. The wide-angle mode is new, and so is the after image mode. Those two modes seem to replace the fisheye option and mirror from the first generation, which aren’t part of the Evo 2.

The Evo 2 has the same well-loved retro design of the original, but the back of the camera is much different, with a very large touchscreen. The touchscreen is simpler to use and is an easy entry into the camera for anyone who has ever taken photos from a smartphone.

The Evo 2 does cost a little more than the original – in the US, the price difference is about $55. I think the larger screen and enhanced resolution are worth that price difference when deciding between getting the old version or the new. That said, as an owner of the original Evo, upgrading to the newest model feels more of a want than a must. Those updates are nice, but not total game-changers.

Fujifilm Instax Evo 2 review: Verdict

The Instax Mini Evo 2 takes retro photo styles and mixes them with creative tools like double exposure – and then wraps it up into a cheap compact camera. Like other cheap compact cameras, the Evo 2 isn’t for pixel peeping – but the creative modes are unlike any other cheap point-and-shoot that I’ve seen.

The original Instax Mini was my favorite camera from Instax because of the mix of different creative tools – and the fact that I don’t waste any film and can choose to print only the photos that I love. I say it was my favorite because now the Instax Mini Evo 2 has taken that title.

Beyond being my favorite Instax, the Evo 2 is also worth looking at as a cheap point-and-shoot. It’s not as small as other compact cameras, but the instant film prints offer a lot of value over smaller cameras.

The Evo 2 isn’t perfect. I would have loved to see longer battery life than 90 shots. The camera tends to overexpose, and its resolution and dynamic range are a reminder that the camera falls in the budget category. The new video mode may be cute for creating social media videos, but it severely downsizes the resulting still photo. But overall, I think the Evo 2 is going to be a major hit.

Alternatives

The Evo 2 is worth looking at as an alternative to a cheap compact camera, as well as simply as an instant film camera. A few notable cameras that also fall under the description of cheap, compact, and retro include the Instax Pal 2 and the Camp Snap CS-Pro. Another more affordable option that also has a printer built in is the Instax Mini Li-Play+, or for larger prints, the Instax Wide Evo.

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For more inspiration, take a look at the best hybrid instant film cameras or the best point-and-shoots.

Fujifilm’s well-loved retro hybrid camera is back. The Instax Mini Evo 2 brings back the hybrid camera’s much-loved creative effects with an updated sensor, oversized touchscreen, and new four-second video mode.

Announced late on October 26, the Instax Mini Evo 2 is a hybrid camera – it houses a sensor for digital photos, but also uses a built-in printer to spit out instant film prints. Unlike a fully analog camera, the hybrid design allows the camera to only print out the best shots, avoiding wasted film.

But the real reason that the Evo 2 stands out from other hybrids like the LiPlay+ is the creative tools. The Evo 2 has ten film simulations and ten different lens effects, which combine for 100 creative possibilities. Those effects include double exposures, light leaks, lens blur, half-frame diptychs, and a new after-image mode that takes a second shot just after the first and overlays the two together.

The Instax Evo 2 still falls under the cheap compact camera category with a low-fi resolution – but the sensor is upgraded from the original’s 1/5 inch to 1/2.77 inches.

But not all of that sensor is going towards the image. A new oversized 4.5-inch touchscreen dominates the back of the camera. The Evo 2 feels like a smartphone and an analog camera had a baby – there’s a film mode dial and advance lever for printing photos, but the oversized touchscreen will feel immediately familiar to a smartphone interface.

The screen shows more than what the camera is going to capture, which Instax calls “Expanded View, offering a sort of photographer’s peripheral vision and indicating what’s in the frame with a white box.

The Evo 2 also has a new wide-angle mode among its 10 different lens effects, which uses more of that sensor space and offers a higher resolution. Under the standard mode, images are around 6.13MP, but in the wide-angle mode – if a microSD card is installed – resolution is up to 12.8MP.

Considering the Expanded View and wide-angle mode, it seems the standard photo mode isn’t going to be using all of that 1/2.77-inch sensor. Image quality does feel improved a bit over the original at a slightly higher resolution – but the Instax Mini Evo 2 still sits squarely in the low-fi cheap digital camera category.

Instax also introduced a new Immersive Movie feature with the Evo 2, which takes a four-second video before the shutter is pressed and adds an Instax frame animation. It's a great tool for behind-the-scenes videos, but unfortunately, it lowers the still photos' resolution from the standard mode 2860 x 2144 down to just 616 x 464 pixels.

Most cheap cameras don’t offer creative effects like double exposure and light leaks – making the Instax Evo 2 a tempting choice not just as a hybrid instant camera but as a general cheap retro compact camera for creators looking for more options than simply pointing and shooting. While the Evo 2 is fully auto, it still has exposure compensation, white balance adjustments, a macro mode, and the option to turn the flash off.

I had the chance to fully test the Evo 2 ahead of the launch, and it packs in everything that I loved about the original, but with an overhauled screen and slightly higher resolution. The Evo 2 is the camera for the low-fi trend that doesn’t skip out on creative modes – and also doubles as a portable photo printer.

The Instax Mini Evo 2 is expected to begin shipping at the end of November. The camera will cost about $289.95 / £229.99 / CA$379.99, which converts to about AU$413. That’s notably a little higher than the original Evo’s price, but still under options like the Instax Wide Evo.

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Read the full Instax Mini Evo 2 review, or take a look at the best hybrid digital instant cameras.

Analog photography has been making a comeback over the last few years, including instant film. Now, Fujifilm is working to increase production of its popular Instax film again – a move that’s expected to increase Instax film production by 70 percent compared to 2022 by the time the new production facility begins operations in 2027.

Earlier this week, Fujifilm Japan announced a three billion yen investment at the company’s Ashigara Site Kanagawa Factory – about $18.9 million / £14.2 million / AU$27 million / CA$26.7 million at current exchange rates. The investment will help expand production for Instax film.

The updated production facility is expected to begin operating in the spring of 2027 and be fully operational by the following year. Fujifilm says it's expected to increase film production by 20 percent compared to the current fiscal year.

But, the announcement isn’t the first time that Fujifilm has increased Instax production. Alongside additional investments in Instax from the past few years, the combined enhancements are expected to increase film production by 70 percent compared to 2022.

Last year, Fujifilm said that Instax reached record-high sales numbers for the fifth year in a row. The year before that, Fujifilm reached a 100 million unit milestone in cumulative worldwide sales.

Analog film and retro camera tech have been rising in recent years. Instant film brings some of that same analog charm, but without the wait and cost to send a roll of film to a lab for developing – though Fujifilm’s disposable film cameras have been on the rise in recent years too.

“For Gen Z digital natives that grew up with the ubiquity of smartphone photography and social media, using analog and instant film adds an opportunity to stay ‘present in the moment’ versus significant screen time being spent reviewing, posting, editing, and tracking likes and comments,” Fujifilm North America vice president of marketing and consumer products Ashley Reeder Morgan told Digital Camera World earlier this year.

Morgan also noted that, while at the beginning Instax users tended to skew towards younger generations, in recent years the Instax user group has become more diversified.

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Take a look at the best instant film cameras. Or, read about the new Instax Square 2.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is unusual as far as cameras go – for starters, it has a “time travel” dial that recalls styles of past decades, and it’s an instant film camera that “prints” videos. But the retro camera’s design is unusual enough that the camera just earned a new title: A Time Magazine Best Inventions of 2026.

When I tried out the Evo Cinema earlier this year, I called it the “strangest camera that I’ve ever used” based on the camera’s incredibly fun decade dial that calls up a specific video style from the past. That’s not the only unusual part, though – the Evo Cinema also feels like a modern, miniature remake of an old Super 8 video camera with its trigger-style recording.

The editorial staff at Time must have agreed. The Best Inventions awards are given out based on four key factors: originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. The Evo Cinema’s originality is obvious in the unusual design, and creating a video camera built around the Instax still photo system also certainly feels ambitious.

Time writes that the Instax Mini Evo Cinema “offers oodles of analog charm in a digital-friendly package.”

While the Evo Cinema is a unique camera, it shares several features in common with other Instax digital hybrids, including a 5MP 1/5-inch sensor and a built-in printer that uses Instax Mini film. Last year, Time also gave a Best Invention title to the Instax Wide Evo.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema wasn’t the only camera on TIME’s list of 300 inventions. The Nikon ZR also earned recognition for its compact design mixed with a full-frame sensor and RED color science. GoPro’s first mirrorless camera, the Mission 1 Pro ILS, also earned honors.

Along with those cameras, TIME's Invention of the Year also recognized gear like the HooverAir Aqua waterproof drone, Aura’s e-Ink digital picture frame, Honor’s gimbal-clad Robot Phone, and even a light meter, the Lit Duo 1.

It feels entirely appropriate that the time-traveling Instax Mini Evo Cinema has also earned a place in modern tech history as one of the Best Inventions of 2026.

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Take a look at the best hybrid digital instant cameras for more inspiration, or check out another camera made to look like an old Super 8, the Camp Snap CS-8.

Ask any photographer who shoots real film the reason behind choosing analog, and I’m guessing the answer is going to have the word “color” in it. The new Fujifilm Instax Square 2 instant film camera has a built-in party trick just for color.

The Instax Square 2 feels like a larger version of the Instax Mini 13 in that it’s a fully automatic camera built to be simple enough that nearly anyone can find success with it. But the one unusual feature the Square 2 hides gives creators more control over moody colors with a built-in warm (orange) and cool (blue) filter that’s activated with a flick of a switch.

Fujifilm Instax Square 2: Specs

• Film: Fujifilm Instax Square
• Film size: 86mm x 72mm
• Picture size: 62mm x 62mm
• Developing time: Approximately 90 seconds
• Viewfinder: Reverse Galilean finder, 0.4x with target spot
• Lens: 65.75mm 1:12.6
• Exposure: Automatic, 1/2 to 1/400 shutter speed with slow syncro for low light
• Flash: Constant fire with automatic light adjustment
• Lens range: 0.3m and beyond
• Battery: 4 AA batteries, lasts about 30 packs of film
• Dimensions: 139 x 119.5 x 71mm / 5.47 x 4.7 x 2.79 inches
• Weight: 450g (without batteries, film, or strap)

Fujifilm Instax Square 2: Price

The Instax Square 2 is expected to retail for $119.95 / £94.99 / CA$139.99. That puts the camera at a bit higher price point than the smaller format Instax Mini 13, but under the price of the Instax Square SQ40.

The cost of film is always a consideration with any analog camera, and the Instax Square film packs sit at about $22 for a pack of 20, which comes to about $1.10 each photo. That’s around half the cost of Polaroid i-Type film, which is $19 for an eight-pack.

Fujifilm Instax Square 2: Build and Handling

The larger film format creates a chunkier camera – but the trade-off is that it also gives the Instax Square 2 a more comfortable grip than cameras like the Instax Mini 13. The camera is rather oversized at 139 x 119.5 x 71mm / 5.47 x 4.7 x 2.79 inches, but competing Polaroids aren’t “compact cameras” either.

That larger design does give my hands a nice grip to wrap around, which is also where the four AA batteries hide. The shutter button rests right where my index finger lies naturally, so it’s a comfortable design considering the size.

Twisting the control around the lens turns the camera on and also houses the three modes: landscape, standard, and close-up.

A switch near the lens controls the camera’s new “mood modes,” which can create a cooler or warmer look to the shot. There’s also a small mirror on the front to aid with selfies.

The back of the camera houses the door for the film packs. Loading is simple; just remember to line the yellow on the film pack with the yellow mark on the camera. There’s a small window that shows the number of shots remaining.

The camera uses a classic optical viewfinder.

Fujifilm Instax Square 2: Performance

The Instax Square 2 is almost a fully automatic camera, right down to the flash that can’t be switched off. That makes the camera very easy to use. The only thing to remember is to adjust the lens, which has landscape, standard, or close-up mode based on what you are shooting.

While the Square 2 is simple enough that a kid could use it, serious photographers may be more disappointed by the lack of controls. I would love for a Square version of the Instax Mini 99 with a bit more tools to customize the shot, but that’s not what Square 2 is – and thankfully the price reflects its beginner status.

The instant photos spit out the top and take a rather quick 90 seconds to develop.

I’ve shot with several Instax Mini cameras, and the Square 2 delivers everything that I’ve come to expect from Instax film, just in a larger, square format. I didn’t spot any unusual lines that may indicate a roller error or other negative surprises.

The photos pack in the colorful charm of analog film and often feel a bit moodier than the real-life scene.

The Square 2 has a built-in warm and cool filter that allows for controlling that mood a bit more. The cool filter creates a more hazy look that I think would be great for urban portraits and indoor parties, while I wanted to leave the warm filter on permanently while photographing fall colors.

The fully automatic design meant a few occasional exposure errors. Not being able to turn off the flash can create bright spots, particularly when shooting close to the subject.

On the flip side, shots taken just before golden hour in a forest rendered a little too dark.

The camera's three lens modes do leave room for focus errors, particularly with close-ups. The close mode is meant for .3 to .5m (about one foot to 1.6 feet). The standard mode is meant for .5 m to 3m (about 1.6 feet to 9.8 feet), and the landscape mode for anything beyond that distance.

That is, of course, all par for the course when shooting instant film, which is meant to be more charming than perfect. The images from the Square 2 met my expectations and were exactly what I was expecting after using Mini series cameras like the Instax Mini 13.

Fujifilm Instax Square 2: Verdict

The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is a fun, simple-to-use instant film camera with a classic square film that’s competitively priced compared to Polaroid refills. With nearly everything automated, it’s an analog camera that anyone can use.

There are just two things to control on the camera – the lens mode (landscape, standard, close-up) and a moody color filter to add warmth or cool down those film tones with a simple switch.

More serious shooters may wish for more controls and creative modes like double exposures. But for easy analog? The Square 2 is an easy win.

Alternatives

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Take a look at the best instant film cameras or the best hybrid instant film cameras.

Shooting film is all about the retro colors – but Fujifilm’s new square format shooter levels up its color game with built-in blue and orange filters. The Fujifilm Instax Square 2 is an instant film camera with classic square prints and a surprisingly easy set of features.

Announced late on October 13, the Square 2 ends a three-year gap since the last square-format shooter from Instax, the SQ40. Instax's square cameras have been hard to find in many regions, with Fujifilm Japan apologizing earlier this year when production couldn't keep up with orders for the six-year-old original SQ1.

Now, the Instax is back with a new model, along with a new film, Instax Square Haze, which is designed for reduced contrast and a softer look.

The Instax Square 2 is almost fully automatic. The exposure is fully automatic, and the flash can’t be turned off. But photographers do need to remember to twist the dial on the lens to close-up, standard, or landscape mode to get the subject in focus.

While built for simplicity rather than advanced controls, there is one unusual creative tool built in. Flipping a switch on the front of the lens adds a blue or orange filter across the lens. The blue filter creates moody shots that feel a bit more hazy with cooler colors. The orange filter, meanwhile, adds a pop of warmth – I didn’t want to turn it off when out snapping photos of fall colors.

While serious photographers may have been hoping for something with controls more along the lines of the Instax Mini 99, the Square 2 is simple enough that I think even older kids could use it. The built-in filters add more mood to the already charming instant film.

I’ve shot with several Instax cameras. The Square 2’s larger film format comes with a much chunkier camera than the options from the Instax Mini series. It’s a 450g / 15.9-ounce camera without the film or batteries loaded. Like the Instax Mini SE, the Square 2 also uses replaceable AA batteries instead of a rechargeable one.

That simpler design also heralds in a more basic price point, with the camera expected to retail for $119.95 / £94.99 / CA$139.99. That’s not much higher than the Instax Mini 13 and is under the list price of the existing Instax SQ40 – though the older camera is hard to find at US retailers.

The new Instax Square Haze film pack brings a softer look to the photos and is expected to list for $18.99 / £9.99 / CA$16.99 per pack. Both the new camera and film are expected to begin shipping before the end of October.

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Take a look at the Instax Square 2 review, or browse the best instant film cameras.

One of the strongest childhood memories most of us have, me included, is of cameras coming out at family gatherings. And during the 1970s and 80s the camera that typically came out most often was a Polaroid.

It was undoubtedly the theater of the device’s operation plus the immediate output that appealed to us kids. There was no need to wait a week to fully see the results, just a couple of minutes.

Prior to the instant gratification digital photography gifted us, an image emerging through the cigarette fog of my grandparents’ living room and appearing on the milky white Polaroid paper felt like magic being witnessed.

Recent Polaroid-branded cameras have done little to dispel the market dominance of Fujifilm Instax, however, which snatched the ball from Polaroid in the mid 2000s and ran with it.

But could all that be set to change with the introduction of the Polaroid Mod? Is there still time and opportunity for the instant print pioneer regain the crown? And why am I suddenly re-enthused after so many years?

Because the Polaroid Mod finally feels like a step forward. And by giving the filter-enabled smartphone generation a relatable creative option via its lens encircling mode dial, thereby making it easy to quickly switch from fully auto capture to hands-on experimentation.

Deliberate double exposures, split frames, the ability to freeze motion with flash plus light painting style effects can be accessed via a dial twiddle. When the current trend is to embrace photographic imperfections as somehow more ‘authentic’ than a perfect shot, the Mod, with all the built-in quirks that come with Polaroid prints, feels like a camera for our AI-weary times.

Because one of the best things about photography is not just the possibility to freeze time and, with it, a passing moment, but also its ability to enchant us with the process. Polaroid cameras and instant print photography deliver on both accounts, while giving us something tangible, affordable and accessible.

Though the price per print still gives reason to grumble, it feels like a price worth paying. No wonder they are being embraced by successive and otherwise very different generations.

There are few cameras that are quite as much fun to give as a gift as a Polaroid. And right now, the Polaroid Now Generation 3 bundle has dropped to just $134.99 at Amazon, down from $159.99, saving you a very welcome $25.

For me, this is exactly the sort of camera gift that works whether you are shopping for a photography enthusiast, someone who simply loves taking pictures, or, quite frankly, yourself. Part of the appeal is that the Polaroid Now keeps instant photography wonderfully simple. This is a proper analog instant camera that produces those unmistakable full-size Polaroid photographs, and there is still something wonderfully satisfying about pressing the shutter and watching a physical photograph slowly appear in front of you.

The Generation 3 model also brings a few useful improvements that make it considerably easier to get good results. Polaroid has given it an upgraded two-lens autofocus system, while there are self-timer and double-exposure modes for when you want to get a little more creative.

But I think what makes this particular deal especially appealing is that this is a bundle rather than simply the camera on its own. You are getting the black Polaroid Now Generation 3 alongside 16 shots of color film, meaning whoever unwraps it can actually start shooting rather than immediately having to go out and buy film. And that makes a huge difference if you are thinking about this as a gift.

Instant cameras are one of those rare photography products that you don't necessarily need to be a photographer to enjoy. Take one to a party, family gathering, vacation, or Christmas celebration and suddenly everyone wants a photograph. Better still, rather than disappearing into a smartphone camera roll, you actually have something physical to hand over, stick on the fridge, or keep in an album.

That is part of the reason I still have such a soft spot for Polaroid. There are undoubtedly more technically sophisticated cameras out there, but that really isn't the point. The Now Generation 3 is about enjoying photography, slowing things down slightly, and creating something tangible from the moment you press the shutter.

At $159.99, I already think the camera-and-film bundle makes an attractive gift. At $134.99, saving you $25, it becomes considerably easier to recommend. If you have someone in your life who loves photography, nostalgia, or simply taking pictures with friends and family, I think this would make a brilliant gift.

Of course, there is also absolutely nothing wrong with gifting one to yourself. At $134.99, I certainly wouldn't judge you.

There are some cameras that just make brilliant gifts, and I think the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo is right up there with the best of them. Even better, Amazon has just dropped the gorgeous brown version to $199, down from $234.95, saving you a very welcome $35.95.

And while I think this would make a fantastic gift for a loved one, I wouldn't blame you in the slightest for buying one for yourself.

The Instax Mini Evo has always stood out to me because it takes the fun of instant photography and makes it considerably more flexible. Rather than taking a photograph and immediately committing it to film, this is a hybrid instant camera, meaning you can see your shot first and decide whether it is actually worthy of using one of those precious Instax prints.

That alone makes it a much easier instant camera to live with, particularly if you're buying it for someone who loves taking photographs but doesn't necessarily want to burn through packs of film every time they press the shutter. But the Mini Evo is also just enormous fun to use.

Fujifilm gives you 10 different lens effects and 10 film effects, which can be combined to give you 100 different looks. You can play around with everything from soft focus and light leaks to monochrome, retro and vivid looks, giving the whole experience much more of that tactile, creative feeling that makes instant photography so enjoyable.

Then, when you have something you really like, you pull the wonderfully old-school print lever and turn it into a physical Instax Mini photograph.

There is also another reason I think the Mini Evo makes such a good gift: it isn't only useful as a camera. Connect your smartphone, and it can effectively become an Instax printer as well, allowing you to take photographs already sitting on your phone and turn them into physical prints.

That means even when you aren't actually shooting with the Mini Evo, it still has a reason to come out at parties, family gatherings, vacations, or just those occasions where having a real photograph feels that little bit more special than leaving another image buried somewhere in your camera roll.

And I particularly like this brown version. The combination of its retro-inspired design, physical dials, and classic-looking finish makes it feel like something you would actually be excited to unwrap.

At $234.95, the Instax Mini Evo was never the cheapest way into instant photography, but at $199 the equation changes considerably. You're saving $35.95 and getting a camera that combines digital photography, instant printing and smartphone printing in one rather lovely little package. That is exactly why I think it makes such a brilliant gift.

If you have a photographer, teenager, traveler, or simply someone who loves keeping physical memories in your life, I would have absolutely no hesitation putting the Instax Mini Evo on the gifting list. Although at $199, you might want to add your own name to that list as well. Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you end up buying for yourself.

Working with photography tricks like long exposures typically requires an in-depth understanding of photography – but the Polaroid Mod has reimagined four distinctive creative shots into modes that are almost just as simple as auto mode.

The Polaroid Mod may share a similar nostalgic look to the rest of the analog camera maker's lineup, but the Mod packs an unusual focus: A set of creative modes designed for experimenting without the complexity of full manual mode.

A turn of the dial takes the Mod from a standard auto mode to double exposures, split shots, light paintings, and a mix between long exposure and flash.

But perhaps the Polaroid Mod’s biggest trick is this: I think Polaroid has somehow managed to create a creative analog camera that will delight both new photographers and seasoned experts. Take a quick look at the camera in my guided tour video below:

Polaroid Mod: Specifications

Polaroid Mod: Price

The Polaroid Mod is coming first to the US, with an October 6th ship date, before arriving to additional countries in early 2027.

The Mod lists for $169.99 / £149.99. That slots the instant camera in between the Polaroid Now+ Gen 2 and the Polaroid Flip.

Film should always be a key pricing consideration for any instant camera. Polaroid’s i-Type film typically costs $18.99 / £15.90 for eight exposures – that’s about $2.25 / £1.98 per photo.

Polaroid Mod: Build and Handling

The Polaroid Mod has the classic and endearingly retro shape that I’ve come to expect from Polaroid, with a large base the film sits in, tapering up to an optical viewfinder.

That classic design is far from pocketable – and less compact than Polaroid’s options that use the smaller Go format film. But the camera isn’t terribly heavy, and it comes with a surprisingly high-quality rope-style neck strap for carrying.

The Mod sits in the middle of Polaroid’s range – and the controls reflect that. The Mod is built around the concept of introducing creative modes in a way that’s nearly as simple as using auto scene modes. The Mod’s modes allow photographers who may not even know the definition of shutter speed to try shots like light painting.

Those modes are built into a dial around the camera lens. While the Mod doesn’t have manual modes, there is a dial for exposure compensation to help control how light or dark a shot is. On the opposite side of the lens is the shutter release.

At the back of the camera, a miniature screen shows a tally of the number of shots remaining (or, in the case of the double exposure and split mode, the shot number that you’re on). Two buttons nearby control the flash and self-timer.

Film loads into a door at the bottom of the camera. Loading is fairly straightforward – load with the protective film face up and the rainbow tab facing out towards the front of the camera.

The camera has a rechargeable battery using USB-C. That battery is rated for up to 15 packs of film.

Rather than Polaroid’s typical bright colors, the Mod takes on a more classic black and silver design. I think it’s quite eye-catching!

Polaroid Mod: Performance

The Polaroid Mod is built around experimental creative photography. Turn the mode dial from Off to Auto, and you can get a classic, straightforward Polaroid like this:

But that’s about as normal as the Mod gets – the rest of the four modes around the dial are built for experimental, creative photography.

Double exposure combines two shots on one classic Polaroid frame. This mode is limited to two shots – you can’t, for example, take triple exposures – but opens up a lot of fun experimental shots.

Split mode uses an accessory that comes with the Mod – a lens cover that only covers half the lens. In this split mode, you place the cover on one half of the lens, take a shot, then move the cover to the other half of the lens and take another shot to combine two photos into one frame.

Light painting mode uses a longer six-second exposure to blur moving light sources – like traffic on a city street, or moving around a sparkler or flashlight. This mode requires a tripod, or placing the camera on a table or another surface to hold it steady.

Motion freeze combines a longer, three-second exposure with a burst from the flash at the end. This mode is built to be shot while moving the camera during that exposure. The result is that any light sources create blurred streaks while the subject is sharply lit with that burst from the flash. It’s a creative effect that works best when there are a lot of light sources in the background – like city lights or string lights.

Motion freeze also works using a bright, colored video light on the subject to put both a blurred subject and a sharp subject in the same shot. That's the technique that I tried, but my video light wasn't quite strong enough, so the effect is more subtle:

The Polaroid Mod makes it refreshingly simple to get in-camera creative effects on analog with a twist of the dial. Part of the joy of instant photography is happy accidents – and putting experimental modes into a twist of the dial is bound to create more of those unexpectedly wonderful results.

Waiting for the photo to appear on the film is part of that experience, building anticipation. It was almost physically painful to wait for the instant film to develop and see how the shots turned out.

Using the creative modes doesn’t necessarily require an in-depth understanding of photography. I think you can get some creative shots with the Mod if you have no idea what terms like aperture and shutter speed mean.

But while creators don’t need to know the photography jargon, the best shots come from understanding each mode and how to get the best results. Polaroid includes a paper guide in the box that includes essential tips, such as using a tripod for the light painting mode, that creators will want to revisit often.

The Mod’s creative modes are the antidote to increasingly over-perfected modern photography. That said, like most creative endeavors, expect some failures. I used two packs of film in the Mod, and I liked about half of those shots. That’s not bad considering the experimental format, but when every shot costs about $2 / £2, those failed experiments can add up.

I ran into three challenges that tended to create a few failed experiments. First, if you turn the flash off, it automatically turns back on for the next shot – including for the second shot in the double exposures and split frame modes. I forgot to turn the flash off again for the second shot more than once.

Second, the Mod’s viewfinder has some parallax errors – photography jargon that means that the viewfinder isn’t entirely accurate because it’s placed in a slightly different position from the lens. Parallax errors also tend to be exaggerated when shooting up close. The parallax made it particularly challenging to precisely line up double exposures and split shots.

Finally, the Mod – and instant photography in general – doesn’t always get the exposure right. The Mod uses an f/11 lens – even in fairly good lighting, like shooting in the shade, the camera wants to use the flash, and if you turn it off, you might get some blur or a shot that’s too dark. I got a handful of shots that were overly bright, and I would have preferred my long exposures and motion freezes to be a bit brighter.

The Polaroid Mod is an analog camera built for taking unusual, experimental shots. While experimental photography will also include some missed shots, the Mod makes experimenting with photography simple and fun.

Polaroid Mod: Verdict

The Polaroid Mod rebels in a world of over-Photoshoped photographs and AI-generated images. The Mod doesn’t want to be perfect – it wants to be fun – and Polaroid’s latest camera deserves that word.

The Mod is the Polaroid camera to choose if you want an analog film camera for experimenting – without the cost and complexity of fully loaded, manual-mode-capable cameras like the Polaroid I-2.

It’s not quite perfect; exposures are sometimes off, and I’m a bit annoyed that you have to turn the flash off for every shot. But my biggest annoyance says a lot about the camera: Experimental photography means inevitable failures, so photographers need to be willing to grab a few packs of film.

While film is a bit pricey, I think the Mod itself sits at a great price point. It's a more affordable option that still has room to experiment without the price of the Polaroid I-2.

The Polaroid Mod is the camera for creators unafraid of experimenting.

Polaroid Mod: Alternatives

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Camera tricks like light trails and double exposures are typically complex processes that require understanding at least a bit of camera jargon. But Polaroid’s newest camera wants to make photography tricks almost as simple as turning a mode dial.

The Polaroid Mod, unveiled on September 29, is a fully analog instant camera designed around experimental photography. The Mod looks quite a bit like other recent full-sized Polaroids except for one big feature: a mode dial wrapped around the lens. Take a look in my quick guided tour video of the camera below:

The mode dial has, of course, an automatic mode that gets the typical shots. But the other four spaces on the mode dial are dedicated to experimental photography, including double exposures and light painting.

A split shot mode uses a half lens cap to cover half the lens to get two photos into the same iconic Polaroid white frame.

A “motion freeze” mode mixes a long exposure with a rear-curtain sync flash – photography jargon that means it creates a light trail but uses flash so the subject is still sharp.

On a typical camera, those four camera tricks typically require leaving auto mode and entering full manual mode. The Polaroid Mod makes those tricks more accessible by treating long-standing camera tricks like scene modes.

There’s still some know-how required to use the Mod. For example, you need to know that the light painting mode requires a tripod (or a table, since the bottom of the camera is nice and flat) – and that’s all explained in the intro instructions that come with the camera. Similarly, the best double exposure shots come from understanding that high-contrast shots and textures work well.

I think the Polaroid Mod’s biggest trick is that both new and seasoned photographers alike are able to have some fun experimenting with the same camera. I’m a pro photographer, and while I did wish for manual mode to make the light painting exposures a bit longer and brighter, I still had a lot of fun with the Mod.

While the Mod doesn’t have manual modes, it does have an exposure compensation dial as well as the ability to turn the flash off. Like other modern Polaroid cameras, the battery is rechargeable via a simple USB-C.

The Mod is a refreshingly fun camera that rebels against pixel-peeping perfection. The Polaroid Mod is launching in the US on October 06, with additional countries to follow in early 2027. The Mod lists for $169.99 / £149.99 – which puts the camera between options like the Polaroid Now+ Gen 3 and the Polaroid Flip.

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Read the full Polaroid Mod review for more insight, or browse the best instant cameras.

Instant cameras built for kids allow kids to both take and print their photos – but the print refills either tend to be pricey or are black-and-white thermal type. But the new Photo Creator Instant Color Camera from Canal Toys is a kid-focused camera where prints cost less than 50 cents / 20p per photo.

Built for ages 6 and up, the Photo Creator Instant Color is a digital camera with a built-in photo printer. Hybrid digital-instant kid cameras tend either to use pricey Zink paper with embedded ink, real instant film, or thermal receipt paper that only prints in monochrome.

The Photo Creator Instant Color instead uses a built-in printer that requires both a pack of photo paper and an ink cartridge, but the refill packs tend to sit cost-wise under the cost of Zink and instant film refills. A pack of 100 print refills cost about $48 / £20, coming out to about 50 cents / 20p per photo. The camera itself ships with 100 prints already in the box.

The camera uses a built-in 2.4-inch screen that allows kids to add filters, frames, and stickers before printing those photos.

The company did not share specs on the camera’s resolution, but the camera can shoot both stills and videos. A built-in flash aids low-light and indoor shots.

The camera has some built-in memory, which can be expanded by buying a separate microSD card.

The camera uses a rechargeable Li-ion battery.

While there are plenty of hybrid digital instant cameras available, including some built for kids, the new camera’s key selling point is the price for photo refills while still getting full-color prints. Instax Mini prints tend to cost about 88 cents / 85p. Refills for Zink-based printers are a bit more competitive, costing around 50 cents / 60p for each photo.

The new Photo Creator Instant Color camera is available now, starting at about $130 / £90 / AU$153 for the camera with enough ink and paper for printing 100 photos in the box.

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Fujifilm has officially introduced the Instax Pal 2 – and if you fancy getting your hands on one of the smallest and arguably strangest cameras in the Instax family, preorders are now open.

In the US the new camera can be preordered from Adorama and B&H for $169.95, while UK buyers can currently place an order through Amazon, Jessops, and Park Cameras for £144.99.

Fujifilm says the Pal 2 is expected to become available in late September, with black and white versions on offer.

The important thing to understand about the Instax Pal 2 is that this isn't really an instant camera in the traditional sense. There is no film inside and nothing pops out of the bottom after you press the shutter.

Instead, this is an incredibly small digital camera designed to make taking photographs simple and fun, with images either transferred to your phone or sent to one of Fujifilm's compatible Instax printers or hybrid cameras if you decide you want a physical print.

It can work with Instax Mini, Square and Wide formats, giving it considerably more flexibility than a conventional single-format Instax camera.

Fujifilm has also made the Pal 2 feel much more like an actual camera than the original Pal. There is now a built-in optical viewfinder along with a 1-inch LCD screen, while the camera itself uses a 28mm-equivalent f/2.2 lens and a 1/3.06-inch CMOS sensor.

You can choose between 10MP and deliberately lower-resolution 1MP shooting (like the Kodak Charmera), which is an interesting idea if you want a more lo-fi digital look, while single autofocus and face-detection AF should make it considerably easier to use as an everyday point-and-shoot.

It can also focus from around 80mm, opening up the possibility of getting surprisingly close to your subject.

A big part of the Pal 2 is still about having fun rather than obsessing over technical specifications. Fujifilm offers five filter themes containing six effects each, with favorite effects selectable through the accompanying Instax Pal app.

There is also a new Instax Animation mode, where holding down the shutter can capture up to 10 consecutive images and turn them into a flipbook-style animation. The camera can hold around 100 photographs internally before you need to transfer them, with microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC cards also supported if you want additional storage.

I think that slightly unconventional approach is exactly what makes the Instax Pal 2 interesting.

Camera phones already make taking technically excellent photographs incredibly easy, so Fujifilm isn't really trying to compete with one here. Instead, the Pal 2 is a tiny camera you can carry almost anywhere, point at something without thinking too hard about it, and enjoy the process of making pictures again.

You can keep the results digital, share them through your phone, turn them into animations or make an Instax print afterward. At $169.95 in the US and £144.99 in the UK, it certainly isn't the cheapest way to take a photograph, but it might be one of the more entertaining.

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Take a look at the best instant cameras and the best hybrid instant cameras, and check out the differences between the various instant camera film sizes.

Leica has released a new firmware update for the Leica Sofort 2, bringing improved Bluetooth security and a handful of under-the-hood fixes to its hybrid instant camera.

Firmware version 1.2.1 is now available to download, and while this is certainly not the sort of update that suddenly transforms the Sofort 2 with new Filmstyles, Lensstyles, or photographic features, it is still an important update for owners – particularly anyone who regularly connects the camera to the Leica Fotos app.

The headline change is encrypted Bluetooth communication. Leica says the new firmware makes the Sofort 2 fully compliant with Article 3.3 of the EU Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU), with the Bluetooth security update forming the most noticeable part of the release. There is one thing owners need to know before installing it, however: once firmware 1.2.1 has been installed, the Sofort 2 will need to be paired with your device again.

That is particularly worth knowing with the Sofort 2 because connectivity is quite a big part of what makes this camera interesting. The hybrid instant camera can pair with the Leica FOTOS app via Bluetooth, allowing images to be transferred to a smartphone while also enabling remote control. Images stored on a smartphone – including photographs captured using other Leica cameras and stored inside the Leica Gallery – can also be transferred to the Sofort 2 and printed.

Beyond the Bluetooth changes, Leica simply lists "bug fixes in the firmware," without going into detail about exactly which issues have been addressed. So, don't expect firmware 1.2.1 to dramatically alter how the Sofort 2 shoots. Instead, this looks to be primarily a security, compliance, and stability release – but considering how much the Sofort 2 relies on its digital connectivity, I would still consider this an update worth installing.

For those unfamiliar with Leica's instant camera, the Sofort 2 takes a rather different approach from a traditional instant model. It is a hybrid digital and instant camera built around a 4.9MP sensor and a Leica Summar lens providing approximately a 28mm full-frame equivalent field of view. Crucially, you can review your photographs before deciding which ones deserve to become physical prints, rather than committing a sheet of instant film every time you press the shutter. It also offers 10 Filmstyles and 10 Lensstyles for adding different looks and effects.

Firmware 1.2.1 can be installed conveniently through the Leica Fotos app or manually through the Sofort 2's camera menu. Leica notes that registered users and Leica Fotos users should also receive notifications about new firmware releases. Those installing manually should make sure the battery is fully charged and avoid switching the camera off or removing the memory card or battery while the update is running.

The Leica Sofort 2 firmware 1.2.1 update and its accompanying release notes are available now from Leica's official download page.

Shop Leica Sofort 2

When it comes to Pokémon-themed cameras, I'm such a catch-'em-all addict that I once dropped $300 on the worst Canon camera I've ever used just because it had a Pikachu design.

Thankfully, now I don't have to spend nearly that much money to get a Pikachu camera that's lightyears better.

Polaroid has just announced an epic new collaboration that brings us a trio of Pokémon-themed instant cameras, a trifecta of Pokémon-themed film and a bundle of Pokémon-themed accessories.

It's all in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Pocket Monsters franchise, which has become part of the DNA of 90s kids (and beyond).

The star of the show is undoubtedly the Polaroid Go Gen 3 – Pokémon Pikachu Edition. At its heart is the fantastic Polaroid Go Gen 3, but this superb special edition comes in lightning-bolt yellow with Pokémon branding and a Pikachu tail instead of a strap.

Then there's the Polaroid Go Gen 3 – Pokémon Sylveon Edition, in gorgeous pink and white split tones with a matching strap (which is functional, rather than the decorative Pikachu tail).

While the two Pokémon-themed cameras are both, fittingly, of the super-small Go variety, the final camera is based on the full-fat Polaroid Now Gen 3. Styled after a Pokéball, the Polaroid Now Gen 3 - Pokémon Pokéball Edition boasts a red-and-white body and strap.

Launching alongside the cameras are three Pokémon-themed instant film packs – two Polaroid Go varieties in Pikachu and Sylveon boxes to match the cameras, and one Polaroid i-Type pack.

As you'd expect, all three film packs contain unique Pokémon-themed frames – but you may not have guessed that they also feature special edition dark slides, which are adorned with numbered and collectible Pokémon silhouettes!

There are also a slew of brilliant Pokéball-themed accessories that demand to be collected, including a camera case and photo album for Go-sized cameras along with a strap that fits all models.

Everything is available for preorder on the Polaroid website from August 27, with the official launch commencing on October 12.

The Polaroid Now Gen 3 – Pokémon Pokéball Edition will be priced $139.99 / £129.99, with the Polaroid Go Gen 3 – Pikachu and Sylveon Editions costing $99.99 / £89.99.

The i-Type Film – Pokémon Edition will sell for $22.99 / £21.99, with the double packs of Polaroid Go – Pokémon Light Frame or Dark Frame going for $24.99 / £21.99.

The Polaroid Go Camera Case – Pokémon Edition will carry a $24.99 price tag, with the Polaroid Go Photo Album – Pokémon Edition selling for $24.99 and the Polaroid Camera Strap – Pokémon Edition $14.99 (international pricing to follow).

Phew, made it through the entire article without saying gotta catch 'em all… gah!!!!

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Take a look at the best instant cameras on the market, and make sure you to check out the different instant camera film sizes so you know what type of instant film you need.

From the compact camera trend to disposable film cameras, much of the recent fads in the photography industry have been driven by younger generations such as Gen Z. But while Fujifilm sees a clear Gen Z influence on the rise in disposable film, instant film has a more diverse range of ages driving the analog trend.

I recently chatted with Ashley Reeder Morgan, the vice president of marketing and consumer products for Fujifilm North America, about the rise in popularity for disposable cameras and the QuickSnap line. But inevitably, it’s hard to talk about Fujifilm's disposable film cameras without acknowledging another highly popular lineup: Instax.

Morgan said that Fujifilm’s research suggests that the resurgence of analog photography isn’t just a short-term fad. While disposable film tends to lean heavily towards Gen Z, Morgan says that Instax has a more diverse range of users, though it is still a favorite among younger generations.

“When it comes to Instax, our consumers have actually evolved over time,” Morgan said. “At the beginning, the Instax user base skewed quite young, say ages 13-17, but as our product portfolio has diversified, so have our users.

"At our core, we are still a youthful, culture-forward brand and we are still beloved by younger generations, but some new models in our lineup also speak to other generations, either for themselves or as gifts for others.”

While Fujifilm's disposable cameras and instant film cameras are driven by different trends, Morgan says the underlying cause behind the analog resurgence is the same.

“For Gen Z digital natives that grew up with the ubiquity of smartphone photography and social media, using analog and instant film adds an opportunity to stay ‘present in the moment’ versus significant screen time being spent reviewing, posting, editing, and tracking likes and comments,” Morgan said.

While both disposables and instant film are inherently analog, Instax caters to a film experience without the cost (or wait) of sending film to a lab.

Some of Fujifilm’s Instax models are digital hybrid instant cameras that, instead of using traditional optics to expose a piece of instant film to the light, capture a digital image and spit out Instax prints using a built-in printer.

That enables options like the Instax Mini Evo and Wide Evo to skip printing the photos that didn’t turn out – and keep shooting even if the film runs out.

Morgan says that Fujifilm doesn’t see the QuickSnap and Instax lines crossing over. “While both of course appeal to analog fans, we don’t see QuickSnap or Instax competing with each other.

"We think of it as a continuum of gratification; smartphone photography is immediate but digital (utility), Instax prints develop in 90 seconds, right in front of your eyes and create an instax print you can hold (and with that iconic white border!), whereas QuickSnap images might be in-camera days, week, months or even years, until the consumer decides to develop and see them again and re-live that moment.”

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Take a look at the best instant film cameras, or the best Fujifilm cameras.

The Kodak Mini Shot 2 Retro might not currently carry a dramatic discount, but that does not stop it from being a genuinely good deal.

Priced at just $109.99 at Amazon, this wonderfully nostalgic instant camera offers far more than its retro-inspired exterior might initially suggest, making it an excellent gift for anyone who loves photography, scrapbooking, or simply holding a physical photograph in their hands.

What makes the Mini Shot 2 Retro so special is that it is not only an instant camera but also a portable photo printer. You can capture an image using the camera itself and print it immediately, or connect your smartphone over Bluetooth and print photographs already stored in your gallery. It is essentially two products in one, which makes that $109.99 price feel particularly competitive.

The camera produces compact 2.1 x 3.4-inch prints using Kodak’s 4PASS dye-sublimation technology. Each image is printed in several layers before receiving a protective laminated finish, helping to protect the photograph against water and fingerprints while delivering richer, more traditional-looking colors than many basic pocket printers.

There is also far less waste than you get with a conventional instant film camera. Because the Mini Shot 2 Retro is digital, you can view your photograph before deciding whether it deserves to be printed. That means fewer expensive mistakes, fewer unwanted prints and much more freedom to capture several versions before choosing your favorite.

Connecting the camera to Kodak’s companion app adds another layer of creativity, allowing photographs to be edited and decorated with filters, frames and other effects before printing. You can also choose between bordered and borderless photographs, making it easy to create classic instant-style prints or use the entire printable area for a slightly larger image.

So, no, the Kodak Mini Shot 2 Retro is not currently part of a headline-grabbing sale, but I still think it represents a very good deal at $109.99. Its combination of instant camera, smartphone printer and charming retro design gives it something genuinely special, while the approachable price makes it an easy gifting choice for birthdays, holidays or anyone looking to bring their favorite digital memories into the physical world.

Launched in 2020, the Instax Square SQ1 joined Fujifilm's growing family of instant cameras. Now, six years later, the quirky model exceeds sales expectations in Japan, with Fujifilm admitting that "production cannot keep up" with demand.

The resurgence has caught many by surprise. The one-button point-and-shoot camera wasn't a runaway success when it first launched, but renewed interest in instant photography and nostalgic technology appears to have transformed the SQ1 into one of Fujifilm's most sought-after cameras.

The company has temporarily suspended new orders for the SQ1 in Japan, while the camera has seen a significant revival globally. In the US, demand has surged, with stock limited to Amazon ($199.83 in blue, $198 in orange, $199.95 in white). In the UK, availability is better, with Wex having the SQ1 in stock (£119 in blue, £199 in orange), although regional shortages and sell-outs are beginning to appear.

Why the Instax Square SQ1 is suddenly popular

When the Instax Square SQ1 launched in 2020, it received a mixed reception. Designed as a simpler alternative to the Instax Square SQ6, it offered an easy-to-use, analogue shooting experience with just a single shooting mode and a dedicated selfie setting.

Unlike the SQ6, it favors a streamlined point-and-shoot design. While that simplicity appealed to some users, many photographers gravitated towards Fujifilm's hugely popular Instax Mini range, helped by its lower film costs and more affordable overall system.

So why is the SQ1 suddenly selling out six years later?

Fujifilm hasn't explained exactly what's behind the renewed demand, but the timing coincides with a broader resurgence in analogue photography among younger photographers and content creators.

The SQ1 may also benefit from its distinctive 1:1 image format. While the square format carries a nostalgic appeal of its own and is also associated with Instagram's original aesthetic.

The SQ1's simplicity is likely another factor. With automatic exposure, a single-button operation and a dedicated selfie mode, it's approachable for first-time instant camera users while still delivering the unmistakable look of analogue instant photography.

Statement

Notice and Apology Regarding Domestic Supply of instax ™ "Cheki" "instax SQUARE SQ1 ™"

Dear Customers

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued patronage of Fujifilm products.

Regarding the instax ^™ instant camera "instax SQUARE SQ1 ^™", sales have continued to far exceed initial expectations, resulting in a situation where production cannot keep up.

Because it is difficult to ensure sufficient supply, we will temporarily suspend order acceptance starting today. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.

At this time, the resumption date for orders is undecided, but we will announce any updates on our website. We kindly ask for your understanding.

Target Products
instax ^™ "Cheki" "instax SQUARE SQ1 ^™"
*1 instax, Cheki, and instax SQUARE SQ1 are registered trademarks or trademarks of Fujifilm Corporation.

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Browse the best instant cameras and the best hybrid instant cameras.

Today, the folks at Fujifilm have given an existing Instax camera a rather fetching glow-up. My colleague, Gareth Bevan, called the Instax Mini 99 the “best-looking Instax camera,” and the newly released silver paint job has only increased the desirability of this already charming instant camera.

For a brand known for its wide range of pastel Instax Mini cameras, in hindsight, it was perhaps a little surprising that the Instax Mini 99 was only ever available in black. The new silver look retains a strip of black leatherette, while the top and bottom plates and power ring (situated around the lens) are all silver, as well as a few decorative accents. The result is a classy retro SLR aesthetic that will sit alongside Fujifilm’s coveted X-Series cameras perfectly.

What is the Instax Mini 99?

The Instax Mini 99 is Fujifilm’s flagship Instax Mini camera, ahead of the Instax Mini 12, Instax Mini 13, and Instax Mini 41. As such, the Instax Mini 99 has a rather packed featureset. You have two shutter buttons, strategically positioned for comfortable landscape- and portrait-orientation shooting. Three focusing modes for sharp subjects at long distances, medium distances, and close-ups. A Colour Effect Dial, allowing you to select between six different color effects, including Sepia, Light Leak, and Warm Tone.

A Manual Vignette Switch also narrows the aperture to force a retro vignette, but perhaps the most useful feature on the Mini 99 is Exposure Control, which is essentially an exposure compensation dial with five levels of brightness. The camera also comes with five shooting modes: Auto, Indoor, Sports, Double Exposure, and Bulb, so you can capture a range of subjects. And of course, there’s a self-timer for hands-free selfies and a built-in flash.

The Instax Mini 99 retails for £174.99 / $234.95 / AU$279, with the Silver edition available from July 29.

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Ever wondered how instant cameras work? It’s both incredibly complicated and remarkably simple. Tour the world’s last Polaroid factory where heritage recipes run through every pack of instant film. I wrote off the digicam as a temporary trend, but three years later, "crappy cameras" have only become more popular.

I was over the moon to see the Polaroid Go Gen 3 for, fittingly enough, a trifecta of reasons.

Firstly, the Go – a teeny-tiny instant camera series launched to challenge the monolithic Instax Mini line – has clearly been a success to warrant a third outing. Secondly, because the Polaroid Go Gen 3 comes in the best selection of colors yet.

Most importantly, though, Polaroid has made the decision to switch up the focal length – going from a 34mm equivalent on the Polaroid Go and Go Gen 2 to 42mm here. But that's not all; the flash is more powerful, the aperture is more measured and the shutter is faster.

The net result is that the Polaroid Go Gen 3 is the company's best miniature camera yet, with the most consistent and best-quality results – and as an owner of both previous Gos, I'm happy to make the upgrade. So what's different, and is it a better buy than the Instax Mini 13? Let's take a closer look.

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Specifications

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Price

The Polaroid Go Gen 3 is available now at a price of $89.99 / £79.99 / AU$159.99. The Polaroid Go Gen 2 is still an active product (at least for now) and carries the same price tag.

The latest version of its rival from Fujifilm, the Instax Mini 13, was released around the same time and is similarly priced at $93.95 / £79.99 / AU$139.99.

It's important to note, however, that there is a difference in the price of film for each camera, with Polaroid Go film working out more expensive (US$1.24 per shot) than Instax Mini film (US$0.79 per shot).

Polaroid Go film can only be bought in double-packs of 16 shots, while Mini film can be bought in single packs of 10. Either way, you'll spend more per pack and per shot with the Polaroid.

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Build & handling

As I've alluded, there are some physical differences with the Polaroid Go Gen 3 compared to the Gen 2 (and Gen 1) – both internally and externally.

Obviously the lens DNA is chief among these, with the modification of optical components contributing to the slight increase in size and weight. In particular, the lens housing protrudes further forward (with less of a "lip" on the front) while the viewfinder extends further to the rear.

While Polaroid is still calling this "the world's smallest instant analog camera", the Gen 3 is a couple of millimeters bigger and almost 13g heavier than its predecessor.

In my hand this was basically imperceptible – but a slight rearrangement of buttons threw my muscle memory for a moment.

The flash and power buttons have both moved. The biggest change is that the flash button is now black and lives below the LED shot counter, rather than on top next to the shutter. This led to a bit of phantom finger as I instinctively searched for a button that wasn't there, but it didn't take long to adjust.

The power button now sits directly below the shot counter and flash button, and is the same color as the body. Again, other than trying to find where to turn the camera on the first few times I used it, this was no big deal.

Otherwise, the Polaroid Go Gen 3 handles just like its predecessors. It's small but perfectly formed, like holding a tiny slider hamburger, and can be pinched and operated between your thumb and forefinger. It's also the perfect size for children's hands, making it a great camera for kids.

Other features include a selfie-mirror and a built-in, USB-C-rechargable battery. The latter is obviously much better for the environment, but does mean that you can't slap in fresh batteries if you run out of juice during a shoot. And the integrated battery can't be replaced (at least, not without dismantling the camera) which puts a lifespan on the camera.

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Performance

It may seem like a strange comparison on the surface, but when I started using the Polaroid Go Gen 3 it felt a bit like the Leica Q3 43. Just as the Red Dot Brand took the Leica Q3 and replaced its 28mm lens with a 43mm one, Polaroid took the Gen 2's 34mm equivalent lens and replaced it with a 42mm option.

That change in focal length alone makes the Gen 3 a completely different beast to its predecessors, with a longer lens that better suits what and how I like to shoot.

I mainly use my Go to shoot people pictures, so the slightly longer lens is better suited for close-ups, and it's also much more useful when I want to snap items of interest while I'm on vacation without having to run right up close to them. There was only one occasion where I missed having the wider lens.

However, the biggest performance boost to the Polaroid Go Gen 3 comes in the improvements to exposure – especially in bright outdoor environments.

While there was a fair amount of sample variation, both the OG Go and the Gen 2 had a habit of completely overexposing in bright conditions. But the Gen 3 has hit the sweet spot in balancing the aperture (with f/14 and f/32 options, compared to f/9 and f/32 on the Gen 2 and f/12 and f/52 on the Go) and shutter speed (1/500, compared to 1/300 and 1/125).

I found shots to be much more evenly exposed, as well as noticably sharper, in all conditions. Polaroid is quite proud about the fact that the flash is also much stronger, which I can't say as I particularly noticed in and of itself, though it undoubtedly plays into the overall improved exposure.

As I mentioned at the top of the article, photographs taken on this camera inescapably have the "Polaroid look". This is characterized by cyan- and magenta-heavy hues, deep punchy shadows and washed-out – sometimes even overexposed – highlights.

You'll either see this as "delightfully characterful" or "poor image quality". Personally, I love this look; Polaroid's photochemistry is more volatile and unpredictable than Instax's, so you don't get the crispness and consistency but you definitely get a better vibe and true uniqueness – and an aesthetic that's impossible to replicate with editing software.

In terms of functionality, like previous Gos the Gen 3 offers both a self-timer and double exposures. It's worth noting that the Instax Mini 13 has caught up in terms of adding a self-timer, but it still doesn't offer multiple exposures – which I think is a big feather in the cap of the Gen 3.

Shooting with the Go has always been an absolute joy, as are the inevitable conversations and friendships that are struck up when people catch sight of it. It really is so small and so cute that it's an excellent ice breaker – which makes it particularly suited to parties and other social environments.

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Samples

I figured the most useful thing I could do is take a bunch of shots to illustrate the Polaroid Go Gen 3's photographs compared to those on the Gen 2.

Directly below are a selection of shots on the Gen 3, then the following two selections show the same shots – taken in the same position – on the Gen 2. This was the best way to show the difference in field of view between the two cameras, along with the differences in how they expose. As you can see, they're pretty significant!

I loaded both cameras with film from the same pack (and, thus, the same batch) to make the closest comparison possible. I think it's pretty clear to see that the Gen 3 shots are sharper and better exposed.

Polaroid Go Gen 3: Verdict

As soon as I was done testing the Polaroid Go Gen 3, I ordered one of my own. I think it's a brilliant little camera, which earns its place on my shelf next to its predecessors thanks both to its improved image quality and its different focal length.

Visually I do prefer the look of the Gen 2 and OG Go, at least as far as solid colors go – but the black "visor" of the Gen 3 actually makes a really cool accent for the color options. (I've gone for the purple version, which I think looks the business.)

If you already own a Go, I don't know that there's enough here to warrant upgrading unless you're really unhappy with your current model's image quality or you really want a bit more reach.

If you own an Instax Mini (as I did before getting my first Go) you might want to make the switch if you like the traditional square image format, the more "characterful" image quality and the ability to take double exposures. Not to mention a smaller, cuter body and the ability to recharge via USB-C.

The best instant cameras are still the full-size options like the Polaroid Flip, but as far as the mini options go this is by far my favorite. The only thing that's missing is a black-and-white Go film stock. Come on, Polaroid – let me shoot mono on the go!

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The legendary Coney Island Beach in New York probably isn’t the first place you’d expect to see a billboard about AI, but the sand, water, and sky create an unusual backdrop for Polaroid’s newest message: “Go jump in the water before the data centers drink it all up.”

The words are just one of Polaroid’s continued push to embrace analog in what the company calls an “over-digitized” world. The billboard, installed at Coney Island beach on June 18, re-ignites the analog photography brand’s radical campaign that last year put sayings like “AI can’t generate the sand between your toes” outside major tech stores.

Along with the billboard in Coney Island, Polaroid is sharing a similar message in London, England, including a tube station billboard at King’s Cross, as well as in Bethnal Green and Hackney.

Along with the striking statement about growing concerns over AI’s water use, the campaign also includes phrases like “You can’t bask in blue light” along with “dance like no one is recording” and “What a glorious day to stare into various screens for hours on end.”

The new campaign, “The best of summer is analog,” is both a rebellious celebration of a slowed-down summer with fewer screens and a way to promote the new Polaroid Go Generation 3, Polaroid's smallest instant camera yet.

“For Polaroid, the simple act of existing is already an act of rebellion,” said Polaroid Creative Director Patricia Varella. “While our campaigns are provocative and challenge our relationship with technology, we’re not anti-digital. We know we have to live alongside it, but we’re deeply pro-human, and know what humanity gives us. And we know what we stand to lose if we don’t protect it. That’s a fight worth fighting.”

The billboards aren’t the only rebellious way Polaroid is pushing analog – the company also convinced a dozen influencers to go offline. The company sent influencers a Go Gen 3 camera in a box that resembles a miniature garden.

The Coney Island billboard isn’t just an advertisement; Polaroid calls it “a metaphor for our over-digitization and the increasingly human need to step away from it.” The campaign, Polaroid says, encourages a break from scrolling for “imperfect” but tangible photographs.

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Some heritage brands nowadays are in fact ‘heritage’ in name only. Decades of history crammed into a logo that might connote quality and evoke a sense of nostalgia but, in reality, has been licensed out and slapped onto a product that bears little or no tangible link to the brand’s illustrious past.

And while I never thought Impossible Project’s acquisition of Polaroid fit that category, I had no idea just how much genuine Polaroid DNA courses through its modern films and cameras. A delightful documentary film by instant camera aficionado Ben Fraternale (In An Instant) takes viewers on a tour through the Polaroid factory, accompanied by his guide for the day, Senior Vice President of Film Manufacturing, Andrew Billen.

This isn’t just any old factory; it’s the world’s last Polaroid factory. A bastion of instant camera history that opened in the early ‘70s in the city and municipality of Enschede in the Netherlands. And while there’s a lot of new machinery, there’s still old machinery and throwbacks to decades gone by. Remarkably, although the company has replaced all of the old cassette molding machines, it still uses the original tooling.

Another thing that struck me is this modern iteration of Polaroid’s mantra regarding film. Andrew explains the complexities of the chemistry behind Polaroid’s instant film and that, despite incremental improvements being made to the formula every day, a generational overhaul is a huge, potentially catastrophic task.

One major upgrade to the formula can cause huge ramifications further down the line. As he puts it: “A generation change is multi-million, right? And it’s a huge commitment of resources; it’s not something you do lightly. You’ve got to prepare well for it, very clear scope, and then roll it out.”

Ultimately, Polaroid’s goal is to make the most user-friendly, robust and consistent instant film possible, but these aren’t changes that can be made overnight. The team is also aware that Polaroid film needs to look like Polaroid film; the goal isn’t perfect image fidelity.

And it doesn't seem like the team will be swayed by modern 'retro' aesthetics. As Andrew puts it: “When you photograph a red Ferrari it should look red, not orange, right? You can call it pastelly and analog, but we prefer it a little bit more red.”

What I’ve mentioned here is just the tip of the Polaroid iceberg, so make sure you watch Ben's full video to find out more about the production line and the incredible team of people that’s keeping Polaroid's unique brand of instant film alive.

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In 1976, Polaroid built a massive instant camera that stood 6.5 feet / 2 meters tall and weighed 235 pounds / 107 kg – roughly the size of an average refrigerator. That camera would go on to be used by names like Ansel Adams, Sally Mann and Andy Warhol.

Now, fifty years later, the camera is once again being used by modern artists.

The oversized bellows camera uses specially made 20x24 Polaroid film. Polaroid originally built five of the cameras, designed to be an eye-catching piece at shows and events. But when it found new ownership through the Impossible Project, one of the massive cameras was discovered collecting dust in a storage room.

Polaroid decided to not only refurbish the oversized camera, but also make the large 20x24 sheet film for it. Now the Polaroid Foundation is taking the camera on tour, giving artists around the world the opportunity to use the rare camera while filming an ongoing documentary called the 20x24 Project.

The camera follows the classic design of a field camera with folding bellows – but it sits on a wheeled base and, unlike field cameras, was only ever meant to be used in a studio.

The film creates a 20x24 image. Like smaller Polaroid cameras, the its rollers rupture a chemical pod to develop the film without a dark room. But unlike the more classic instant film, these 20x24 images are cut from rolls after the image is exposed.

The 20x24 Project, with the support of Polaroid, is now taking the restored camera around the world. John Reuter, a former Polaroid employee, is accompanying it with protégée Harriet Browse. Traveling with the camera is no easy feat, however, as it’s too large to even fit on an airplane.

The organization has been taking the camera across the globe to be used by artists, including visiting the oldest art exhibition in the world – the Venice Biennale.

The organization’s modern goal in 2026 echoes the camera’s past. While originally built as a showpiece, the camera went on to be part of the Polaroid Artist Support Program. The program provided Polaroid cameras and film to both emerging and established artists.

The program was established in 1949 and, while modern camera brands now offer ambassador programs, the concept at the time was unique. The photos that the artists created using the free film and cameras would go on to be part of what later became called The Polaroid Collection.

According to the 20x24 Project, that history means the newly restored camera now on tour with modern artists was once used by artists like Robert Maplethorpe, Mary Ellen Mark, William Wegman, Chuck Close, Richard Prince, Peter Beard, Jullian Schnobble, Barbara Kassen, Lucas Mars, Helen Chap, Carrie Williams, Luigi Gary and others.

The Guinness Book of World Records notes that the 20x24 Polaroid, first built in 1976, still holds the world record for the world’s largest Polaroid camera. Film fans and camera nerds can watch the oversized camera’s travel adventures on the 20x24 Project’s YouTube Channel.

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The Minions are bringing their legendary mischief to the Fujifilm House of Photography in London, England. A Minion-Instax event will mix the mischievous characters with instant film, including photo opportunities, giveaways and even the chance to customize an Instax camera for free.

The event, which is set for June 18 to July 12, celebrates the upcoming Illumination Minions & Monsters movie (opening on July 01) by allowing the characters to take over the first floor of the Fujifilm House of Photography located in Covent Garden.

Guests will be treated to Minion-themed photo opportunities, including monster Irene. Fujifilm’s new Spot AR photobooths will also be available to try with Minion-themed templates for the instant film.

For two days only, on July 1 and 2nd, viral creator Matt B Customs, a Manchester-based artist known for handcrafted sneaker designs, will be on hand to customize cameras, free of charge.

Fujifilm notes that the customization is only for Instax cameras, and guests will need to choose between a variety of Minion-themed designs. Guests are welcome to bring their existing Instax or purchase a new camera at the House of Photography – no doubt including the Instax Mini 13.

It's not the first time that Matt B Customs has customized Fujifilm cameras – he previously also offered customization during a Fujikina event in 2005.

The event will also include several giveaways, including a trip for two to Rome (which is, of course, also Minion-themed), custom Instax camera giveaways and other Minions merchandise.

The event is free to attend and will continue from June 18 to July 12, with the customizations available only on July 01 and 02. The Fujifilm House of Photography is located at 8-9 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH.

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I’ve taken a lot of selfies with gear from tripods to, yes, an iPhone with an outstretched arm. But I recently snapped a selfie with an unusual accessory: a camera strap. The Instax Mini 13 has an unusual selfie feature that’s unexpectedly hidden right in the instant film camera’s strap.

As the photographer in my family, I wouldn’t be in my own family albums without selfies – but I have to admit, I hate the awkward outstretched arm in the corner of the photo. But Fujifilm’s newest instant camera has an unusual hack for selfies without the awkward hold or bringing a tripod.

The instant camera’s strap has what looks at first glance like just a cute Instax logo. But this plastic piece is actually a wedge. Placing this wedge underneath the camera, I could actually prop the camera on a tabletop and still angle the camera just right to take a selfie without hauling a tripod along.

That unusual but clever feature comes along with the Instax Mini 13’s selfie timer. Instax’s higher-end cameras have had selfie timers before, but Fujifilm is now finally bringing it to the most affordable, party-ready instant film camera.

That’s a welcome change, as the Instax Mini 13 is the camera that’s more likely to wind up in the hands of casual users. Those selfie-focused changes have arrived as the camera maintains its simple point-and-shoot use and iconic instant film images.

No, the images aren’t going to be perfect. Timing a selfie on instant film is a challenge. But a slowed-down imperfection is the point of shooting with a retro format in the first place.

The Instax Mini 13 was originally unveiled back in March, but wasn’t expected to start shipping to the US until June, with no expected shipping date for the UK. Now, the ship month is here – and UK availability has finally been announced with pre-orders open today.

I’ve long loved the Instax Mini series and, while I think pricier options like the Mini 99 or the hybrid Mini Evo are better for serious photographers, I think the Mini 13 is an easy favorite for parties and snapshots. Instant film is a fantastic way to buck the modern tech trends and AI in a classic format – and the perfect way to slow down while taking snapshots.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 retails for about $94 / £79 / AU$129 / CA$110. Pre-orders for the camera have now opened in multiple regions including the US, UK, Australia and Canada. Shipping is estimated before the end of June.

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What's better than having the smallest analog instant camera in the world? Having the smallest analog instant camera in the world but with longer, sharper lenses and a more powerful flash!

The Polaroid Go Gen 3 takes everything that was great about the Polaroid Go Gen 2 (which is one of the best instant cameras you can buy – and I've bought a couple of them!) and further refines the micro-sized shooting experience.

The main thing here is that the lens system has been revamped. Where the Gen 2 had a 34mm equivalent focal length, with fixed f/9 and f/32 apertures, the Gen 3 replaces this with a longer 42mm equivalent focal length and apertures at f/14 and f/32.

The result? Sharper shots and slightly more reach – which means slightly more flattering portraits (albeit slightly less width for selfies, unless you have long arms).

Polaroid has also amped up the "genuinely powerful flash" for "better shots in any lighting" and more even exposure. This is what has enabled the lens system to stop down to f/14 to enable those sharper shots – and it also pushes the shutter speed to 1/500 sec (from 1/300 sec). The stronger flash doesn't affect battery life, though, so you still get about 120 shots / 8 packs worth.

All of this has slightly inflated the weight and dimensions of the Gen 3 – so technically the latest model isn't the world's smallest, but I guess the product line itself is. That said, the new camera measures a still-diminutive 106.5 x 83.8 x 64.6mm (up from 105 x 84 x 62mm) and weighs 251.9g without film (up from 239g).

Obviously it still takes the same micro-sized Polaroid Go film, with prints small enough to fit in your phone case. And it still packs the same key features that made its predecessors essential party companions: a self-timer, selfie mirror, double-exposures and that "Oh my god your camera is so small!" factor that makes it an instant talking point.

While the Instax Mini 13 remains the most ubiquitous, for my money (literally) the Polaroid Go is a far more fun camera to use – and the latest version is an instant purchase for me. I'll have a review on the site soon.

The Polaroid Go Gen 3 is on sale now, priced $89.99 / £79.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed). It comes in five colors: black, white, and two-tone purple, teal and light blue.

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If you’re in the business of technology it pays to not only move with the times but, if you can, get ahead of them.

At the end of the 1990s, when digital cameras started to become both affordable and ‘good enough’ to be a mass market proposition, Fujifilm chose to bring out its first Instax instant camera (alongside initial attempts at digicams): the credit card-sized print-outputting Instax Mini 10.

It was a point in time that coincided with Fujifilm and Kodak becoming concerned that digital photography would kill off their traditional film businesses.

As it has turned out, though, Instax is precisely what Fujifilm now largely owes its continued existence to – and what helped it through that dark period, when consumers abandoned the digital point-and-shoots that the company piled high and sold at volume through the 2000s.

Yes, its mirrorless cameras have been critical successes. But even considering recent viral hits like the Fujifilm X100VI, sales of Instax still massively outstrip mirrorless. Indeed, Instax alone is said to contribute up to two-thirds of the company’s annual income.

Famously, Fujifilm could only launch its Instax range when Polaroid’s instant print photography patents expired in the late 1990s (though there are differences in the chemical formulae involved).

But it has provided a steady stream of sales alongside the APS-C mirrorless and X100 compact cameras we all tend to focus on. It's become an absolute goldmine for the brand, with little innovation required, bar a few tweaks to filters and formats here and there – including eventually making the obvious introduction of an instant film / digital camera hybrid with the SQ10.

Instax is one of those famous cases of a company not necessarily initiating or inventing an original concept, but nevertheless being the one to most dramatically benefit from it. See also Kodak’s early doors development (and just as rapid shelving) of a digital camera prototype way back in the mid-1970s.

While Kodak kicked itself as it faced bankruptcy at the height of digital’s popularity, decades later, Fujifilm has reached a cumulative milestone of 100 million Instax units sold.

By contrast, the original Polaroid company also went bankrupt in 2001 – though the brand has been revived by a group of investors headed up by the Polish Smolokowski family since 2017. Despite the nostalgia factor being in its favor, the modern ‘Polaroid’ has some distance to go to hit the heights of success and sales enjoyed by Instax.

And though the principles and chemistry remain the same, Fujifilm’s offerings have become incrementally broad, now encompassing Instax Mini, Square and Wide camera and printer combos – plus standalone Instax Link portable printers enabling smartphone users to output an Instax print, even if they don’t own an Instax camera.

Add Instax photo booths not just camera in stores but high street retailers, and it seems that world domination is now complete. Surely, I believe, personalized Instax cameras for Gen Z users, not just prints, are the next step in Instax’s ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ formula.

Check out our full guide to the best instant cameras

Recycling is typically associated with green – but Polaroid is turning waste into psychedelic purple images. Polaroid Purple 600 Film is a limited-edition instant film created using reclaimed materials from Polaroid’s last remaining factory.

The new film is part of Polaroid’s Reclaimed series, a series of limited edition films created using leftover chemicals from the Polaroid film factory in the Netherlands. The line of limited-edition films typically comes from experiments by Polaroid scientists, like earlier limited edition films for Reclaimed Blue 600 and Reclaimed Green 600 that, as the names suggest, created strong blue and green-toned images.

Now, Polaroid has concocted an instant film that creates a largely purple image. Polaroid calls the results “dreamlike” and psychedelic” – and also says the look is completely new. The film comes from mixing Acid Red dye with the Blue 600 chemistry from the earlier film in the series.

Like the other runs in the Reclaimed Series, the film uses reclaimed materials from the Polaroid factory, which the company says gives waste a second chance at life.

As a 600-type film, the new film is comparable with cameras like the Polaroid Now, Now+, I-2, Flip, and the Polaroid Lab.

Because the film is experimental and made with reclaimed materials, the Polaroid Purple 600 is a limited edition film, and it’s unclear how many packs of film Polaroid will sell of the unusual chemical concoction.

The film is currently a Member Exclusive at Polaroid’s online store, but some retailers, including B&H in the US, have opened pre-orders for the limited-edition film. The film sells for $18.99 / £16.99 for a single pack (8 exposures).

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Instant film is seeing a resurgence, thanks to retro tech trends – but both film fans and those new to instant film alike can get hands-on experience with the nostalgic art form in a free traveling tour this summer.

Fujifilm Instax’s Capture the Joy Tour will bring an interactive instant film shooting experience to several locations across the US from May to September this year.

The tour will include a custom-built dome at every event site. Inside that dome, guests can get hands-on experience across Instax products, including both cameras and portable printers. The inside of the dome will have “colorful surroundings” for instant photographers to shoot in.

The event is free, and guests are welcome to keep the film they shoot on, Fujifilm says – allowing new users to try the craft before investing in an instant film camera and film packs.

The tour begins May 22 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Only the first five locations have been announced, but Fujifilm says the tour will conclude on the West Coast in September. The confirmed locations so far are:

• Asbury Park, NJ: May 22-25
• Boston, Mass.: May 29-31
• New York, NY: June 9 (Bryant Park)
• Milwaukee, Wis: June 18-20 for Summerfest 1
• Milwaukee, Wis: June 25-27 for Summerfest 2

Fujifilm says the tour will be making stops at musical events, food festivals, sporting events and parks.

For additional information and more stops as new tour dates are added, visit Fujifilm’s Capture the Joy Tour website.

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Cameras take photos – that’s pretty much the very definition of a camera. But I recently came across a camera that does not, in fact, take photos – it writes poetry.

Instead of spitting out instant photos, Poetry Camera prints out AI-generated poetry using a thermal printer. Those poems are based on what the camera’s lens sees, but the Poetry Camera doesn’t store any photos.

Poetry Camera started out as an art project by co-creators Kelin Carolyn Zhang and Ryan Mather. But, Poetry Camera gradually became more than an art project, and after several reiterations of making custom orders by hand, the creators worked with Seeed Studio and the MIT Research at Scale residency to manufacture the camera rather than making each one by hand.

The current version of Poetry Camera uses an AI model from Anthropic’s Claude generative text model – and an internet connection is required for it to work. The dials on the camera don’t adjust things like shutter speed and aperture, but allow the user to change from haiku to sonnet to free verse.

As both a photographer and a writer (though admittedly not much of a poet), the Poetry Camera immediately grabbed my attention. It’s not the AI-written poems – one review at The Verge says the camera writes “bad poetry” – that intrigues me.

The camera itself feels like an experimental mix of both art and technology, and the result of humans asking weird questions like, “What would happen if a camera didn’t take photos but wrote something instead?” Asking weird questions feels essential to creating art, and while the poems that the camera spits out lack a human soul, creating the Poetry Camera itself feels like an art project.

“What I’m not trying to do is have AI write a poem that I could’ve written on my own or draw a picture that I could’ve drawn on my own,” Zhang shared in a social media post. “These technologies are so new that it’s really easy to come in with a unique perspective and make something that the world hasn’t seen before. I’d encourage more artists to do that, like engage with AI with an open mind and then think about what they might want to do that wasn’t possible before without it.”

The Poetry Camera is available to preorder already built for $349, but the design is also shared as open source, so DIYers can build their own with parts from Raspberry Pi.

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Fujifilm’s Instax Mini cameras have a certain look about them – and the latest Instax product looks like a supersized Instax Mini camera. The Instax Spot is a new photo booth built around instant film.

The Instax Spot is both a photo booth and a print station in one, delivering the longstanding photo booth format in instant film but also allowing guests to print their smartphone photos using a QR code.

The Instax Spot looks like it takes much of its design inspiration from the existing line-up of Instax cameras. The top of the photo booth looks like an oversized Instax Mini, complete with pretend film coming out of the top. The oversized circular screen even looks a bit like a lens, and it’s surrounded by a functional ring light.

The Instax Spot will be available in both a standalone and a tabletop version. The base of the standalone version even reminds me of the Instax Mini Link 3 portable photo printer with its lines and curved edges.

The Instax photo booth takes part of the experience of the Instax app and integrates it into the photo booth as well. Guests can use Instax’s AR capabilities and add 3D physical effects to the prints. The owner of the photo booth can also customize the borders and stickers to their brand.

The Instax Spot will spit out prints on either Instax Mini or Instax Square, depending on the version.

The new Instax photo booth is designed for businesses with a lot of foot traffic – so Instax fans may expect to see the Spot out in the wild at museums, theaters and other locations after the May 14 launch.

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If any camera qualifies as a "unicorn camera", it's the TTArtisan 203-T Folding Instant Camera.

I first encountered it, in protoype form, at CP+ 2025. It's a beautiful retro camera, patterned after the "pop-out" folding models of yore, but it fuses that throwback design with instant camera technology – Fujifilm's Instax technology, to be more specific. And I think this might be the cause of its unicorn-ness.

You see, after it was revealed to the world on the CP+ show floor in February 2025, the TTArtisan 203-T vanished. Pre-order pages had popped up at the likes of B&H, but nothing more was said or heard of it.

Earlier this year, some websites were positing that the project had been scrapped – and some went further still, speculating that it may have been due to complaints from Fujifilm about the use of its Instax license.

Either way, the camera was absent from the show floor at CP+ 2026 in February – so color me surprised when, at the beginning of this month, it quietly went on pre-order in China… well, in the form of a "beta" program.

And color me flabbergasted when, over the weekend, I saw it open for a similar "invite-only beta sale" worldwide.

"It's finally here!" reads the post on the company's social media (in all caps). "TTArtisan 203T Folding Instant Camera / Beta Sale Now Open / Invite-only purchase. Selected applicants will receive a private purchase code on March 27. Price: $400 Limited beta units available."

The post invites you to follow a Bitly link to the "TTArtisan 203T Beta Program Application", where you are informed that colors will be shipped at random and that returns are only accepted for quality issues (and only within seven days).

The application also includes a series of questions, including:

• How experienced are you with manual lenses and rangefinder focusing?
• Have you ever used a folding / bellows camera?
• Do you understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO?
• What ISO is Instax Mini film rated at?

All of which suggests that TTArtisan is trying to curtail attempts to return the camera due to inexperience with film or focusing.

Still, the question remains… why sell a beta version of a camera? I don't think I've ever encountered such a thing, even on Kickstarter – it's a very strange situation.

As noted in my previous story, I have to wonder whether production on this camera was halted – whether it was due to Fujifilm or something else – and TTArtisan was unable to sell this product commercially.

However much of the production run was completed, perhaps selling the units as "beta versions" by "invitation only" skirts whatever issue prevented them being sold at retail.

Either way, if you fancy your chances in this lottery process for a $400 (approximately £300 / AU$575) for a gorgeous-looking Instax Mini camera with "Cooke lens design", battery-free mechanical folding operation, an equivalent 50mm f/3.5-22 lens, and manual aperture and shutter operation, this is the camera for you!

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Take a look at the best instant cameras from all manufacturers (except, sadly, TTArtisan), and don't forget to check what type of instant film you need along with the different instant camera film sizes.

The Fujifilm Instax line tends to come in a wider range of colors than the X Series – but there’s good news for instant film photographers who would rather blend in with a classic black camera. The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 will soon come in black.

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 is one of the best instant film cameras, particularly for photographers who want something larger than the credit-card-sized Instax Mini film and wider than the classic square. But when the instant film camera launched in 2024, it came in just one color, a sage green.

Now, retailers are listing a black Instax Wide 400 for pre-order.

Launching cameras like the affordable Instax Mini 13 in a wide range of colors makes sense – it’s a party camera designed for sharing physical prints. Now, I love a good camera in an unusual color, but many photographers want to fly under the radar and use a more subtle camera that doesn’t scream “hey, look at me” when trying to take candid photos.

One of our complaints in the Instax Wide 400 review is that it only came in one color – so adding another color option is certainly welcome to see. After all, if the budget Instax Mini 13 comes in five colors, why shouldn’t a pricier camera get a little variety?

While the Instax brand typically conjures up the colorful options like those on the budget Instax Mini cameras, the Instax Wide 400 will now join options like the Instax Mini 99 and Instax Wide Evo in coming in the longstanding camera color.

The new look on an old camera is already starting to pop up at retailers. In the US, the new color variant is listed at Adorama and B&H as a pre-order. In the UK, Amazon has the new color listed with a March 31 release date.

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A new color isn't the only Instax news this week! I tried out the new Instax Mini 13, and it's made for selfies.

Fujifilm has a new budget Instax camera. Fujifilm announced the Instax Mini 13, the newest budget model in the Instax Mini series, on March 16. I got my hands on an early sample of the new instant film camera, and if I had to sum up the changes in only one word, it would be this: Selfies.

While the changes to the Instax Mini 13 compared to the 13 go a little beyond selfies, the biggest updates are meant for snapping photos of yourself. The biggest change is that the budget Instax finally has a selfie timer, a feature that was previously reserved for pricier models like the Instax Mini 99.

The Mini 13 also gets an unusual new accessory built in, a wedge meant to help prop up the camera on a table for selfies. The Instax logo attached to the camera’s hand strap doubles as a wedge to prop the camera up, so it’s an accessory that comes in the box and that you don’t have to remember to bring along.

Outside of those two selfie features, the Instax Mini 13 takes on a new design with a bubbly design in four sections. This reminds me a bit of the seams on a puffy coat.

Sometimes photographers get frustrated over camera updates that seem to focus on selfies, but the selfie focus doesn’t feel misplaced here. The budget Instax Mini series is a popular camera for taking and handing out photos at parties and events. It’s a camera meant for casual users, where more advanced models like the Instax Mini 99 are meant for more serious photographers.

I’ve used the Instax Mini 12 – as well as other Instax models like the SE, the Mini 99, and the Evo – and the Mini 13 feels like a minor yet welcome addition to the series. It makes far more sense for a casual consumer camera to have a selfie timer than a more advanced model like the Instax Mini 99.

The Instax Mini 13 comes with all the quirks of instant film, including some unusual colors and less-than-perfect sharpness. Like the predecessor (and competing mini instants like the Polaroid Go), the film can often overexpose in bright sun, which is my biggest complaint about the new instant film camera.

The Instax Mini 13 comes in at a similar price point to the earlier Mini 12, at about $94 / CA$110 / AU$139, which should be around £80. While the camera was announced in March, it’s not expected to begin shipping until the end of June.

Several major US retailers have already opened pre-orders, including Adorama and B&H, as well as Camera House and Ted's Cameras in Australia.

For more insight, read the full Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 review.

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Fujifilm’s affordable Instax Mini cameras have long been a party favorite, but the budget instant film line is finally capable of taking selfies beyond those outstretched arm snaps. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 is the brand’s new under US$100 budget instant film camera – and it finally brings a selfie timer to the longstanding film favorite.

The Instax Mini 13 continues many of the loved features from the Mini 12, including a simple design, automatic exposure, and a budget-friendly price. But Fujifilm has tweaked the design and added a selfie timer, among other changes. I tried the newest budget Instax – and it’s a charming albeit imperfect camera to rival the best instant cameras.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Specifications

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Price

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 carries a similar price to its predecessor. It retails for $93.95 in the US, $109.99 in Canada, and AU$129 in Australia. UK retailers have not yet announced availability, but if the price remains similar to the previous model, it should be around £80.

The camera is expected to begin shipping in June of 2026 in the US and Canada; Fujifilm UK hasn't yet shared an estimated shipping date. Check major retailers like Amazon, Adorama (US), B&H (US), Wex Photo (UK), London Camera Exchange (UK), or Camera House (Australia) for pre-orders.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Key Features

I could sum up the changes between the Instax Mini 12 and the new Mini 13 in one word: Selfies. Okay, so there are a few other small differences, but the biggest upgrades are meant for selfie-takers.

The Mini 13 has finally gained a selfie timer, which can be set to two or ten seconds. That’s a nice upgrade considering the most affordable Mini is geared towards casual users anyway, so it makes sense not to keep the selfie timer reserved for just more advanced models like the Mini 99.

The strap also has an unusual feature: a built-in wedge meant to help prop up the camera when using that selfie timer.

The Mini 13 continues the updates from the Mini 12 as well, including a close-up option and automatic flash control.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Build and Handling

The updated design on the Instax Mini 13 reminds me of a camera wearing a puffer jacket. The Mini 13 continues the bubbly, rounded shape of the 12 but adds more contours down the camera body, which immediately brings to mind the lines on a puffer jacket.

Those contours still don’t give the little camera much of a grip, but Instax is designed for snapshots, not long shoots, so the shape didn’t bother me much.

The shutter release sits at the front of the camera underneath the viewfinder, and it’s surrounded by a lever that turns on the selfie timer. That selfie timer is the only feature I had to dig out the instructions for. A quick twist of the lever turns on the two-second timer. Turn the lever and hold for two seconds to activate the ten-second timer instead. The light around the shutter release will flash, press the shutter to start the timer, or turn the lever again to turn off the timer.

A small mirror around the lens aids in framing those selfies. This is helpful to see if you’re fully in the frame, but not large enough to, say, show that your pose is giving you a double chin.

A quirky new feature hides in the camera strap – and if you don’t read about it, you may not realize that it’s there. A plastic Instax logo is built into the strap. But, this also doubles as a wedge to help angle the camera right if you place it on a table or another similar surface for selfies. There’s no tripod mount, so this is a nice way to quickly, if a bit imprecisely, adjust the camera angle for selfies.

The back of the camera houses the film door – just line up the yellow spot on the camera with the yellow on the film pack, press inside, shut the door, and take one photo to eject the protective cover.

The back also houses the viewfinder and a small dial that shows how much film is remaining.

The camera uses replaceable AA batteries rather than rechargeable ones, so there’s a cost to keeping the camera running alongside the price of Instant film.

Like the predecessor, I found the Mini 13 fairly easy and straightforward to use. The only feature that may not be obvious is how to switch between the two-second and ten-second timer, and that the little logo dongle doubles as a wedge.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Performance

I’ve used several Instax cameras over the last few years, and the images coming from the Instax Mini 13 were exactly in line with what I expected. The credit-card-sized instant film prints aren’t the sharpest or most color-accurate images, but they have the charm of real film.

The film spits out the top of the camera and takes around 90 seconds or so to appear. Waiting for the chemical reaction to finish inside the photo is part of the magic of instant film. So too are the colors, which are close but a bit more retro than real life.

The added features make selfies simpler, though the .3m minimum focusing distance is still enough to take the standard arm-out-selfie.

The viewfinder on the Instax Mini 13 isn't 100 percent accurate. I caught some edges of objects that I didn't spot in the viewfinder, and sometimes shots of the subject that I thought were dead center were slightly off-center on the final print.

The flash on the Mini 13, like the predecessor, is always on, even outdoors in bright sun. It’s a powerful little light that adds a direct flash look to the shots, particularly indoors.

If I have one complaint about the Mini 13, it’s this: Photos taken outdoors in bright sun are often overexposed. The camera can’t quite handle the bright sun and washes out skin tones. The Instax Mini film doesn’t have the widest dynamic range, and the brightest portions of the image can wash out, particularly with bright sun.

But, this is similar to the Mini 12 as well as competing brands like the Polaroid Go, so it’s not uncommon for cheap instant film cameras to get a bit too bright sometimes. If you do intend to take a lot of photos outdoors, I would recommend looking at something like the Mini 99 or the digital-instant hybrid the Instax Mini Evo, which tend to do a bit better in bright sunlight.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 13: Verdict

The Instax Mini 13 levels up one of the brand’s most affordable instant cameras with new selfie tools, including a selfie timer and a wedge to help prop the camera at the best angle.

The charm of the affordable Instax hasn’t changed. It spits out shareable, fun, and quirky credit-card-sized prints. The camera bundles all the fun and unpredictability of instant film into an affordable and simple-to-use camera.

I do wish the camera did a bit better in bright sunlight, as the camera tends to blow out the brightest spots in the image. This is something the predecessor did as well. But, it speaks volumes that the tiny camera still actually does decently indoors, as long as the subject isn’t super far from the flash.

My few complaints with this camera are lessened by one thing: Price. I wish that I could turn the flash off, charge the batteries, and take double exposures. But Instax already has a camera that does that (the Mini 99). The Mini 13 is just quite a bit more affordable than the more fine-tuned model.

Buy the Instax Mini 13 if you want an affordable way to take party snaps on real film. Avoid it if you plan to take lots of photos outdoors in the sun, as the pricer models can do a bit better.

Alternatives

So, you've shelled out your money on one of the best instant cameras – but no matter how good your shots, unlike digital images, your physical photographs will deteriorate over time.

But Ashisei, a manufacturer of film preservation products, unveiled a new solution at CP+ 2026 to help protect Instax and Polaroid prints from discoloration and warping due to the effects of age and atmospherics.

After a brief period of exclusivity at Amazon, the catchily-named Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent has gone on sale at retailers across Japan – and I suspect may make its way overseas before long.

For ¥1,100 (approximately $7 / £5 / AU$10) you get a pack containing 4 sachets of mixed polymer, good for 20 sheets of instant film. This protective agent rapidly dehumidifies your photographs and offers long-lasting humidity control.

Ashisei showed off some samples of Instax Mini prints stored in different conditions, both with and without the Siglo agent, to demonstrate things like 365 days of ageing, 21 days sat on a car dashboard, the effects of 122°F / 50°C and 70% humidity and so on.

The effects were quite pronounced, with the Siglo-treated photographs exhibiting far less physical warping to the print itself as well as far less fading to the colors.

The below graph illustrates the change in color difference for the CMYW tones with (the left of each pair of color bars) and without (the right bar) the Siglo treatment.

As you can see, magenta and cyan fade rapidly without the chemical protection. While yellow and white don't deteriorate as much individually, they are mixed to express other colors – so Ashisei says that the overall image is still likely to fade without being treated.

As somebody who still has boxes of 40-year-old Polaroids from my childhood, I can assure you that instant prints really do fade and deterioriate. Storing photos in a cool, dark place is the best way to preserve them, but that obviously isn't ideal if you want to actually look through them or display them.

So personally, while there are a whole lot of Instax and Polaroid accessories that are just junk, this Siglo Instant Film Deterioration Prevention Agent is something I would actually use – even though it has a daft name!

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Take a look at the different instant camera film sizes and check what type of instant film you need, whether you're using Instax vs Polaroid cameras.

A year ago, I got to use a prototype of the TTArtisan 203-T Folding Camera at CP+ 2025 in Yokohama, Japan. However, it was conspicuously absent on the show floor at CP+ 2026 – and, indeed, it was conspicuous by its absence pretty much ever since its initial reveal.

So what exactly is going on with this camera?

Well, not long after its CP+ debut last February, the 203-T began appearing on sites like B&H for preorder. But then it seemed to vanish, with no more word from anyone – least of all TTArtisan – on what was happening.

There were even rumors that Fujifilm had slapped a cease-and-desist order on TTArtisan over the 203-T's use of Instax film, presumably without authorization. But there are plenty of instant cameras that use Instax film (such as a personal favorite of mine, the JollyLook Auto) and I'm fairly certain that none of them are paying a license.

I was hoping to see the camera on the show floor in Yokohama this year, but it was nowhere to be found. I tried to ask TTArtisan what was happening, but didn't have much luck.

However, the 203-T Folding Camera has suddenly resurfaced and can now actually be purchased… with a huge caveat: only "beta versions" of the camera are being sold, and they're only being sold via a lottery.

Chinese outlet, the Independent Photographers Association, posted new images of the camera announcing "First batch on sale by invitation only".

This was followed by further information courtesy of Asobinet. "You register your personal information and wait for the results (kind of like a lottery?)" wrote the Japanese site.

"I thought the project had completely failed... but it appears to have been completed. However, it is described as a "closed beta," so it is not yet an official production version. The beta version was priced at ¥2,780 [approximately $400 / £300 / AU$575], so the finished version may be a little more expensive."

Of course, the assumption there is that anything more than the beta version of this product will ever go on sale. Have you ever heard of a camera company selling off prototypes of a camera, ahead of launching the final production models?

Did Canon sell beta versions of the EOS R6 Mark III before the final camera arrived at B&H? How about the Sony A7 V? Heck, I can't even remember Kickstarter cameras selling beta models ahead of the finished versions.

My read on the situation is that for whatever reason, Fujifilm or otherwise, production on this camera was forced to cease. And it feels likely there was a ruling that the manufactured stock could not go on commercial sale.

Selling "beta versions" via "invitation only" might be an elegant way of skirting whatever issues arose that prevented the camera going on sale at general retail.

I may be completely off-base. But given all the volatility in China right now among third-party manufacturers (such as Nikon apparently forcing Sirui and Meike to withdraw lenses from sale), there does seem to be a crackdown from Japanese companies on unlicensed product.

I'll keep digging and share more on this situation as I have it.

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Take a look at the best instant cameras from all manufacturers (except, sadly, TTArtisan), and don't forget to check what type of instant film you need along with the different instant camera film sizes.

Imagine, if you will, a bright, ambitious young man, entering Harvard University at the age of 17. He went to study chemistry and was fascinated by polarized light, used to research chemical compounds. After a year there, he found himself bored and the established curriculum stifling.

So he quit and went into business with a partner, which rapidly transformed into a technology and manufacturing organization that employed tens of thousands of people.

His firm was fuelled by relentless research and remarkable innovations. He invented products that we didn’t know we wanted and was the first to introduce them in major consumer magazines rather than trade publications. He was a master of marketing.

By the time of his death, he had collected over 500 patents. He was a driven man who worked hard, drove his employees hard and seldom listened to advice from others. But, in the end, he was fired by the firm that he had built.

By now you’re probably thinking I’m talking about Apple’s legendary CEO, Steve Jobs. But despite the parallels, I’m actually talking about Edwin Land, inventor of both polarizing film for sunglasses and the “Picture-in-a-Minute” camera that bore his name – the Polaroid Land Camera.

After leaving Harvard, he moved to New York to continue his research. He realized that instead of making one large polarizing crystal – as was normal at the time – he realized he could line up millions of microscopic crystals in one direction and embed them in a transparent plastic sheet. He was right. And it worked.

He patented his invention, which he called Polaroid Film, in 1929 – the same year as the great stock market crash and start of the Great Depression. He then formed a company with one of his professors, George Wheelright III. Thus, Land-Wheelright Labs were born in 1932.

This new polarizing technology was a huge success, so in 1937 the corporation’s name was changed and the Polaroid Corporation came into being.

In 1943, while on vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his three-year-old daughter Jennifer, he took a picture of her using a film camera of the era. After she asked why she could not see the photo that her father had just taken of her, he began to think.

Within an hour, he'd already had the idea for how an instant film camera might work! Immediately after the trip, he started to research the idea.

To say he was a brilliant researcher would be an understatement. But Land was also a difficult researcher, like a dog with a bone, when he had a problem he could not solve.

Famous (or infamous) for his marathon work sessions, he’d work around the clock. He once wore the same clothes for 18 consecutive days while solving problems with the commercial production of polarizing film, and needed a staff who worked in shifts to bring him food and remind him to eat.

Worse, once he could see the solution to a problem in his head, he lost all motivation to write the solution down or prove his vision to others.

Still, a little more than three years later, on February 21 1947, Land demonstrated an instant camera and associated film to the Optical Society of America. Now called the Polaroid Land Camera, it was put on the market as the Model 95 less than 24 months after that.

Polaroid originally manufactured 60 units of this first camera, with 57 demonstrated at the Jordan Marsh department store in Boston before the 1948 Christmas holiday. Its marketers incorrectly guessed that the camera and film would remain in stock long enough to manufacture a second run based on customer demand, but all 57 cameras and all the film sold on the first day

That’s remarkable, given that the camera sold for $89.95 – or about $970 / £710 / AU$1,370 in today's money. A roll of Type 40 film, which produced 8 sepia-toned black-and-white images, sold for $1.75, or about $23.00 / £17 / AU$33 in 2026 money.

The 95 was followed by many models, culminating in the SX-70 series. In April 1970, after years of development and an investment of $600 million, Edwin Land took the stage, pulled a camera from his jacket pocket, unfolded it and took 5 photographs in just 10 seconds. Something previously impossible with a Polaroid camera.

It was said that the S stood for "secret", while the X stood for "experimental". The number 70 was an arbitrary choice "that sounded good."

Land considered the SX-70 his ultimate achievement. It was the culmination of a camera-and-film project to create full-color, self-contained, develop-before-your-eyes, "garbage-free" prints. It went on the market at the end of 1970 and the rest, as they say, is history.

See our guide to the best instant cameras today

Read more of David Young's ongoing series on classic cameras

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Having written about photography for the best part of 25 years, it’s exciting when a product arrives that appears to be the result of some blue sky thinking on the part of its developer. Even if said product has me thinking: ‘what?!’

That was my initial reaction to the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema, the manufacturer’s mash-up of 1960s Super 8 film camera – or to be specific the Fujica Single-8 – and present-day Instax instant printer. It’s charmingly deliberately clunky.

But really, I shouldn’t be surprised the range is expanding in hitherto unexpected directions. Fuji’s Instax series has been a lifesaver for the brand, so more variations on a winning formula makes sense. However, this variation? It’s either absolute genius… or bonkers.

A patchwork of disparate parts brought to life by a lightning bolt of inspiration, I got to spend time with Franken…Fujifilm’s creation at its London unveiling and a subsequent period of assessment.

While Fuji told me its core audience is broadly aged 20 to 35, the camera’s inclusion of digital filters to ape decade-defining film effects – allowing us to go on our own ‘eras tour’, from the 1930s to the present day – is a stroke of marketing genius. Everyone with money in their pocket, from Gen Z to their grandparents, can feel a nostalgic pang, or feel like they’re time-travelling.

And its low tech meets high concept nature is entirely deliberate. Instax has been popular precisely because it gives us an experience our smartphones don’t – the thrill of tactile image creation and an instant print to show for it.

So what if results are poorly defined and washed out? Seemingly against all rhyme and reason, the Instax Mini Evo Cinema even allows us to degrade the image further and control the degree of said degradation. It’s not about quality; it’s about the experience.

What especially appeals to me about the three-in-one stills, video and print device is the plethora of levers and dials that are not only appealing tactile but also make operation feel reassuringly mechanical. That’s an experience I’ve almost lost in an age of touch sensitive screens. The clockwork-like functionality extends to the audible whirr and sense of internal cogs turning as a print emerges from the camera top. The theatricality of it all is the real hook.

We all have our own mental image of the past. As it slips further into our rear-view mirror, it’s typically clouded, scratchy, and low-resolution, while the present is bright, clearly defined, and very real.

Instax lets us climb back into that safe, warm, nostalgic bubble – delivering something reassuringly knowable in times of great uncertainty. But yes, it is all rather bonkers.

Time to embrace the madness!

There’s a new compact camera with the Kodak name on it – the Kodak Printomatic+ is a new budget compact camera with a built-in inkless printer.

Announced and launched by Kodak licensee C+A Global, the Kodak Printomatic+ is a 10MP compact camera with a built-in ZINK, or Zero Ink, printer.

Photos of the colorful compact camera show off a screenless back that houses just a viewfinder and a door to load the paper. That suggests a simple, low-tech design that’s all about the prints, not the digital files.

The printer spits out those prints automatically, much like a traditional film instant camera. Competing digital print cameras with screens give users the ability to choose which shots to print off, but the Printomatic+ goes the simpler auto print route.

The compact camera houses a ZINK printer, which uses paper that has dye crystals embedded inside, allowing users to forgo ink cartridges and only load the sheets of paper. That paper is a 2x3 size – about the size of a credit card – and has a peel-off sticky back. Zink is also smudge and tear-resistant.

C+A Global says the camera has a 10MP resolution and an upgraded lens, but did not share specifications like sensor size.

The Printomatic+ has licensed the Kodak name but is not made by the longstanding photography company.

The Kodak Printomatic+ is already available on Amazon, where it retails for $80 / £80 / CA$130. (Australia availability and pricing have not yet been announced, but that converts to about AU$120.)

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Fujifilm is no stranger to retro designs and dials – but the company’s newest camera adds a dial that feels ripped not from a vintage camera, but from science fiction. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is an 8mm-cine-inspired camera with a decade dial that allows the compact camera to replicate cameras from earlier eras.

Originally announced only in Japan, Fujifilm has now bestowed the strange camera on the rest of the world in a January 13 announcement. US and Canada shipping is slated to begin in early February 2026, and UK and Australia retailers list availability as early as January 28. Besides the unusual decade dial, it’s also the first Instax camera to shoot video.

I tried the new Evo Cinema, and I'm torn between the fun of the decade dial and its flaws, which include a high price, low resolution, and some bugs. I haven't had this much fun with a retro camera in a long time. But the price is higher than the original Evo, and the camera froze up on me a few times.

The camera’s name feels a bit oxymoron-ish. Instax is associated with affordable instant film cameras, while Cinema tends to delineate a high-end video camera (such as the Fujifilm Eterna). The Instax Mini Evo Cinema definitely skews towards the Instax side, with a small 5MP sensor and 600x800 pixel videos across most modes. There’s a high-quality mode that’s 1080 x 1440, but that’s exclusive to the Year 2020 mode (and even then is off by default and needs to be switched on in the settings).

The other key shortcoming is that the Evo Cinema is meant for short clips and can take video for only about 15 seconds. The short clips from the decade camera feel more like living photos than videos because of that brevity (although there is still sound). I understand that the Super 8 style camera isn’t meant for hours-long videos, but I feel like a 90-second limit similar to Instagram Reels would be more useful.

Like the original Instax Mini Evo, the Evo Cinema favors a retro shooting experience over megapixels. In an industry still very much engaged in the megapixel race, the Evo Cinema is a weirdo – but delightfully so. I couldn’t help but smile as I “time-traveled” back to the home VHS tapes of the Nineties to 8mm home cine films of the Sixties to the old color films of the Forties.

The camera industry tends to focus on final results over the actual shooting process. But the Evo Cinema is a reminder that photography and videography are supposed to be fun. The Evo Cinema prioritizes entertaining retro design over technical specifications.

Perhaps in keeping with the retro theme, I did come across a few annoying bugs. My screen would glitch on occasion, and halfway through testing, I lost sound and haven’t been able to get it back yet.

Serious creators may roll their eyes at the 5MP photos, the 15-second video recording time, and the tiny sensor. But retro compact cameras are trending in a big way – and I suspect the nostalgia factor will spark a lot of demand for this weird little camera.

As fun as the Evo Cinema was to use, my biggest wish is that I could also turn back time and go back to the camera prices of the 1990s or even the 2010s. The Evo Cinema will retail for $409.95 / £329 / AU$599 / CA$479, with pre-orders already open.

That’s nearly twice the cost of the Instax Mini Evo. A higher price point is expected with the video capabilities and decade dial, but that’s a fairly steep price for a camera with 5MP.

While I found the price disappointing, I haven’t had this much fun with a camera in a while – I suspect the retro charm may make the Evo Cinema a trendy option.

Read more on my experience with the decade camera in the Instax Mini Evo Cinema review.

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Science hasn’t yet taken time travel out of science fiction, but Fujifilm’s newest Instax camera can travel through nearly 100 years of camera history. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is the first Instax with video, but it’s the decade dial that has captured the internet’s attention – and my heart.

The Fujifilm decade camera feels a bit like a combination of the hybrid Instax Mini Evo, the 1965 Fujica Single-8 cine camera, and a time machine. The camera itself is a digital-film hybrid that spits out instant film, but unlike the original Mini Evo, the Cinema also takes video, is styled like a vintage Super 8, and has ten decade-themed filters built in.

I “time-traveled” with the Fujifilm decade camera – and I’m predicting this little camera will be a hit among retro camera fans, but potentially loathed by pixel peepers.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Specifications

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Price

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema retails for $409.95 / £329 / AU$599 / CA$479.

The price point puts the little Instax Cinema at a steep jump from the original Instax Mini Evo, but a closer match for the Instax Wide Evo.

I think that price feels a bit steep for a 5MP camera, but the Evo Cinema does shoot both photos and videos and doubles as a smartphone photo printer, as well as printing shots right from the camera.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Design & Handling

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema design is inspired by the 1965 Fujica Single-8 series of cine cameras, and like the inspiration, the Evo Cinema takes on the form factor of a small Super 8. The camera is held vertically, with a trigger-style record button.

Hold down the trigger, and the camera will record a video for as long as the button is pressed, or 15 seconds, whichever comes first. That does present a challenge when trying to use the Evo Cinema for selfie videos – but thankfully, the smartphone app has a remote that works around that issue. A perk of this design, though, is that you can shoot right or left-handed.

Above that trigger is the camera’s lens. A dial around the camera lens controls the intensity of the different decade filters. Topping the lens, there’s a flash which, surprisingly, also works as a constant light for video. A red light indicates when the camera is recording. Sandwiched between the recording indicator and flash, there’s a small mirror to aid in those selfies.

But let’s be real – the most unusual features on the Evo Cinema are housed on the side of the camera. A Gen Dial allows creators to select a decade-themed preset spanning every decade from 1930 to 2020. Below that, a small toggle controls the digital zoom. There’s a switch to go from video to stills.

A second switch, indicated by a frame icon, offers another unusual feature, but one that I’m really glad exists – it allows you to turn the decade frame effects on and off. For example, if you don’t want the time and date stamp on for the 1980s or the YouTube-esque overlay for the 2010s, this simple switch turns them on and off.

The final control on the side is for printing. But, in keeping with the retro style, this isn’t a button but a tab that pulls out and turns. This is a little finicky; I had to make sure I turned it all the way and held it for a second before I heard the printer begin to whir to life.

On the opposite side from that time machine – I mean Gen Dial – there’s nothing but a door to load the Instax film cartridge. Like with other Instax cameras, there’s a yellow mark to help you know which way to put the film in. Line up the yellow mark on the film and the camera, and you’re golden.

At the back of the camera, there’s a small non-touch screen. But, Fujifilm actually includes an accessory here that converts the screen into an electronic viewfinder, if you want the full retro experience. The viewfinder adapter isn’t quite as sharp and is a bit harder to see the edges, but it’s an unusual way of fitting in both a screen and an EVF.

Underneath the screen, there’s an assortment of buttons for the menu along with a control wheel. The Gen Dial is also placed at the edge so you can use your thumb to twist it from the back, and the decade will also pop up in the viewfinder. That means you can adjust the decade without turning the camera to the side to read the labels.

The bottom grip part of the camera is relatively small, but I didn’t find it too uncomfortable, with my index finger on the trigger, two fingers around the grip, and my pinky underneath. But, I’m a petite person, and those with larger hands may find the grip too small. Fujifilm includes an add-on grip in the box, which screws into the tripod mount and gives the grip more height as well as a rest for the fingers at the bottom. I preferred shooting without it, but those with larger hands will likely find it a welcome accessory.

Along with the viewfinder accessory and add-on grip, the Evo Cinema also ships with a wrist strap, plus a second, smaller strap to connect to the viewfinder accessory.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Performance

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema puts fun before specifications – and it shows. The decade dial had me grinning the way few cheap cameras can, at the same time, sparking some ideas using those retro presets.

Most cameras today are all about the tech, but Fujifilm’s decade camera is unabashedly about having fun. As entertaining as the decade dial is, I loved that there are ways to customize those looks. The ability to turn off the overlays or leave them on is well thought out, plus there’s a dial to control the intensity of the retro look. There’s even exposure compensation and white balance adjustments inside the menu.

But like the Fujifilm X Half, cameras that prioritize experience over tech have some limitations, and the Evo Cinema has a long list. The 1/5-inch 5MP sensor is plenty for credit-card-sized instant film prints and social media shares, but not for much else.

Videos are similarly low resolution and measure just 600 x 800 pixels. But, as strange as this is going to sound, I didn’t really notice the lack of resolution between the years of 1930 and 2000. These film effects are all intentionally sprinkled with noise, grain, and glitches, so it’s hard to notice any pixelation.

The more modern decades past the millennium have fewer of those intentional imperfections, which makes the camera’s low resolution and soft plastic lens a bit more obvious. The 2020 mode does bump up the resolution to 1080 x 1440, but this high-quality mode is only available when recording to a microSD card, not the internal memory. It’s also off by default, so dig into the camera’s menu to switch it on if you want the higher resolution.

The camera does have zoom, but it’s a digital, not optical type, and cropping an 800-pixel video even further isn’t going to be super useful. (It does, however, exaggerate the historic but terrible picture quality of some of the earlier decades.) The zoom also stops and starts, so it’s jittery if you zoom while recording.

Another key limitation of Fujifilm’s decade camera is that the videos are limited to a maximum of 15 seconds. The camera is designed for quick clips that almost feel like Live Photos, just with sound and fantastic time-traveling presets.

The Evo Cinema also seemed a bit on the slow side, with a spinning wheel that pops up for a few seconds when you swap modes. It’s nothing major and almost feels like a reminder that old tech also had some pretty significant annoyances.

The battery on the Evo Cinema also felt a little short-lived – Fujifilm indicates a 100-print battery life, but doesn't hint at how many photos and videos you can take on one charge. Regardless, I had to charge it a few times during my review, which was surprising considering it can't take more than 15 seconds of video at a time.

I tried the Evo Cinema ahead of the launch, and the performance was a bit buggy. Thankfully, switching to a different microSD card and updating to the latest firmware seemed to fix both of those early bugs.

The Evo Cinema isn’t made for long videos. It’s not made for pixel peeping. But it is made for time traveling, and at that, the camera does fantastic.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: The App

The Instax Evo app adds a few notable capabilities to the Instax Mini Evo Cinema.

First, the app connection is required in order to “print” videos. A printed video works with a QR code that, when scanned, will play the video on the device’s screen, complete with an Instax white border. You’ll need to connect to the app for the feature to work, as the app needs to upload the video online for that QR code to have something to link to.

The other key component of the app is for taking selfies. With that trigger-style record button, the Evo Cinema can’t really record selfie videos from a tripod because once the button is released, the recording stops. Thankfully, the app has a workaround, and there’s a remote record button that works without holding down the trigger on the camera.

The app also allows you to print photos taken on a different camera, along with housing tools for firmware upgrades and editing images before you print.

Instax Mini Evo Cinema: Verdict

As a vintage camera collector, I immediately fell deeply in love with the Instax Mini Evo Cinema and its time-traveling decade dial. The effects are not only highly entertaining but also creatively inspiring. This camera brought me joy.

But, don’t let the Cinema in the name fool you. The Evo Cinema isn’t a high-tech video camera with its 800-pixel videos. At just 15 seconds long, the videos feel more like moving pictures than videos.

That brings me to the price. The list price is a bit disappointing, though not exactly unexpected. I wish I could turn back time on camera prices, too, but, alas, the Evo Cinema doesn’t have a dial for that. Still, the Evo Cinema isn't going to be a camera that shoots everything with its short clips and low resolution, so that makes the price tough to swallow as a more fun secondary camera than a high-spec shooter.

The list price is in line with the Instax Evo Wide, but significantly steeper than the photo-focused original Instax Mini Evo. Like with the X Half, I think trends (and in the US, tariffs) are playing a role in a higher price point for a camera with limited specs.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema is the strangest camera that I’ve ever used, but its inherent weirdness is 100 percent why the decades camera is so entertaining. As a camera, the specs are a bit ‘meh,’ but as a time-travel machine, well, there’s really nothing like it.

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After launching the unusual X Half last year, Fujifilm said it would continue to introduce more “concept cameras.” Not even a full ten days into 2026, and the brand is already making good on that promise with what looks like the strangest Fujifilm camera yet: a digital-instant cinema camera hybrid that “time-travels” with effects modeled after different decades.

The Fujifilm Instax Evo Cinema has, so far, only been launched in Japan, with no word yet on if the first Instax camera with video capabilities will be available in other regions. But while the availability of the Evo Cinema is unknown, its strangeness is not – and Fujifilm Japan recently shared a spec sheet that suggests that, like the original Instax Mini Evo, the new camera isn’t about megapixels.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema’s most unusual feature is a dial at the side that appears to allow creators to choose a different decade, which then applies a look to stills and videos inspired by that decade. Videos shared on Fujifilm Japan’s YouTube offer more insight into what, exactly, those modes look like.

When I saw the Japanese announcement earlier this week, I knew the Evo Cinema was odd – and now that more information is gradually becoming available, we know a bit more about Fujifilm’s latest gamble.

According to specifications translated by Google from Fujifilm Japan, the Evo Cinema uses a 5MP, 1/5-inch sensor. That’s relatively tiny and low tech, but matches what the original Instax Mini Evo offers.

Video is new for Instax’s hybrids, though, and the spec sheet lists a normal mode at 600x800 pixels and a high-quality mode, which is only available with the “time travel” dial set to 2020 at 1080x1440 pixels.

Above: this Fujifilm Japan YouTube video gives an idea of what the Evo Cinema is about

That resolution offers another insight into the Evo Cinema: the images measure the longest on height, suggesting a vertically oriented sensor, like Fujifilm’s other recent concept camera, the X Half.

Megapixels aren’t everything – and that’s especially true when applying a retro filter where image and video quality are supposed to be terrible. Instax Mini cameras print out credit-card-sized instant film, which certainly doesn’t require a high resolution.

I can’t help but look at the Japanese launch of the Evo Cinema and think about the X Half. Fujifilm’s early teasers hinted that specs weren’t everything, and, sure enough, the X Half focuses more on the joy of photography than the technical aspects. The sensor is much larger than the Instax Mini Evo’s at one inch and with a much higher 18MP resolution, but there’s no RAW shooting.

Of course, it’s worth noting that not all of Fujifilm’s “concept cameras” are low tech. Fujifilm also referred to the GFX100RF as a concept camera, which, with a 102MP medium format sensor, is about as opposite from the Instax Mini Evo Cinema as you can get. The experiment with the GFX100RF is the form factor, cramming such high-end tech into a travel-friendly compact camera.

Fujifilm’s concept cameras focus on the experience of shooting more than the technical aspects of image making – the question is, is such a gamble going to pay off? Both retro cameras and compact cameras are trending as younger generations look for ways to snap photos without the distraction of a smartphone. Computational photography and AI is pushing “perfect” photography aside for authentic, emotional images.

Last month, the original Instax Mini Evo was the top-selling compact camera in Japan. That Instax hybrid was launched all the way back in 2021, and the fact that it’s hitting top sales charts again is a good sign that the new Instax Mini Evo Cinema could sell like hot cakes.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema certainly doesn’t look like something I could add to my pro kit – but honestly, I still want one. The decade dial just looks FUN. I’m just hoping this unusual camera isn’t going to be a Japan-only exclusive.

Above: this Fujifilm Japan YouTube video gives a more detailed view of what the Evo Cine's features

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Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo is a hybrid digital-instant film camera that mixes the best of both modern and classic camera tech – but the series is about to gain the ability to “time travel” to different eras. On Wednesday, January 7, Fujifilm Japan announced the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, which is not only the first Instax to shoot video but a camcorder with 1960s cine camera design with an “Eras Dial” to replicate common film looks from different decades.

While the camera was announced in Japan, where it will begin shipping on January 30, Fujifilm has not indicated if the Instax Mini Evo Cinema may come to other regions. It's possible that the new Instax could be a Japanese exclusive.

The Instax Mini Evo Cinema doesn’t look much like the earlier Mini Evo model without the Cinema in the name. That’s because the camera is modeled after Fujifilm’s Fujica Single-8 series of 8mm cine cameras, which launched in 1965. The Evo Cinema is vertically oriented, with a trigger-style button for recording videos of up to 15 seconds long.

But what’s perhaps the most unique feature on the camera is what Fujifilm is calling the “Eras Dial,” a dial that allows users to choose a decade to replicate a style of photography popular in that time frame. The dial starts at 1930 and climbs in increments of 10 all the way to what looks like 2020.

Fujifilm explains that the 1960s era replicates the look of Super 8 cine cameras, 1980 is designed to look like 35mm color negatives, while 2010 is meant to replicate photo editing smartphone apps. A dial around the lens allows users to adjust the “degree” to maximize or minimize the effect.

That Eras Dial even affects the video’s audio, such as the whir that comes from film reels.

Of course, as an Instax camera, the Evo Cinema can shoot still photos too, with a switch at the side. Instax prints spit out of the top, and QR codes allow users to “print” videos by using a still and linking to the video file. Prints are controlled with a tactile lever at the side.

A monitor at the rear of the 8mm-cine-inspired camera frames the shot, but Fujifilm Japan also indicates that a viewfinder attachment will be available for converting that small screen into an electronic viewfinder. An attachment to make the grip larger and a dedicated case will also be available.

The camera is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and also functions as an Instax printer for photos captured from a smartphone.

The Evo Cinema isn’t the first attempt to resurrect the spirit of Super 8 into digital videography – there’s also the Camp Snap CS-8. But, based on the images, the Evo Cinema looks quite a bit more compact. The ability to not only take but print still photos is something the CS-8 doesn’t have, then of course, there’s that unusual Eras Dial.

As far as I’m aware, the Evo Cinema looks like the first Instax hybrid capable of shooting videos – though earlier models like the Instax Mini LiPlay+ could record sound to pair with a photo slideshow.

With the Evo Cinema only announced in Japan, it’s unclear if the new camera will be released in other regions in the future. Fujifilm Japan also hasn’t yet shared a price or a full specification sheet, so factors like how much the camera will cost and what sort of sensor the camera is housing are still unknown.

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It all started in late November 1966, when I was just 19 years old. I was a
thousand miles north of home, and it was my first real job. I was, by then, the manager of the photo department in the now long-gone Hougen's Department Store in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

I had a regular customer – a very decent chap of East Indian descent, by the name of Raghu. He was a fine young fellow, both handsome and very likable. It was not long before the Christmas holidays when Raghu came to me and asked to purchase a Polaroid 100 camera and some 100 packs of Polaroid color film.

The total cost was just over CA$1,100 and he put it on his charge account. That was over three month's wages for me at the time. Today, it's roughly equivalent to just over CA$11,000 (around $8,000 / £6,000 / AU$12,000). So it was a substantial sale!

He then flew home to India. When he had not returned by late January, my boss came to me expressing concerns that he might be gone for good – and would the bill ever be paid? Without any idea of Raghu's plans, I blithely assured him that all would be well and to be patient. Call it faith in humanity.

Eventually, near the end of February, Raghu did indeed return. He promptly paid his bill, in full, and told me that he'd come home without a single photograph to show for his trip!

He explained that the people in his home village were very poor and almost nobody could afford to have a photograph of themselves. That was a luxury that was simply out of reach, financially.

So he had taken photographs of everyone he knew – their families and friends, and the families of their friends – and gave all the photos away!

He said it was the best Christmas he'd ever had! I think there might be a lesson in there for us all.

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Fujifilm is about to increase production of Instax film – for the third time in four years. On Thursday, December 18, Fujifilm announced an investment that would increase production in one of the brand’s instant film production facilities by 10 percent by the fall of 2026.

The ¥5 billion investment – which is about $32 million / £23.95 million / AU$48.5 million / CA$44.2 million – will be used to expand production facilities for Instax. The funds are being directed towards the expansion of the Ashigara Site at the Kanagawa Factory in Japan.

But the expansion, which is expected to begin in the spring of 2026 and be fully operational by that same fall, is the third time that the company has expanded Instax production in almost as many years. The company first expanded Instax production in 2022, then again in 2023.

Combined with the investment announced at the tail end of 2025 that will be put into place before the end of 2026, that’s an ¥11.5 billion investment, or about $73.8 million / £55.1 million / AU$111.7 million / CA$101.8 million.

While the expansion to be completed in 2026 is expected to increase production by 10 percent, the total increase since the 2022 investment is now about 50 percent.

Instax film is made of 18 layers that work together in order to create a color image. When the camera (or portable photo printer) ejects the film, a pod of built-in chemicals breaks and spreads over the surface of the film. As the film reacts with the developing chemicals, an image appears, a process that takes about 90 seconds.

When the first Instax camera launched in 1998 in Japan with the first Instax Mini camera, the smaller film format was a hit and bolstered the company through the early 2000s. Like the compact camera, however, the instant film camera took a hit when smartphone cameras became popular.

But, the format bounced back and in 2015 expanded to global markets, including the US, bolstered by younger generations and the absence of Polaroid (who later returned, thanks to the Impossible Project). Ten years later, and the format remains popular – and is likely being impacted by the resurgence of nostalgic tech trends. Earlier this year, Fujifilm shared that it had exceeded $100 million in sales of Instax cameras.

The Instax series now has three main film sizes with Instax Mini, Instax Square, and Instax Wide. While Instax still has some simple, easy-to-use models like the Mini 12 and Mini SE, the series also includes cameras with more advanced tools like the Instax Mini 99. Hybrid cameras like the Instax Mini Evo and Wide Evo take both digital images and spit out prints on instant film, while portable printers like the Instax Mini Link 3 turn digital images from any camera into instant film.

Fujifilm says the expansion aims to cater to growing demand for Instax film.

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The Instax Mini 12 is already one of Fujifilm’s most affordable instant cameras. The Mini 12 simplifies instant film with automatic exposure and flash, paired with the easy-to-load Instax Mini film cartridges.

The instant camera typically costs about $94, but the price has just dropped to about $74 at multiple retailers. According to Amazon price trackers, that’s the lowest ever price for the Mini 12.

While the solo kit is the lowest price, the camera needs Instax Mini film to work – thankfully, there’s a bundle with film that’s also at its lowest price yet. A holiday bundle with the camera, film, an album, and a tote bag is also discounted, down to $85. Considering a pack of Instax Mini film for 10 photos costs $12, that’s a better price than buying all the accessories separately.

I’ve shot everything from digital to 35mm film to instant film, and I think simple instant film cameras are one of the best ways to ease into film. They are easy to use, and there’s no cost to develop the film.

Another budget Instax camera that I recommend is the Instax Mini SE. This is a Walmart exclusive camera. The key difference between the SE and the Mini 12 is that the SE isn’t 100 percent automatic – users need to twist a dial to match the scene, choosing from indoor, cloudy, or sunny in order to get properly exposed photos. That means the SE isn’t quite as simple as the Mini 12, but it is more affordable.

The Instax Mini SE also has a heavy discount, selling for $55 for the camera and one film cartridge (which contains ten shots).

Both deals have free shipping.

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Polaroid cameras have always held a certain magic. Whether it's the premium, manual-friendly Polaroid I-2 or the tiny, travel-ready Polaroid Go 2, each model brings its own charm. But the Polaroid Flip stands apart – and this year, it's done more than spark nostalgia.

Earlier this year, the Flip earned a spot on Time's Best Inventions of 2025, making waves for blending retro design with forward-thinking features. It's not just another nostalgia-driven camera dressed in vintage styling; it introduces technology that Polaroid retired decades ago – now refined for modern creators.

By merging classic analog charm with smart connectivity and genuinely useful innovations, the Flip brings a level of ease, reliability, and creative control that makes instant photography feel fresh again. For seasoned shooters and complete beginners alike, it's a standout option in a crowded market.

Tech you don't usually see anymore

The Flip's signature feature is easy to spot: its bold, flip-up flash module. This isn't just a stylistic nod to Polaroid's classic 600 series cameras – it houses one of the most powerful flashes Polaroid has put into an instant camera, capable of lighting subjects up to 4.5m away. This means cleaner, sharper, more balanced photos indoors and at night.

What really sets the Flip apart, though, is something we haven't seen in decades: sonar autofocus. Borrowed from Polaroid's legends like the SX-70 Sonar, it uses sound waves to determine subject distance with surprising accuracy.

Paired with the camera's four-lens hyperfocal system (with preset focal distances from 0.65m to 2.5m), the Flip delivers noticeably more consistent sharpness than most instant shooters.

And just when it feels like the Flip is leaning fully into its retro roots, it reveals its modern side. Flip open the flash, and the camera instantly connects to the Polaroid App via Bluetooth, unlocking manual exposure control, creative modes, long-exposure settings, and even firmware updates!

How it compares to other Polaroid cameras

The I-2 remains Polaroid's best performer in pure image quality thanks to its glass lens and LiDAR focusing. But at around $599.99 / £499.99 / AU$946, it's a specialist camera for those willing to invest.

The Flip, priced at $219.99 / £199.99 / AU$416, sits at a far more accessible level while still offering a shooting experience that feels both fun and capable – making it an instant favorite for everyday use.

However, Polaroid cameras are currently on offer – and the Flip is available for $184.99 / £179.99 / AU$379 for non-members, or $166.50 / £162 / AU$341.10 for new Polaroid Members (plus the membership is free).

Compared to the Now+ and Go, the Flip stands out for its autofocus reliability, stronger flash, and much more useful connectivity.

Instant photography is all about character, and the Polaroid Flip brings that in abundance. But what makes it exciting is how confidently it bridges the past and present. It revives older Polaroid camera features that many longtime fans loved while giving newcomers an easy, intuitive gateway into the format.

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Most of my friends were scouring the Cyber Monday camera deals for big savings on mirrorless cameras and lenses. Me? I was looking for money off Polaroid film, which is famously expensive and rarely receives a discount.

Well, Cyber Monday came good – Amazon is offering 15% off a multi-pack of i-Type Color Film along with 10% off Go Color Film!

I've been shooting Polaroids for decades. As long as I can remember, they've always been about a buck per exposure (my old photography mentor used to tell a joke that it always cost him $1 and a new shirt whenever he'd test a lighting setup – $1 for the Polaroid, and a new shirt because he'd put the photo under his armpit to expose, which would decay the fabric).

So I'm super grateful to see Polaroid's color film discounted, both for the full-size i-Type format and the pint-sized Go format.

It's easy to be sniffy about 15% and 10% discounts on multi-packs of film, which only amounts to around 7 or 8 bucks. But if you shoot Polaroids regularly, you know that every penny saved on every shot you take is definitely worth having.

I must admit, even as someone who uses the smallest memory cards possible in my digital cameras to limit how much I shoot (I still have a 2GB card in one body!) I'm still wary about shooting too many Polaroids, because I'm conscious that every exposure doesn't just cost money – it also depletes one of my precious eight shots per pack.

So any saving on packs of film is very much appreciated, especially for the Polaroid Go – where film rarely receives a discount. My advice is to pick up at least two of the above bundles of whatever type of film you need, and stick them straight in the fridge. You're much better off buying (and saving) in bulk than running out and buying single packs of film!

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I love film photography – but paying for film development, not so much. That’s why I love instant film. Instant film offers all the retro charm, but without the cost or wait for development.

I have accumulated quite the collection of instant film cameras as a camera reviewer, but the Fujifilm Instax Mini SE is my favorite budget option. While I love the Instax Mini 99’s controls and the Mini Evo’s hybrid design, those options are far more expensive.

The Instax Mini SE is a Walmart-exclusive camera, and the biggest difference compared to the pricier Instax Mini 12 is that there’s a control around the lens to set the exposure based on whether you are shooting on a sunny day or indoors. That can make the camera a little harder to use for beginners, but it offers more control over the final photos.

I haven’t seen a better instant film bundle yet this holiday shopping season. The Instax Mini 12 comes close in a bundle that's about $20 more. The fully auto Instax Mini 12 is a little better for kids and anyone who doesn’t want to have to remember to turn a dial to set the exposure before taking a shot, but the SE bundle has the best price.

To shoot beyond the ten photos included in the bundle, pick up a 20-pack of film, which is also discounted at Walmart right now. Or, if you want to go beyond the white border, you can find all different kinds of designs, like my personal favorite: the retro contact sheet design.

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