The best instant cameras you can buy
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Instant cameras have improved significantly since the old days when everyone had huge Polaroid cameras. The best instant camera you can buy is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 with its fun retro look, affordable price tag, and built-in selfie mirror.
When instant print cameras initially appeared in the 1950s, there was a feeling of wonder surrounding them. The ability to shoot a photo, have the camera eject a blank print, and then eventually see the photo appear on the paper after a short time rarely failed to amaze. At the time, you usually had to wait several days to receive prints after sending film off to be developed, so the instant print was simply magical.
Of course, several decades later, the allure of instant prints isn’t quite the same, but that doesn't mean instant cameras are long dead. Many people like instant cameras because they're a fun supplement to digital photography. Sure, you can shoot a photo with your phone and instantly share it with an unlimited number of people, but there’s just something about being able to hold that photographic print in your hand immediately after shooting it. It's something you cannot do with digital photography.
So maybe it isn’t all that surprising that instant print photography is making a bit of a comeback. If you want an instant camera to bring print photography back into your life, you're in luck. Several companies now make great digital cameras with fun, funky, retro designs.
We've picked the best instant cameras you can buy to supplement your smartphone and digital camera. Read on to see which of our picks is best for you. We've also included a brief history of instant photography and some of the pros and cons of the medium to help you make your choice.
Although the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 is our top instant camera pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Polaroid PIC-300, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic, the Polaroid Snap Touch, and the Lomography Lomo’Instant Wide.
The best instant camera overall
Why you'll love it: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 comes in many fun, funky colors and it even has a selfie mirror so you can look your best in every photo you take.
If the primary reason you’d like to try instant cameras is because they’re fun to use and adorable, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 delivers, as we showed earlier this year. This little camera is available in five bright colors and boasts many enjoyable features.
Polaroid may be the most well-known name in instant photography, but Fujifilm has carved its own niche in this market with a series of successful instant cameras. The Mini 9 is the latest model in the family. It prints small photos measuring about 2.4 by 1.8 inches using Mini film.
We aren't the only ones who love this fun instant camera. In its review, PC Mag says the Instax Mini 9 is enjoyable to use and the new selfie mirror is a great addition. Nerd Techy says this model is very easy to use right out of the box. This camera does offer primarily automatic shooting features, although you can adjust the brightness setting.
One Amazon reviewer loves the way this instant camera brought people together at an engagement party, creating a way to break the ice. Overall, most buyers deeply enjoy the instant camera for its cute looks and small prints.
However, the Instax Mini 9 certainly isn’t a perfect instant print camera. The image quality leaves a bit to be desired, as Camera Labs discusses in its review, but it’s still a nice camera to use, and we doubt you were expecting museum quality prints from this small camera.
However, some Amazon reviewers say the enjoyment of shooting with the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 wasn’t enough to overcome the image quality problems. If you're concerned about image quality, check out our other picks below.
Pros: Low priced model, bright body colors, easy to use camera even for beginners, camera creates a fun atmosphere, includes a selfie mirror, Mini film style for this camera is easy to find, trustworthy camera brand
Cons: Image quality leaves a bit to be desired, very limited number of manual control features
Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera on Amazon for $56.99 and up (price varies by color)
The best instant camera for ease of use
Why you'll love it: If you just want a basic instant print camera that requires little to no input from you, the Polaroid PIC-300 keeps things simple and fun with automatic settings.
When you’re looking to keep things simple with instant print cameras, the Polaroid PIC-300 delivers better than any other model. It doesn’t give you an opportunity to make significant changes to the camera’s settings before recording the image, but the plus side of having an automatic instant print camera is that it’s easy to operate.
The Polaroid PIC-300 instant camera has seen its price drop quite a bit in the past several months, which makes it a more desirable option than it may have been originally. It’s available in four different colors and creates prints with an image coverage size of about 2.4 by 1.8 inches. An Amazon customer acknowledged the tiny size of the photos, but said they still were a lot of fun to create.
CNET appreciates the single dial on the top of the camera that allows you to match the camera’s settings to the lighting conditions in the photo you want to shoot. This feature is similar to what you’d find with scene modes on a digital camera, but there are only four options.
Unfortunately, according to several Amazon customers, the image quality found in the PIC-300 instant prints is poor with no opportunity to change the settings to achieve a better exposure. Even the flash operates automatically, meaning some scenes end up overexposed.
The Leftover Culture Review review says the Polaroid PIC-300 works a bit like the simple disposable film cameras that were popular a decade or so ago, because of its basic design.
Pros: Reasonable price point, fully automatic features that are very easy to use, multiple body color options, fun to use and shoot with, prices have dropped recently to become more competitive
Cons: Overexposure problems are relatively common, some manual controls would’ve helped with inconsistent image quality
Buy the Polaroid PIC-300 Instant Film Camera on Amazon for $68.99
The best classic looking instant camera
Why you'll love it: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic has some interesting shooting modes that make it fun to use, and its retro look is very cool.
No new instant cameras look like the vintage Polaroid cameras from the 1960s and 1970s, but the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic comes closest.
Rather than the curved lines on the camera body or the bright colors that you’ll find with some new instant cameras, the Instax Mini 90 has a rectangular look with black or brown body colors and silver trim.
The Instax Mini 90 contains several different exposure modes, including a double exposure that results in some very interesting images, according to the Popular Photography review. However, you are limited to an image print size of 2.4 by 1.8 inches with the Mini film.
The Mini 90 Neo Classic is a slightly older instant camera, but it still carries plenty of desirable features that make it a fun party camera with its creativity and versatility, according to The Phoblographer review.
One Amazon reviewer loves the vintage look of the instant prints that the Instax Mini 90 creates. As long as you use the camera in the right way and stick to subjects with which you’ll have success, the Mini 90 Neo Classic works well.
Pros: Fun shooting modes and a double exposure mode, retro camera body look is cool, makes use of common Mini instant film, prints have a vintage look, fun camera to use at parties and other events
Cons: Ergonomics for shooting photos are poor, price is a little high, image quality isn’t great
Buy the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera on Amazon for $112.46
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