We have been caught up in our digital world for more than a decade. Gone are the days when you used to load film into a camera and then have pictures printed when that film was full. Even further removed are the old Polaroid instant cameras with the image produced magically in your hands a couple of minutes after the picture was snapped. If you ever had a Polaroid, you remember shaking the picture to try to get it developed faster so you can make that sought-after image appear quicker. Do you know why the Polaroid was invented? It was to give people instant gratification and access to pictures. The traditional film method yielded a set of prints days or weeks after the pictures were taken.
In our digital world, there seems to be a push lately to return to the nostalgic ways of the instant camera. In fact, for the past few Christmases, it was one of the top 10 gifts for teens and moms alike. Kids as young as 8 years old are clamoring for the small device that allows them to take a picture and get results in their hot little hands within minutes. If you have decided to take a shot on an instant camera, we've compiled the following list of the six best available models out there today.
How We Came Up With This List
You want instant pictures and instant results in trying to find the camera to give you those pictures. While some things can be done quickly, others take time. Researching instant cameras to find the best one to suit your needs may seem daunting since there are so many offerings available right now. We know you want that camera sooner rather than later, and that's why we put our list-making skills to task to come up with the six best options for you. We pride ourselves on providing the most up-to-date information in an honest and well thought-out way. We took the time to research the options available to you in the instant camera department and put the following best of the best together to make your shopping trip end in a snap (literally and figuratively).
The 6 Best Instant Cameras Today
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Picture size: 2.4 x 3.9 inches
Shutter speed: 1/64 seconds to 1/200 seconds
Flash/range: Yes, recharges in 0.2 seconds to 6 seconds
Flash/range: Yes, recharges in 0.2 seconds to 6 seconds
Battery: Four AAs
Pros
Cons
Customer reviews
It was difficult to find a negative review about the camera itself. Customers speak highly about the speed of development and the quality of pictures produced. Most of the complaints we saw were about a bundled pack including a tripod that was not large enough to support the camera. This camera is a great choice for an instant camera product.
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Picture size: 62 x 46 millimeters
Shutter speed: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: Constant fire/2.7 meters
Flash/range: Yes
Battery: Two AAs
Pros
Cons
Customer reviews
Customers, by and large, enjoyed the camera. The majority indicated the camera was easy to use, and the pictures were sharp and clear. There were some comments about the size being larger than thought, but it didn't seem to be much of a hindrance or bother for those who mentioned it. Those who already have it highly recommended this camera.
Overall rating:
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Picture size: 62 x 46 millimeters
Shutter speed: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: Constant fire/2.7 meters
Flash/range: Yes
Battery: Two AAs
Pros
Cons
Overall rating:
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Picture size: 2 x 3 inches
Shutter speed: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: Yes
Battery: Two CR2
Pros
Cons
Overall rating:
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Picture size: 2.4 x 2.4 inches
Shutter speed: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: Yes
Battery: Two CR2
Pros
Cons
Customer reviews
Customers who reviewed this product seemed to enjoy it. Some of the positive comments included the optimal photo quality with vivid colors and sharp images. The paper can be expensive, and the batteries don't last for more than 300 shots if they make it that far. The batteries are expensive and can be hard to find, so some customers recommended stocking up on them for those times when you run out and can't find replacements anywhere. The negative comments had to do with comparison features between this and the previous digital camera produced by Instax. These had less to do with this product, and therefore we didn't take many of those comments into consideration.
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Picture size: 2 x 3 inches
Shutter speed: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: 1/60 seconds
Flash/range: Yes
Battery: Rechargeable
Pros
Cons
Customer reviews
Customers had quite a lot to say about the Polaroid, and it was very mixed. A majority of the comments trended positive with people complimenting the Zink technology and the fact that the pictures developed quickly and free of smudges. There was no need to wait to touch the picture since it prints completely dry. On the other hand, there were quite a lot of negative comments relating to picture quality, the overpriced refill picture paper and the overall unhappiness with the product. We would say that the final results put this camera in the fair category.
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Comparison Table
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The Verdict
The instant camera has made a comeback in recent years and is especially popular at weddings and with kids. Teenagers are the number-one market targeted through colorful ads. However, the instant camera can be so much more to a large number of people. In fact, it can be a game changer when it comes to weddings and parties. A real photo booth that returns pictures immediately may take you back to the time when the mall was the place you found an actual photo booth, where you crammed in with your friends and got four small pictures in a film strip. Now you can get small pictures in a couple of minutes without the cramming.
Some photographic paper has sticky backs, handy for scrap booking or memory planning, and the instant camera's recent success may have to do more with a dying practice of printing out pictures than anything else. With cellphones being the primary camera these days and everything moving to digital media, more and more moments are locked away on an SD card than displayed behind glass in a frame.
Regardless, there was a clear winner and a decent runner-up in our quest to give you the best instant camera. The clear favorite was the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300. It produced the best-quality pictures and had the least amount of negative feedback and complaints of any of the other products above. The close runner-up would be the popular and inexpensive Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera with its array of colors and simple operation.
Our final rating is 5 out of 5 stars for the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 and 4.8 out of 5 stars for the Fujimax Instax Mini 9. Either way, you can't go wrong.
