The Best Instant Cameras to Take Awesome Pics
Everywhere you look, people are leaving digital cameras behind and embracing the aesthetic that comes with old school-inspired instant cameras, even taking the step of posting pictures of the instant photos on their social media accounts. (Yes, we've done it. Yes, we'll do it again.)
If you're looking to jump on the instant photography bandwagon, but aren't sure where to start, read on. We've gathered the best instant cameras on the market and have done a deep dive into their capabilities. PS. Don't forget to stock up on instant film!
Our Top Instant Camera Pick
If you're looking for crisp and clear photos with a vintage look, the Instax Mini 90 is the way to go. It's on the pricier end of the instant camera spectrum, but its enhanced features definitely make it worth the extra dough.
For simple picture taking, the Instax Mini 90 automatically detects brightness and adjusts the flash and shutter speed according to optimize photo quality. It also allows users to create double exposures and light trails, and even has a "Kids Mode" for snapping shots of kids, pets, or other fast-moving subjects!
A Budget Camera That’s Almost As Good
If you're simply looking for a reliable instant camera, the Instax Mini 9 is likely right up your alley.
Available in five eye-catching colors, it offers automatic exposure measurement, which automatically sets the recommended aperture setting before snapping the pic. Basically, this means that it only lets in enough light to take a good photo, without over-exposing the film. It even has a high-key mode for portraits, as well as a selfie mirror for when you're feeling yourself.
A Camera That Takes High-quality Prints
The Kodak Printomatic is basically the Polaroid Snap without the digital capabilities and better photo quality and reviews. There's a lot of love about this camera. It has a 10 megapixel resolution, so photos are crisp and clear. It also has two color modes, so you can print in color or black and white, depending on how artsy you feel.
The photos themselves have an adhesive backing, so you can stick them anywhere, and are fingerprint and smudge resistant. If you're looking for a sharper and more modern photo than you might get from an Instax, and don't care about uploading the pictures to your social media account, this camera is great option.
A Camera With Bluetooth Connectivity
This is the instant camera for people who aren't interested in disconnecting from their devices. The Kodak Mini SHOT is equipped with Bluetooth so you can send pictures directly to your smartphone for posting.
The instant aspect of this camera is nothing to sneeze at either. It prints photos using an all-in-one ink and paper cartridge that renders images in vivid detail. The 10 megapixel resolution is great for portrait and landscape shots. Also, that Bluetooth connectivity goes both ways. If you take a pic on your phone that you want to print, you can send it to the camera for instant gratification!
An Adapter That Turns Your Phone Into An Instant Camera
As you've probably guessed, we at The Guide think that instant cameras are very cool. However, we totally get that not everyone would be willing to sacrifice the resolution quality they can achieve on their iPhones for a picture that's printed on the spot. That's why we included the Prynt Pocket on this list.
This awesome gadget is compatible with any iPhone to print pictures directly from your phone or Instagram. And paper has an adhesive backing so all pics double as stickers. It also comes with a proprietary app that allows you to edit your pics and apply filters and frames before printing!
A Camera For The Vintage-obsessed
There was no way to make this list without including this instant film camera. Inspired by Polaroid's original OneStep camera, which debuted in 1977, the OneStep 2 Polaroid camera is bringing that vintage feeling back to instant snapshots.
It works with a variety of film, which gives photographers a wealth of style options for their pics. And, while this camera may be designed like one from the 1970s, it has a modern USB charging system that keeps the camera juiced and ready to go for whenever you're out and about. That said, buyers should note that this camera's pictures look like old-school Polaroid photos, and those are not known for being crisp and well-lit.
