The 7 Best Instant Cameras Perfect for Capturing and Savoring the Moment

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The Instax Mini EVO has an onboard digital LCD screen so you can see how your pictures look before you print them. That way, you don’t waste precious film, which can oftentimes be quite expensive. Although we haven't tested the Mini EVO, we reviewed its predecessor, the Mini Liplay, which is quite similar, and found its picture quality far surpassed other options on the market.

We like that this camera pairs with your smartphone, making it easy to print out credit card-sized photos you previously took on your phone. This camera was also named the best overall instant camera by reviewers at The Verge and Wirecutter who praised it for its stylish vintage looks, its long-lasting rechargeable battery, its durability, and its useful complementary app.

“It’s easy to balk at its $199 price tag, but this camera offers a level of flexibility that could save you money in the long run because you can see and select which images you want to print before doing so,” Sheena Vasani, a writer at The Verge said.

If you want a premium, easy-to-use instant camera that takes outstanding photos almost every time, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option.

Related: Don't Forget the Film!

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Automatic settings based on lighting and high-quality instant prints make this camera a great choice. Add the cool retro design, multiple image-capture features, and the easy-to-use viewfinder, and it’s easy to see why this camera comes recommended by photographers at Wired and Digital Camera World.

It’s a cinch to be creative with this Fujifilm camera: You can shoot super close with the macro setting, capture light trails with a slow shutter speed, and produce two images overlapping on a single sheet of film with the double-exposure mode. And you don’t have to worry about running out of power, either, thanks to the camera’s rechargeable battery.

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The Instax Mini 11 is more affordable than our best overall pick, the Instax Mini EVO instant camera, but it still does a fantastic job at snapping (and printing) photos. It’s everything you need to capture life’s events on the camera’s credit-card-sized prints. It’ll make an outstanding gift and works well for new photographers.

We love that it comes in exciting color options, including lilac purple, sky blue, ice white, charcoal gray, and blush pink. Its only downside? The camera requires two AA batteries, so you won't be able to recharge it.

The pros outweigh the cons, though. The camera sports an optical viewfinder with automatic exposure and includes a built-in flash for snapping photos at night.

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Editor's Note: The Instax Wide 300 was low in stock at the time of publishing. If it goes out of stock, it's available for preorder at Urban Outfitters.

Another offering from Fujifilm, this option prints some of the best photos out of any film camera out there, and that’s thanks to the larger format of its prints.

“This camera captures textures well, shoots best in ambient indoor lighting with dispersed natural light, and produced the most lovely black and white images of any camera we tested,” wrote the editors at GearLab in their review of the instant camera.

The Instax Wide 300 produces photos that are 3.4-by-4.3 inches, as opposed to the usual small square prints of most other instant film cameras. It’s the perfect option for travelers — especially if you like taking landscape photos. Prints come out crystal clear, but they still have that throwback retro feel to them that we love.

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The Instax Square SQ1 is compact, easy to hold, and has a nice little window on the bottom right that tells you how many exposures you have left. We love its vintage aesthetic that's accented perfectly by the color options of terracotta orange, glacier blue, and chalk white.

Besides looking cool and eclectic, the SQ1 shoots 1:1 square format shots and has an always-on flash. It offers enough battery life to snap 300 shots before needing to be recharged, and also has a convenient selfie mirror.

My colleague at Good Housekeeping, who tested the camera, said the camera produced images that were bright and with relatively accurate colors, which is why we recommend it over the similarly priced Mini Shot 3 Retro instant camera from Kodak, which prints slower and in lesser quality.

“If you want a simple instant camera that’s fun to use and makes big prints, the SQ1 is the one I’d pick,” said Simon Cock, the technology editor at Good Housekeeping.

The Polaroid Now+ instant camera is the best option for photographers who want full manual control over their shots. This camera’s mobile app grants users the ability to adjust shutter speed, aperture, and flash. Basically, it has all the bells and whistles you’d look for. Plus, you can even get creative and shoot unique double- or long-exposure shots.

The Polaroid Now+ comes with a handful of colorful lens filters and is compatible with Polaroid Originals i-Type and 600-type film, which costs around $2 per shot. For comparison's sake, Fujifilm's Instax Mini Instant Film runs about $0.70 per shot.

If you want to save some dough, though, consider the analog Polaroid Now camera that doesn't have Bluetooth but features a nifty autofocus.

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One of the appeals of an instant camera is how cool they look. If you only have the budget of just 100 bucks but still want a unique-looking camera that works, opt for the Instax Mini 40. It has an impressively convincing plastic faux-leather body with metallic-like details.

Apart from its aperture and overall appearance, this option is almost identical to the Instax Mini 11 we previously mentioned. It has the same focal length, shutter speed, minimum focus distance, and flash recycle time: However, it’s a bit more expensive. If you’re willing to pay a premium for a sleeker look, the Instax Mini 40 is a decent camera that looks gorgeous.