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Join Hafta-Ichi to Research the article “The Best Instant Camera”
Our pick
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6
The best instant camera
It is easy to use and produces the best instant prints at a better price than the competition.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $86.
Fujifilm Instax Square Twin Pack Film
Instax Square film
Fujifilm’s Instax Twin Packs help keep your film cost low.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $17.
The Instax Square SQ6 feels solid and durable, and it stands apart for its exceptional image quality and ease of use. The cost of its 3.4-by-2.4-inch prints have come down to about 85¢ each, and while their 2.4-by-2.4-inch image area is about half an inch smaller in each dimension than classic Polaroids, the SQ6’s results look just as good, if not better. The Instax film reproduces a wider range of tones and more pleasing-looking colors than any other option currently available—including Polaroid’s revived instant film cartridges. The SQ6’s exceptionally sharp lens further improves quality, even compared with other Instax cameras, and its exposure-compensation controls and multiple-exposure mode give you options if you want to get creative.
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Upgrade pick
Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay
A high-quality hybrid
This tiny instant-and-digital hybrid camera delivers instant prints and a digital review screen.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $144.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Twin Pack Film
Instax Mini film
Buying Mini film in twin packs helps you get the best price.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $12.
The Instax Mini LiPlay is the best attempt at a hybrid instant-and-digital camera we’ve seen so far. It offers all the analog charm of an instant camera but with digital control over which images to print onto Instax Mini film using a small LCD screen. At about 60¢ per image, that’s a thrifty restraint to ensure you’ll only print your favorites. A smartphone app unlocks features that the tech savvy will have fun fiddling with, including remote shooting and printing images from a smartphone library.
Budget pick
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9
A fun camera at a great price
Fun and simple to use, the Mini 9 takes smaller, lower-quality (but still good for instant) photos for less money.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $61.
Fujifilm Instax Mini Twin Pack Film
Instax Mini film
Buying Mini film in twin packs helps you get the best price.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $12.
If all you need is a fun toy for taking easy snapshots, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 is perfect. Its compact body feels durable, with controls that are intuitive enough for you to pass this camera off to a family member, and its 3.4-by-2.1-inch prints (with a 2.4-by-1.9-inch image area) cost only about 60¢ per print, so it won’t break the bank. But its photos aren’t as sharp or saturated as those of our main pick, it doesn’t offer as much creative control, and its batteries last for only about 100 shots, whereas our top pick promises 300 shots per set of batteries.
Also great
Fujifilm Instax Wide 300
Bigger and wider photos
The Wide 300 produces larger, wider prints at a lower price than the Instax Square SQ6 and runs on AA batteries, but the camera is quite a bit larger than most modern instant cameras and gives you fewer options.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $92.
Fujifilm Instax Wide Film
Instax Wide film
Fujifilm’s twin packs typically give you the best price on Instax Wide film.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $18.
For larger, wider-angle prints, we like the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300. Ideal for landscape and group shots, it produces 3.4-by-4.3-inch photographs (with a 2.4-by-3.9-inch image area and classic white borders) that are closer in dimensions to old-school Polaroids. Those images cost about 75¢ each, which is about 10 cents cheaper than with the Instax Square SQ6. With only one button for exposure compensation and another for flash output, you can just point and shoot, but it’s considerably bulkier than our top pick, and you get fewer creative options.
Hafta Ichi
Source: The NY Times
Keyword: The Best Instant Camera