The Best Instant Cameras for Old-School Snapshots in 2023

If you’re after an uncomplicated instant film camera that makes big prints to stick on your fridge, pick the Instax Square SQ40. It’s a no-frills point-and-shoot that we found took bright images with pleasing colours.

It only comes in a simple black colour, but if you want it to be a bit more eye-catching, you could always go with the older SQ1 which we still recommend – the two models are essentially identical.

It used to be that if you wanted a basic instant shooter, you’d have to pick one that looks more like a pastel-coloured toy than a camera.

The Instax mini 40 solves this issue with its textured retro body and simple point-and-shoot approach. It’s a user-friendly option and ideal if you want little wallet-sized prints.

Want a classic look but something smaller than big and boxy Polaroid models? The brand released this scaled-down version last year, which comes in white, red and black.

It’s a simple point-and-shoot that produces minuscule 4.7 x 4.6 cm prints. There’s a double-exposure mode and self-timer, plus some clip-on coloured filters that add a decidedly trippy vibe to your snaps.

If you love the idea of instant prints but don’t want to toss most of your attempts in the bin, this is more like what you need. With the Instax Mini Evo, you take the shot, view it on the screen and if you want to print it, just pull the lever on the back and out it comes.

It has a close-focus 28mm lens, a delightful retro style, and intuitive photo filters. Like the LiPlay, it doubles up as a mobile printer for shots from your phone via the Instax Mini Evo app (iOS and Android), and it fits a memory card in its microSD card slot, so you can view your pics on your laptop too.

Overall, this is the complete package. And, we’re happy to sacrifice the immediate printing to get better results and extra control.

Just note that despite its 2021 release, this one has been tricky to find in stock this year. Fujifilm says it’s increased production on the model, to catch up with demand. We’ll keep this guide updated with links to where the camera is in stock as much as possible.

The main perk of the mini LiPlay is that it’s both a point-and-shoot instant camera and can print photos from your phone through Fujifilm’s Bluetooth-connected app.

It’s small, lightweight, and because you’re not forced to immediately print your snaps, you can take a few attempts if you miss focus the first time around. It shares much of its DNA with the newer Mini Evo above, and we prefer the retro styling of that model.

The last thing you want is to get through a whole pack of instant film without taking any keepers. The cost of i-Type film can add up, but as the first Polaroid with an autofocus lens, the Now helps you end up with fewer wasted snaps.

It has both portrait and landscape lenses, but it’ll also detect the subject and the autofocus will pick the right lens for the shot. It also includes a double exposure mode and a self-timer.

If you’re keen to fit more in the frame, whether that’s larger group portraits or landscape shots, consider the Instax Wide 300. This model is bigger than the square ones and needs wide Instax film, which is priced similarly to other Instax cartridges.

The Wide 300 doesn’t come with any special modes and is primarily a point-and-shoot that would be ideal for passing around the table at a dinner party.