7 Best Instant Cameras

Tired of printing off your pictures or going to the store just to get the glossy versions to frame on your wall? Same. The solution: Instant cameras. They’re cheaper than most digital cameras and create pictures that look great as a collage or pinned on a corkboard in your dorm room.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera, $58.99* on Amazon

Fujifilm is one of the top camera brands on the market. This camera takes two AA batteries, includes a selfie mirror, and has a macro lens adapter for close-ups. What do you say to that, Mr. DeMille?

What you’ll like: This instant camera is extremely portable, but what I like most is the high-key mode that lets you take brighter pictures with a soft look.

What you might not: The viewfinder is a little small, making it hard to take the perfect photo in just one shot.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8+ Instant Camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8+ Instant Camera, $65* and up on Amazon

Some say that Fujifilm Instax 8 is the best instant camera on the market. Coming from Japan, this instant camera comes with a selfie mirror and uses two AA batteries to take pictures.

What you’ll like: It comes with a built-in selfie camera and a close-up lens for beautiful pictures from most distances.

What you may not: This camera is an imported item, so it may take a little while to get to the United States.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Instant Camera

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Instant Camera, $111.99* and up on Amazon

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 is super stylish and designed for high performance. It also comes with different modes so you can get the perfect picture and include every detail of the moment.

What you’ll like: This instant camera automatically detects light levels for great photos. It also has party mode to include backgrounds and kid’s mode for fast-moving objects.

What you might not: It costs quite a bit compared to the other instant cameras on this list.

HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer

HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer, $126.51* on Amazon

Sometimes vintage doesn’t cut it, and you want high quality. HP is here to save the day. This little thing instantly prints photos you took on your phone using the HP Sprocket App. All you need is HP Sprocket printer paper.

What you’ll like: It’s Bluetooth connected, so there’s no need for messy wires and its small enough to take anywhere.

What you might not: The price is pretty steep. Plus, it won’t print from a USB drive.

Polaroid PIC-300 Instant Film Camera

Polaroid PIC-300 Instant Camera, $69.99* on Amazon

Shake it like a Polaroid picture. We’ve all heard the song, and there are few instant cameras better than the classic Polaroid instant camera. This instant camera takes business size color photos so you can carry them wherever you want.

What you’ll like: The flash automatically adjusts to low-light conditions and has four scene settings.

What you might not: The pictures are small – as in business-card size.

Fujifilm Instax Share Smartphone Printer SP-1

Fujifilm Instax Share Smartphone Printer, $155.68* and up on Amazon

The Fujifilm Instax is similar to the HP Printer with one solid difference: You can get the vintage look on Instax film, but much higher quality.

What you’ll like: You can print pictures from your phone through the Instax Share App. You can also connect to the device through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

What you might not: The company suggests you use CR2 lithium batteries which can be harder to find and more expensive than typical AA batteries.

Polaroid Snap Instant Camera

Polaroid Snap Instant Camera, $92.98* on Amazon

I love this minimalist design, but it also works great as an instant Polaroid camera. It has a 10-megapixel digital camera and creates stunning, pocket-friendly pictures.

What you’ll like: You’ll love the quality of these pictures.

What you might not: You still have to buy special Polaroid paper, and the pictures are a little small.

*Price as of 9/12/17