Buying an instant camera is both an exciting and daunting process. Sure, everyone loves that satisfying ‘whirr’ the camera makes as it spits out your latest snapshot, but you have to worry about film, battery life and quality of the camera; and that’s all before your first photo develops and you need to consider the merit of your photography skills. If you’re interested in owning your own instant camera, here are several kinds available on the market that are suited to your particular needs.
Yes, this isn’t a camera. But it’s a great alternative to an instant camera if you’re unsure about buying one. It’s a Bluetooth printer that can turn devices like a smartphone into an instant camera. Sometimes you can go through a whole box of film on an instant camera, and have every photo churn out off-centre, over-exposed, or with some other dilemma. This wastes precious film. Instead, the Sprocket enables you to select photos from your gallery to print; all those issues are things of the past.
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As the name implies, the Instax mini camera prints photos of the ‘mini’ variety. This size is the kind usually plastered all over teen bedrooms. It’s known as ‘wallet sized’, and fits perfectly in your purse or underneath a clear phone cover. This instant camera is the best for taking selfies on, as positioned closely to the lens is a small mirror to line your shots up in.
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If you want an instant camera that harks back to its vintage origins, the 600 is for you. This camera takes photos in 600 film, which is the large and square-shaped film your grandparents probably used. The film and camera itself are more expensive than the mini varieties, but if you want to feel like Lydia from Beetlejuice, this is the way to go.
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The instant camera goes digital with the Printomatic. It has a rechargeable battery, and requires only paper rather than film, cutting down on the cost of use greatly. You can opt to save your photos to an SD card as well as film, which makes distributing group selfies a lot easier. You can also take the photo and review it before deciding to print, which means less duds. If you like the Sprocket, but really want a camera over a printer, than the Printomatic is a good choice.
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If you love the quality of Fujifilm, but are put off by the itty-bitty wallet size, then the Big Chungus of the Instant Camera world, the Wide 300, is for you. This bad boy has a tripod socket, a zoom lens for close-ups, looks retro, and most importantly takes great photos of you and the squad. However, you do have to buy Wide film, which is harder to source than the mini film, and pricier.
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If you want to flex on your friends with your impeccable taste in instant cameras, try the InstaFlex. It looks like a camera from a Tim Burton film, but once you get past that, it’s a great device to take artsy shots, whether that’s of loved ones, travel shots, or your ootd. While the InstaFlex is a pricey instant camera, MiNT will send you free film for every four qualifying photos you post online repping the brand. The more photos you take, the better. Otherwise, you can buy your own mini film.
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