Instant cameras | The best of April 2021

Instant cameras undoubtedly represent a beautiful piece of history. Their success, however, has been particularly fluctuating due to the advent of digital machines, which have taken a good share of users from the 90s to the present day. After a really lame start in the first decade of the 2000s, these machines managed to make their way, thanks to the work of many manufacturers, such as Polaroid, Kodak and Fujifilm.

Read also: Waterproof Action Cams | The best of March 2021 As always, our point of reference remains Amazon Italy for two simple reasons: the availability of products and films, and for the after-sales guarantee. Of course, all products have been tested and approved by the editors of sportsgaming.win Italia. Without further ado, we present the article of the best instant cameras.

Editor's note: the above article has been updated as of 04/23/2021.

As specified in one of our articles, Polaroid recently announced the new Polaroid GO instant camera. This is the smallest machine ever, which will be available from May in all the major e-commerce sites in the area. It will be our pleasure to update this article with further news.

The best instant cameras

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Kodak Mini Shot Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Kodak Printomatic Polaroid Mint Polaroid Originals 9008 One Step 2 Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 Polaroid 9010 OneStep +

Fujifilm Instax Mini

The cheapest solution on the market is certainly the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9, and it represents one of the ideal instant cameras for beginners, therefore from families to children who want to approach this fantastic world. It is a snapshot powered by two AA batteries, and has a particularly cheerful design and bright colors. Of course, it's not the best from the point of view of build quality, but it manages to take beautiful photos in many everyday situations, thanks to four exposure modes (Sunny, Cloudy, Indoor and Hi-key) that can be selected by turning the ring. In addition, it has a built-in flash, which is activated with selfies to ensure the quality of the shot. As for the photos, they have a very small size, namely 54 × 86mm. In short, for just over 50 euros it's really hard to find better.


» Click here to buy Fujifilm Instax Mini photo paper

Kodak Mini Shot

From Kodak comes a machine that combines analog and digital. The machine in question is the Kodak Mini Shot, a new generation product, which guarantees good performance, digital capabilities and many other features. First of all, it has a lens capable of capturing 16.7 million colors, and you can apply filters and even edit photos through Kodak's proprietary application directly from your Android and iOS smartphone, thanks to Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, this snapshot has a printer with 4Pass technology, capable of printing photographs through dye sublimation with all-in-one cartridges. Mini Shot, however, is a good starting point without detaching too much from the digital world.


» Click here to buy photo paper for Kodak Mini Shot

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic

Compared to the competition, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic instant camera maintains the unmistakable style of the old glories of the past. This machine has more professional features, such as manual exposure control, a double exposure mode and an option that allows you to disable the flash. Being a snapshot that looks to the past, it does not have a real display, but a small monochrome screen, which allows you to see the settings chosen to take the photograph. Furthermore, among the technical features, we find an integrated battery, rechargeable with a cable, and has a really long estimated autonomy (according to the user manual up to ten packs of films). Its selling price? About 100 euros!


» Click here to buy Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic photo paper

Kodak Printomatic

As we have already been able to ascertain in the previous paragraphs, Kodak is able to produce new generation instant cameras also characterized by the so-called “charm of the past”. So another snapshot that we recommend is the Kodak Printomatic. It is a product characterized by a 10 MP sensor and an f / 2 wide angle lens. The quality of the photos is not particularly excellent, but it is still a quality machine, both from the constructive point of view and from that of the functional range it is equipped with. Inside the package, in addition to the Printomatic, there are also five sticky notes with Kodak ZINK zero ink paper, a USB charging cable and a small instruction manual.

Polaroid Mint

With a capacity to take photos up to 16 megapixels, the Polaroid Mint instant camera features not only for its innate beauty (in terms of design), but also for its sublime quality. It manages to capture the best moments on 2 × 3 photographic paper, without having any kind of problem. In addition, thanks to its display you can edit the photos you have just taken for better printing. All at a very competitive price, ie just under 100 euros!


» Click here to buy Polaroid Mint photo paper

Polaroid Originals 9008 One Step 2

Let's move on to the Polaroid world, which probably represents the most characteristic brand of this particular market segment. As the first recommended product we present the Polaroid Originals 9008 One Step 2, a camera characterized by a design that takes its cue from the old Polaroids of the past and a series of new generation features. First of all, this camera is easy to use thanks to the "just point & shoot" technology and the self-shutter function that simplifies the shooting operation in all everyday contexts. In addition to this, the 1100 mAh battery manages to guarantee a good autonomy with an estimated 60 days. Its recommended retail price is around 130 euros, however it is available for just under 100 euros on Amazon Italy!


» Click here to buy Polaroid Originals 9008 One Step 2 Photo Paper

Fujifilm Instax Wide 300

Instant cameras can take 4: 3 photos in most cases or in very similar proportions to the previous ones. However, among the many alternatives, we would like to point out one of the few machines capable of taking photographs in Wide format (62 × 99 mm), therefore excellent for taking souvenir photos at parties and events. The name of the machine is Fujifilm Instax Wide 300, and it has many features that allow all fans to take close-ups (up to 40 cm) and landscapes. Do not miss the automatic flash to optimize the light in low light conditions. If you are interested, you can buy the Instax Wide 300 for around 110 euros.


» Click here to buy photo paper for Fujifilm Instax Wide 300

Polaroid 9010 OneStep +

Another snapshot that looks like the perfect combination of old and new is certainly the Polaroid 9010 OneStep +. The OneStep + includes all the technologies of the OneStep 2, but guarantees a series of small improvements on the quality of the shots and integrates - as if that were not enough - the Bluetooth technology, which therefore allows you to have remote control of the camera from your smartphone to take shots from a distance and other little goodies. In addition, this snapshot possesses a double exposure, a light paint mode, a noise trigger and much more. It is useless to continue to describe its technical characteristics because it is an excellent camera, which is sold for around 120 euros!


» Click here to buy the photo paper for Polaroid 9010 OneStep +

How to choose the best instant cameras

After having a look at the best products on the market, we now explain what the technical specifications or the functionalities are to search for to choose an instant camera, which you will find below.

Construction quality Functionality Shooting quality Sale price

Construction quality

The first aspect that we consider very fundamental for any type of product is the build quality, since a good structure guarantees a good seal over time, and above all ensures a good camera grip in the hand.

Functionality

Another aspect to keep and in consideration before making the purchase is the provision of additional features. Some machines, in fact, have more disparate features, such as an LCD screen or the ability to change the shooting mode. The goal is therefore to buy a product capable of performing different actions and must have different functions.

Shooting quality

Regardless of the instant camera chosen, to shoot in an excellent way you have to have an innate talent or a good experience. However, a product with a good shooting quality allows you to come up with a decent photograph in any situation, even if it is taken by a not particularly passionate person.

Sale price

Last, not by ranking, the parameter not to be underestimated is the selling price and therefore the quality / price ratio.