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Sure, smartphone cameras are great, but there’s nothing like watching a freshly snapped photo print and develop in front of your eyes. Instant photography, like the Polaroid pictures of old, is back. There’s a wealth of printing cameras on the market from manufacturers like Fujifilm, Polaroid Originals, Lomography, and even Leica. We've snapped pics with most of them, and these are our favorites.
And if you're hunting around, we have guides to the [best compact cams](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-compact-cameras/) and some of the best [mirrorless cameras](https://www.wired.com/story/mirrorless-cameras-buying-guide/).
*Updated for November 2019: We've added the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link as a great option for parties.*
### Best Overall
Fujifilm's latest Instax offering, the [Mini LiPlay (8/10 WIRED Recommends)](https://www.wired.com/review/fujifilm-instax-mini-liplay/){: rel=nofollow}, works as a camera and a printer. The pocketable form factor makes it easy to tote around and enjoy the immediate gratification of an instant camera. As a bonus, if you want to print a photo from your phone, you can do that too with the mobile app. The LiPlay has a nice glass lens, a mirror for selfies, and the ability to review images before committing them to paper. We found the embedded QR codes for audio gimmicky, but many users enjoy it.
### Best Photo Quality
If you're aiming for the best photo quality, this Fujifilm camera is the best instant camera the company makes. Compared to some of the other Instax Mini cameras, the Mini 90 Neo Classic is compact, comes with a long-lasting rechargeable battery, and gives you more creative control with a push-button close-up lens and a double exposure mode. We like its dual shutter buttons, which make it super easy to take a selfie from just about any angle. It often sells for around $120, so check prices often.
### Best on a Budget
For penny-pinchers or parents shopping for tweens, the Instax Mini 9 is the best camera to buy. It’s by far the cheapest, which is its main virtue. Because the Mini 9 is so affordable, you don’t have to feel quite so bad if your son breaks it or your daughter goes through packs of film like sticks of chewing gum. Unlike past low-end Mini cameras, the Mini 9 now has a high-key exposure feature and a standard selfie mirror up front. It's the best value in instant photography and [comes in several colors](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Fujifilm%20Instax%20Mini%209&i=electronics&rh=n:172282,n:291227,p_6:ATVPDKIKX0DER,p_89:Fujifilm,p_n_condition-type:2224371011&dc&qid=1565124959&rnid=2224369011&ref=sr_nr_p_n_condition-type_1){: rel=nofollow}.
### For Extra Abilities
If you have an artistic flair, try Lomo’s latest camera on for size. This Instax Mini-compatible cam is great on its own, taking sharp shots (especially if you opt for the [glass-lensed, wide-angle Magellan](https://www.wired.com/2017/09/review-lomography-lomoinstant-automat-glass-magellan/) edition) and including features many Fuji-made cameras omit. Long exposures, multiple exposures, and some exposure compensation abilities let you further express yourself. If you spring for this Automat’s [bundles](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HV2KJRO/?tag=w050b-20), you’ll get macro, fish-eye, and wide attachments, along with the fantastic lens-covering Splitzer, which divides the frame up into sections that you can expose individually for a collage effect.
### For Square Prints
Fuji’s first [square film camera](https://www.wired.com/2017/08/review-fujifilm-instax-square-sq10/) was kind of a dud, but this one is not. Its reasonable price and easy-to-use design make it a great choice if you just gotta have the classic, 1:1 aspect ratio, Polaroid-style shots you remember from days gone by (and from Instagram). The Instax SQ6 ([7/10, WIRED Review](https://www.wired.com/review/review-fujifilm-instax-square-sq6/)) has plenty of modes, from basic to double exposure. Even if you don’t plan on experimenting, it's dead easy to use. It’s not our favorite Instax Square camera, but it’s incredibly simple.
### For Luxe Square Prints
If the idea of Instax Square has you intrigued, but you find the above SQ6 a little ... square, then this is what you should buy. Lomo has applied its excellent Automat tech to the [Lomo’Instant Square](https://www.wired.com/review/review-lomography-lomoinstant-square/), making it the funky, fun, creative pick for Instax Square shooters. From its unique folding design to its excellent optional attachments and built-in infrared remote, it makes its higher price feel totally justified. And, if you need to save a buck on film, an adapter lets you shoot cheaper and smaller Instax Mini instead of Instax Square.
### For Polaroid Purists
If you want to relive the glory of vintage Polaroids, the OneStep Plus is best choice. It's competitively priced and very easy to shoot with. It has a USB-rechargeable battery, two built-in focal lengths, and a great companion app that lets you control the camera’s settings with a smartphone. Compared to the OneStep 2, the OneStep Plus is simply a more capable camera for the money. *A note though: we've had some bad batches of film, and buyers have complained about this, as well.* But when you get a good batch, the OneStep Plus is the closest you'll get to that vintage Polaroid of yesteryear.
If you want the Polaroid look, but not the bulk camera, consider the [Polaroid Lab ($130)](https://www.amazon.com/Polaroid-Lab-Digital-Analog-Printer/dp/B07WHMKXQB/){: rel=nofollow}. The Lab makes Polaroid images from images on your phone. It actually takes a photo of your phone screen and therefore the better phone you have, the nicer the results.
### For Extra Wide Prints
If you want to shoot with Fujifilm’s wider film, you have to buy a larger-size camera to shoot it. The Instax Wide 300 is the only first-party camera to shoot said Instax Wide film, and it’s not our favorite. Sure, it has the right features, but its huge, plasticky body isn't portable compared to a Polaroid-compatible shooter or an Instax Mini camera. Its biggest drawback is that the viewfinder can make framing close-up shots challenging. But if you want to go wide and don't mind the bulk, it's decent.
### For Parties
Fujifilm's Mini Link is very close to our top pick, the LiPlay, but ditches the camera functionality. Instead the Mini Link prints images from your phone. Fujifilm's new mobile app is much better than its past efforts. I'd recommend this over the older SP-2 printer ([7/10 WIRED Review](https://www.wired.com/2017/08/review-fujifilm-instax-share-sp-2-printer/)) for that reason alone since otherwise, this results are very similar.
What makes the new app more fun are what Fujifilm calls Fun Modes. Party Print creates collages from multiple phone while Match Test takes images of two people (or two images of one person) and prints a combined image. It'll also tell your how "compatible" it thinks the two are. It's gimmicky, but what party doesn't lighten up with a little gimmickry?
### For Portability
For those of us who value portability, Fujifilm offers the Instax Mini 70. This tiny camera can go anywhere with you, and it doesn’t skimp on things like the valuable selfie mirror. There are two wrinkles that make the Mini 70 less desirable than either the Instax Mini 9 or Instax Mini 90: It’s more expensive than the Mini 9, and it requires the less common [CR2 batteries](https://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Lithium-Battery-lasting-battery/dp/B00005T3DX/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. But you can usually find it sold at a discount just about anywhere.
### For Leica Lovers
This stylish but expensive camera is fantastic—just not for everyone. Unless you value eye-catching design and the signature Leica red dot more than you value getting what you’ve paid for, the Sofort has little extra to offer. I enjoyed shooting with it but routinely questioned why it costs more than twice as much as the incredibly similar Fuji Instax Mini 90. Its aesthetic loveliness can't be denied, but unless you’re a dedicated Leica fan, just get the Fujifilm version.
### Best Instant Printer
Okay, it's not a camera, but your phone already has a camera, so why carry another one around? If you just want to print existing images, this printer is the way to go. The Fujifilm app for your phone can be a little fiddly, but the printer itself is simple to set up and use. If you want to edit photos first, skip Fujifilm's app and use a dedicated photo editing app to save the results, then print. We prefer the square format of the SP-3, but if you want the rectangular prints, the [Instax Share SP-2 printer ($88)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GTKG5Z8/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} is another, cheaper option. The price fluctuates a little on this, but don't pay more than $100.
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