Best instant cameras for everyday photos

Start with the photograph you want to hold. A small print for a journal, a wider group picture and a Polaroid square call for different film. Once you’ve chosen a format, the camera shortlist becomes much easier.

These four picks favour current analogue cameras with straightforward film support. The recommendations follow their documented features. Check local listings for the exact model and film before ordering.

Instax Mini 13: a simple first instant camera

The Mini 13 handles exposure automatically and has a close-up mode and self-timer. It suits casual snapshots when you want few settings between you and the picture.

Its Mini prints fit easily in a wallet or journal. Choose a wider format if you want to see several faces clearly in one photograph.

Instax Mini 99: more room to experiment

The Mini 99 uses the same Mini film, adding brightness adjustment, colour effects and double exposures. It makes sense if experimenting with the camera is part of the fun.

It also asks more of you. Learn its focus-distance settings and try one feature at a time while you get used to the results.

Instax Wide 400: room for more people

The Wide 400 is worth considering for gatherings and landscapes. Its wider prints leave more room across the frame, and a self-timer lets you join a group picture.

The camera is bigger to carry than a Mini. Check that the print format matters enough to you to bring it along.

Polaroid Now Generation 3: the larger square

The Now Generation 3 offers autofocus and the familiar Polaroid print shape. It uses i-Type film and also accepts 600 film. Instax and Polaroid Go packs do not fit it.

Follow the film’s instructions for shielding a fresh print and letting it develop. For film compatibility across the range, Polaroid’s guide is a useful check.

For a first purchase, choose the simplest camera in the format you like. Our instant-camera finder also includes earlier models if you’re considering a used camera.