What's The Best Instant Film Camera To Buy?

There are quite a few instant cameras on the market today and I’ve been collecting a few of them throughout the years. I see a lot of folks incorporating Instax and polaroid into their weddings I thought I would give my two cents about which cameras I like to use and why some may be better suited for different situations.

THE FILM
Polaroid Vs. Fujifilm

The first major distinction is between Polaroid film vs Fuji instax film. Like many households, polaroid has been a big part of my family and is O.G. for us. My great grandmother documented entire sequences of her life on polaroid including sunsets, trees, and even a bloody crime scene. My grandfather had to make sure she was well stocked with film which at the time wasn’t nearly as expensive as it is now. Polaroid film was eventually discontinued and people were left to use expired film, which although can have some really interesting imperfections, wasn’t ideal for everyday shooting. Then impossible project came onto the scene and resurrected polaroid film. The only down side was the price and the chemistry of the film feels a little different than it did back in the 80s/90s. It tends to have more “defects” and is a little less predictable. A few years later Impossible project became Polaroid Originals and started producing film that is more affordable and more a bit more reliable. You can get a pack of polaroid film these days for about $15 which way better than the $30 it used to be when it was Impossible Project.

The major thing Instax has over Polaroid is it’s reliability - you know you’ll get a good photo most of the time. Out of my personal experience, most of my Polaroid Originals have a strong magenta cast to them which is not something I really like. However, I have since read that keeping my film in a cooler with ice might keep it from coming out so magenta but I live in Texas so the chances of it being hot are very likely. If you’re like me and you don’t want to carry around an ice cooler for you film you might be more inclined to shoot Instax. I will say, however, there is something fun about the unpredictability of polaroid film if you’re feeling a bit more artsy but Instax has a vibe of its own and is less expensive. It’s not fun having spent $30 on a single pack of film that just doesn’t turn out which was often the case when I was shooting Impossible Project film. Although there were a few winners in that pack it always felt like an expensive experiment. I’ve seen some beautiful photos come out of Polaroid Originals but in my experience, I’ve been happier with Fujifilm.

TLDR:

Polaroid film is more expensive and but has a unique ethereal look that Instax doesn’t have.

Instax film is less expensive and is way more reliable than Polaroid which makes it a better everyday film.

CAMERAS

These are just a few of the cameras I own or have shot with but there are tons of new models from Fuji and Polaroid along with various film frames. I personally use each one for different things and don’t regret buying any of them.

Instax Sq6

Out of the cameras on this list, I think this one is my favorite. I love the small square format and it has a similar analogue feel that I love about shooting Polaroid. The square format film is a little more expensive than Instax mini but I don’t mind paying a little extra. The camera fits easily into a bag or purse and has enough camera settings to have some creative control but isn’t overly complex. It does require and odd battery type to operate but after using this camera for a year, the battery has yet to die.

Instax Mini 11

This is probably your best option for weddings, parties, or everyday shooting. The camera itself is fairly inexpensive compared to the others so if it gets broken it’s not a major loss. The film is reliable and is always available. You can even get it in bulk from B&H photo or Adorama. It also has an improved autofocus and autoexposure as compared to older models.

Polaroid Originals OneStep 2

This camera and it’s younger sibling the OneStep+ are probably the most affordable ways to shoot Polaroid film. It has some added features that older models didn’t have back in the day and something I like about it is that it has a rechargeable battery as opposed to the Polaroid 600 in which the film pack powers the camera whereas the OneStep 2 uses a less expensive iType film. The newer version of this camera also connects to a smart phone so that you can get even more creative with exposure and settings.

Polaroid Sun 600

This is the first camera I ever had. It was gifted to me one Christmas and it’s been a part of my life ever since even though it stayed in a closet for most of my young adult years. You can find them for cheap on ebay but if you want to know you’re getting one that works I would suggest looking at RETROSPEKT. Also keep in mind that this camera only shoots 600 film which powers the camera itself as opposed to the new iType film that doesn’t, making it a more expensive film.

Instax Wide

I’ve used this camera probably the most since it was the first Instax camera I bought. We used it at our wedding as an alternative to a guestbook but later we saw it getting passed around at the reception and people went crazy with it and we ended up with a ton of random photos that are now on our refrigerator. It has fairly simple features on the camera itself but the real star is the wide frame.

Polaroid SX-70

I couldn’t make this list without including the Sx-70. This is THE original Polaroid camera. Several years ago my grandfather took me to his storage facility to dig up my grandma’s old cameras and this is one I got to keep. It has broken mirror but as soon as I get it fixed, I’m going to bringing it to shoots.

Bonus: Instax SP-3 Mobile Printer

We love this printer. Something that’s cool about being a Fuji X shooter is that this printer automatically connects and we can print some teaser photos from the shoot that people can take home. For weddings, we always try to print 3 or 4 from our cameras to place at our couple’s head table. And since we’re printing from our digital cameras, we’re not giving up an original copy.

CONCLUSION

If you are going to be shooting a lot of film at a party or get-together or want an Instant camera for your guestbook at your wedding, I would go with the instax mini 11. The film is cheap, reliable, and accessible. It’s even available in bulk and has a cool vintage vibe. The camera also has some improved auto focus/auto exposure that older models don’t have.

If you’re feeling artsy or going on a trip to Marfa and you want instant photos that are a little moodier and ethereal looking you might have more fun with Polaroid Originals. Although I have favored Instax this last year, I still plan to shoot quite a bit of Polaroids.