Smartphone snappers can never match the photographic fun providing by instant cameras. Here are four of the best.
By Laith Abou-Ragheb
Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 90 Neo Classic
www.fujifilm.com
The Mini 90 is at the top end of Fujifilm’s growing range of gloriously retro instant cameras. It comes with an impressive 60mm lens, tripod socket, built-in flash and automatic exposure control which helps produce accurate images in a variety of lighting conditions. It also comes with an optical viewfinder with integrated target spot for sharper images.
The Bottom Line: While other instant cameras are designed for simple, knock-about fun, the feature-packed Mini 90 will appeal to serious photographers.
Price: $130
Leica Sofort
www.leica-camera.com
Leica is best known for producing eye-wateringly expensive and highly sophisticated photographic gear. So eyebrows were naturally raised when the luxury brand announced it was producing an instant camera. The Sofort can take pictures using a simple point-and-shoot automatic mode. But for anyone wanting to experiment a little, there are manual controls for distance, flash and exposure. A host of accessories are also available, including wrist straps, carry cases, and photo albums.
The Bottom Line: While the super stylish Sofort is by no means cheap, it still comes at a price point that makes the Leica gear vaguely affordable for the first time.
Price: $300
Polaroid Snap
www.polaroid.com
No list of instant cameras would be complete without a mention of Polaroid, the company which single-handedly created the category decades ago. But their latest creation, the 10 megapixel Snap, thankfully comes with all the benefits of a modern digital camera. It shoots in three picture modes: normal, vintage sepia tone, and black and white. It’s also fitted with a self timer and a microSD card indicator to save photos as well as print them.
The Bottom Line: Because no one understands instant cameras quite as well as Polaroid, the Snap is well worth a look.
Price: $100
Prynt
www.prynt.co
The Prynt started out life as a humble Kickstarter project. But unlike many other crowdfunding ideas that fall by the wayside, it seems enough people saw its potential and helped it to market. Once the Prynt photo case is securely bolted on to your iPhone, it can instantly print pictures using a special inkless photo system.
The Bottom Line: Prynt is ideal for anyone who doesn’t feel like carting around a full-size instant camera along with their phone.
Price: $150
