Congratulations, everyone, we did it. We made it through winter. Welcome to summertime, a glorious three months of joy, warmth, and BBQ. If you’re one of the cool kids, you’re probably in the market for a fancy new instant camera. Well, you’re in luck. In this post, we help you find the best instant camera for your needs and compare the most popular models out now: the Canon Ivy Cliq+, Minolta Instapix MMCP10, Polaroid OneStep+, and Fujifilm SQ20.
Canon Ivy Cliq+
- Price: $159.00
- Colors: Sapphire Blue, Pearl White, Ruby Red
The Canon Ivy Cliq+ is an 8MP camera and printer with a built-in 2″ selfie mirror and 8″ LED ring light. It produces 2×3” prints on sticker paper—you can remove the back and use it as a sticker or keep the back on and treat it like a normal instant photo.
One of the pros of the Canon Ivy Cliq+ is its Canon Mini Print app. Once you connect the camera with your phone you can print images from your smartphone’s camera roll. Via the app, you can also edit your pics, add cool effects, and even control the camera’s shutter and self-timer.
Another perk is that the Canon Ivy utilizes zink printing technology, eliminating the need for ink cartridges. Simply load your film and it’s ready to go!
Minolta Instapix MNCP10 Instant Print Camera
- Price: $139.99
- Colors: Purple, Blue, Charcoal, Coral Pink, Gray
The Minolta Instapix MNCP10 is a 10MP camera and printer that comes equipped with a viewfinder and 1.7” LCD display. It utilizes “4PASS printing technology”; basically, that means this camera prints each color individually then finishes with a layer of lamination. The resulting print is waterproof, smudge-proof, but (unfortunately) not a sticker.
Like the Cliq+, there is a Minolta Instapix app that connects with the camera via Bluetooth. Through the app, you can take, edit and save images to your phone, control camera functions, and share photos in other apps.
Also, if you’re a hardcore camera nerd like we are, yes this is the same Minolta that made some of the best cameras to come out of the 80s and 90s. Today, Minolta is a subsidiary of Rokinon but they’re still producing products including point and shoot cameras, dash cams, and now this instant camera.
Polaroid OneStep+
- Price: $159.99
- Colors: Black
Next up is the Polaroid OneStep+ from Polaroid Originals. This model has a few major upgrades from the original OneStep2 including the addition of Bluetooth technology, close-up mode, a more powerful flash, and longer battery life.
As mentioned above, this camera features Bluetooth which you can use to connect with the Polaroid Originals app. The app unlocks a range of additional creative features including a remote, self-timer, portrait, double exposure, light painting, noise trigger, and a manual mode for control freaks (no judgment).
Fujifilm Instax SQ20
- Price: $159.95
- Colors: Beige, Black
Last but not least we have the Fujifilm Instax SQ20. The SQ20 is a film/digital hybrid camera that combines the aesthetic of film photography with digital technology. It’s worth noting that this is the only camera in our comparison that has a zoom feature. The SQ20 is also the only model that records video.
When you switch to movie mode you can record up to 15 seconds of video and use additional features like frame grab, time shift collage, and sequence to further spice up your photos. When you’re done editing, all of your videos and pictures are saved on the SQ20’s internal microSD card for your future enjoyment.
See our SQ10 vs. SQ20 review here.
