6 Best Instant Cameras That Are Expert-Approved & Gift-Worthy

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Accessories of the past have become today’s newest trends: think bucket hats, friendship bracelets and even jelly shoes. Our nostalgia has reached even our tech, with instant cameras and flip phones becoming the latest accessories to own. Celebrities including Machine Gun Kelly and Taylor Swift have even been spotted using retro cameras rather than their smartphones.

Snapping a pic on your smartphone may be the fastest way to take a photo, but instant cameras can capture spontaneous moments while creating tangible photographs you can hold in a matter of seconds. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or gifts for everyone on your holiday list, retailers like Walmart and Amazon have a slew of instant cameras your cart will be begging to have added.

If you’re ready to hop on the trend, Billboard Shopping spoke with Mitch Holson, a photographer at Atlantic Records who gave his tips and tricks for finding the right instant camera.

Before adding a camera to your cart, there’s another popular model (disposable cameras), which may seem similar to an instant camera, but hold a major difference.

“Film in a disposable camera is 35mm film, which needs to be developed after the fact — either in a lab or through self-processing,” Holson explains. “An instant camera uses a self-developing film, which provides you with results within a few minutes.”

If you’re not looking to get too technical, then an instant camera will be more user friendly. “Oftentimes, the [instant] camera makes decisions for you depending on the lighting conditions, and the on-board flash makes taking photos in low light relatively simple for beginners looking for results,” he adds. “So, it’s truly a snap-and-go camera if that’s how you like to take images. The other benefit is that you get to see your photos very quickly.”

Holson prefers using an instant camera with auto-focus capabilities for professional use, as it provides sharper images. And, if you “aren’t looking for sharpness, [you] should embrace the overall softness of instant cameras” as “there’s something cool and nostalgic about it,” he shared. Weight will also be a big factor to consider, as the lighter the camera, the easier it will be to take out and snap a pic.

Read on to shop his picks (and a few reviewer-loved ones) below.

Best Instant Cameras

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of cameras for music videos, celebrity headphones and best home projectors.