Snap happy
SOME DAY MY PRINTS WILL COME – OR INSTANTLY WITH ONE OF THESE CAMERAS
EVEN in today’s digital world, it’s still nice to be able to hold something real in your hands, something that isn’t made of zeroes and ones.
That’s why people still buy vinyl records, paper books and newspapers.
Photography is one of the creative worlds that has been revolutionised by the advent of digital technology.
But analog photography hasn’t gone away – there are people who refuse to shoot digitally and swear film is superior.
In my lifetime, though, there was another technology that was seen as a threat to capturing light on film… instant photography.
In the 1970s, huge companies were built on this technology and the cameras that used it were hailed as magical devices.
Believe it or not, you can still buy instant cameras, and just like vinyl, books and film, there are some who can’t get enough of the retro vibes.
Here are four instant cameras that can take you back in time while you capture the present.
POLAROID NOW
They say: Our new analog instant camera comes with autofocus to help you catch life as you live it in that iconic Polaroid instant film format.
We say: Polaroid is THE name when it comes to instant photography – it invented it. The company was formed by Edwin Land, a visionary genius who developed the technology and his company into a multi-billion dollar giant in the 1970s.
This Polaroid isn’t quite the original, having been reborn several times after bankruptcies. But it still has the pedigree – and the Polaroid Now is the first modern instant camera to bear the illustrious brand name.
It uses the i-Type film to produce the traditionally framed photos with the wide border at the bottom.
Film costs £15.99 for an eightphoto pack, but you can save a lot by buying multiple packs. Cost: £119
SQUARE
They say: Your Kodak Mini Shot 3 Retro allows you to shoot and print high-quality photos anytime and anywhere!
We say: Kodak was Polaroid’s arch-rival in the instant film heyday. Land’s company sued it (and won) when it introduced its first instant camera.
Kodak remains one of a number of big names still in the game, though. This retro styled camera produces square photos like the old days. The film is a bigger bargain, with a 60-pack available on sale at the time of writing for £24.99 (down from £46.87).
Kodak has a smartphone app which can speak to this camera and allows you to use it to print out photos you’ve taken on your phone.
Cost: £134.99
Snap selfies with the mirror and ring-light, and check your pose with a live view via the Canon Mini Print app.
We say: Canon’s offering looks less like a toy than the others, and is perhaps to be taken a bit more seriously as a camera thanks to its 8MP output.
It connects to an editing app on your smartphone, which allows you to customise images with filters and stickers.
The Zink photo paper the camera prints to costs £16.99 for 20 shots, and has a peel-off backing that reveals a sticky surface, perfect for attaching anywhere you want to make your mark.
Cost: £159.99
FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI 11 They say:
Simple to use and all without compromising on the print quality, you can pick up this camera and instantly snap the ideal moment
We say: A newcomer to the game by comparison, but Fujifilm has gone all-in on producing a wide range of fun instant cameras for every need.
The Mini 11 is its most popular. This is perhaps because it features a selfie mode which allows you to turn the camera round, frame using the mirror on the front, and snap from arms-length with a special lens that remains in focus up close.
Auto exposure keeps things bright even in low light. It takes Instax’s mini film, which produces credit-card sized snaps. £8.99 will get you 10 prints.
Cost: £69.99