Best instant camera: the best digital and analog options

The Instax Square SQ1 uses (yes, you guessed it) square film. And though the camera is smaller than the Wide 300, the film is still 1.3 times bigger than the Instax Mini's prints.

It comes in a variety of colours, including the pictured Terracotta Orange. It has a selfie mirror for use in selfie mode and has a selfie flash, too. This is one of the best-looking instant cameras on the list.

The film used in the Fujilfilm Instax Wide is twice the size of that used in the Instax Mini. You can w wider field of view, making it ideal for use at parties and other big gatherings.

The tripod socket is also handy for group photos. Its close-up lens allows can focus on subjects as close as 40cm, and the flash and brightness controls allow you to adapt to different light conditions.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 led the revival of the instant camera. It comes in an array of colours from Icy Blue to Flamingo, which adds to the fun.

This Instax doesn’t take itself too seriously, and leans into the simplicity of instant photography. It uses AA batteries rather than a rechargeable and has a constant firing flash. Just press the shutter and the photo emerges from the top.

As the name suggests, the FujiFilm Neo Classic has a more grown-up, classic design than the Instax Mini 9. It also has a variety of modes including landscape, party and double exposure.

They can be controlled either by the buttons on the back of the camera, or by the dial on the lens. Unlike many instant cameras, the Neo Classic has a socket mount. You can attach a tripod for stability.

Canon Zoemini S2 is definitely one for those who like their selfies and shots to be a touch more glamourous. This is thanks to the built-in ring light and selfie mirror which will help guide you to better instant snaps.

The print-out paper has a peel-and-stick back so your photos can be turned into stickers, which is great fun. The focus is fixed, so this camera isn't much use for close-ups. However, unlike many instant cameras this one does have a microSD card. There is app functionality too, so you can personalise your picks with emojis and the like before printing them

You’ll struggle to find an easier camera to use thanks to the new ‘Automatic Exposure’ mode. This really is just a point-and-shoot and the camera will do all the hard work to adjust to the lighting, accordingly. It's 20% smaller than its predecessor, the Mini 9, but still uses two AA batteries (rather than rechargeable). great option for anyone looking for their first camera. The mini film also fits in your wallet, which is a nice touch.

If you had an instant camera growing up it probably looked like this, but less sleek and more bulky. The Polaroid Now Instant Camera i-Type has an autofocus 2-lens system, built-in double exposure and a decent flash. There's a handy digital counter so you know how many photos you have left to take and this also doubles as a battery meter. In short, though, this one is good enough to buy on looks alone and will give you that perfect 'Stranger Things' vibe.

Kodak Step Touch Instant Camera may well have an LED screen (and thus the potential to upset some instant camera purists) but its ability to print straight from the camera ensures it's a bona fide instant as far as we're concerned.

Available in black and white body designs, this model is aimed at photography fans that want a modern twist to their instant camera experience, complete with east-to-use capture settings.

The Kodak Printomatic is fairly simple but does have a fairly powerful 10MP sensor with a wide angle f/2 lens, and instantly prints your images in colour or black and white. A light sensor turns the flash on automatically in low-light settings, to avoid dud shots. The images are also saved to a microSD card so that they can also transferred to your phone or laptop as digital files.

The Lomo Instant Wide is probably not the best fit for an absolute beginner. It offers manual focus and shutter control, for a more professoinal feel than the average instant.

It has a ~35mm lens and wide-format film to let you fit more people, sights or dogs into the frame.

It uses Fujifilm Instax Film, available on Amazon. This camera has a more adult, sophisticated feel and keeps its distance from the bright, pastel palettes of some of the other models available.