Instant camera gifts for Christmas
One rule above all the others for Christmas: include the film. A camera with nothing to put in it is a Christmas-morning disappointment.
The best instant camera Christmas gift is an instax mini 13 with a 20-exposure pack of film — the self-timer matters for family photographs and the film means it works on Christmas morning. Order film early: instax mini is in supermarkets, but WIDE and Polaroid film are not.
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| # | Product | Best for | Cost per shot | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Fujifilm instax mini 13A self-timer means it works for the group photograph on the day. | Best Christmas gift overall | $0.85 | Check price |
| 2 |  Fujifilm instax WIDE 400The only instax that fits everyone round a table in one frame. | Best for the family group photo | $1.10 | Check price |
| 3 |  Kodak Mini 2 Retro$89.99 with 38 sheets, and about 42 cents a print for the year's camera roll. | Best for printing the year's photos | $0.42 | Check price |
| 4 |  Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ40The square print in the best-built simple instax — the one that feels like a present. | Best-looking Christmas gift | $1.15 | Check price |
1. Best Christmas gift overall
Fujifilm instax mini 13
A self-timer means it works for the group photograph on the day.
- Buy it for
- Any family member, any age from about eight up.
- Skip it if
- Someone who wants a big print.
- A **2- or 10-second self-timer** — set it on the table and get everyone in the Christmas photograph.
- **85 cents a shot** on film you can buy in a supermarket on Christmas Eve if you forget.
- AA batteries, so no charging on Christmas morning.
- Two controls, so nobody needs to read anything before using it.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.9/10 overall
- Works on the day10
- Group photographs9
- Running cost9
- Print size5
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
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2. Best for the family group photo
Fujifilm instax WIDE 400
The only instax that fits everyone round a table in one frame.
- Buy it for
- A household that gathers at Christmas.
- Skip it if
- A stocking — 616 g and four AA batteries.
- A 3.9 x 2.4 inch print with room for a group, at about $1.10 a shot.
- A flash that reaches 3 m rather than 2.2 m, which matters in a dim December sitting room.
- A self-timer lever and close-up lens included in the box.
- **Order the film early** — WIDE is not a supermarket purchase.
Running cost: instax WIDE works out at $1.10 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.3/10 overall
- Works on the day9
- Group photographs10
- Running cost7
- Portability3
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “simple operation”.
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3. Best for printing the year's photos
Kodak Mini 2 Retro
$89.99 with 38 sheets, and about 42 cents a print for the year's camera roll.
- Buy it for
- Anyone with a phone full of a year's photographs.
- Skip it if
- Anyone who wanted the Christmas-morning print ceremony.
- Media included, so it works the moment it is unwrapped.
- About **42 cents a print** — the cheapest way to print a year of photographs.
- Bluetooth **or cable**, so nothing to pair with a houseful of devices nearby.
Running cost: Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 works out at $0.42 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $139.97 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.6/10 overall
- Works on the day10
- Running cost10
- Print size6
- Group photographs6
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
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4. Best-looking Christmas gift
Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ40
The square print in the best-built simple instax — the one that feels like a present.
- Buy it for
- An adult in the family who likes nice objects.
- Skip it if
- A tight film budget, or anyone far from a camera shop for CR2 batteries.
- A 2.4 x 2.4 inch square picture, which is the format people associate with Christmas photographs.
- Engadget rates it the best instant camera overall.
- About 30 film packs per pair of CR2 cells — buy a spare pair before Christmas.
Running cost: instax SQUARE works out at $1.15 a shot. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.5/10 overall
- Works on the day9
- Feels like a present10
- Running cost6
- Print size8
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “looks great thanks to the leatherette details and retro design”.
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Order film early, by format
This matters more at Christmas than at any other time, because the formats differ enormously in how easy they are to find at short notice.
| Format | Where to buy | Order by |
|---|---|---|
| instax mini | Supermarkets, drugstores, anywhere | Christmas Eve if you must |
| instax SQUARE | Camera shops, online | Mid-December |
| instax WIDE | Camera shops, online | Early December |
| Polaroid i-Type / 600 / Go | Online, polaroid.com | Early December |
| Kodak 4PASS cartridges | Online, Kodak's own store | Early December |
| ZINK paper | Some general retail, online | Mid-December |
That first row is a real advantage of choosing an instax mini for a Christmas gift: if you forget, you can fix it. Every other format on that list needs planning.
By recipient, for Christmas specifically
| Recipient | Buy | Add |
|---|---|---|
| Teenager | A ZINK sticker printer, or instax mini 13 | Paper or film + a display kit |
| Child 8-12 | instax mini 12 | Film + spare AAs + a string-and-clips kit |
| Adult sibling or friend | instax SQUARE SQ40 | Film + a frame |
| Parents | A 4 x 6 dock printer | An ink-and-paper set |
| Grandparents | A filled album, or a dock printer | Prints you made yourself |
| The whole household | instax WIDE 400 | Three packs of WIDE film, ordered early |
| Someone with a full camera roll | Kodak Mini 2 Retro | An album |
What a Christmas gift costs all in
| Camera or printer | 40 shots | 100 shots |
|---|---|---|
| Fujifilm instax mini 13Hardware price not published — film cost only | $33.982 packs of instax mini | $84.955 packs of instax mini |
| Fujifilm instax WIDE 400Hardware price not published — film cost only | $43.982 packs of instax WIDE | $109.955 packs of instax WIDE |
| Fujifilm instax SQUARE SQ40Hardware price not published — film cost only | $45.982 packs of instax SQUARE | $114.955 packs of instax SQUARE |
| Kodak Mini 2 Retro$89.99 listed with a 38-sheet bundle (reg. $139.99) | $114.981 pack of Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 | $139.972 packs of Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 |
Worth looking at before you choose, because the film cost continues long after Christmas. At a hundred photographs through the following year, an instax mini is about $85 of film and a WIDE 400 about $110.
The Christmas-morning checklist
- Film in the box. Twenty shots minimum.
- Batteries, and spares. Two AAs for a mini, four for a WIDE 400, two CR2 for an SQ40. Fit them before wrapping if you can.
- Charge it, if it charges. A rechargeable camera arriving flat on Christmas morning is a waste of the morning.
- A three-line note. "Twist the lens to turn on. Stay at least arm's length away. Leave the photo face-down for 90 seconds."
- An album or a display kit, about $15 to $20, so the Christmas photographs have somewhere to go in January.
That last one matters more than it sounds. Christmas prints are the ones most likely to be kept, and the ones most likely to end up loose in a drawer.
Questions people ask
What is the best instant camera for a Christmas gift?
The instax mini 13 with a 20-exposure pack of film. The self-timer means it works for the family group photograph on the day, the film is the cheapest in the category at about 85 cents a shot, and it runs on AA batteries so there is nothing to charge on Christmas morning.
When should I order instant film for Christmas?
Early December for instax WIDE, instax SQUARE, any Polaroid film and Kodak cartridges — those are camera-shop or online purchases. instax mini is the exception: it is stocked in supermarkets and drugstores, so you can buy it on Christmas Eve if you forget.
Do instant cameras come with film for Christmas gifting?
Usually not, and bundles that do often include a ten-shot taster rather than a full pack. Always check, and add a 20-exposure pack yourself — a camera that cannot take a photograph on Christmas morning is the classic failure of this gift.
What instant camera is best for family Christmas photos?
The instax WIDE 400. Its 3.9 x 2.4 inch print fits a group round a table, and its flash reaches 3 m rather than the 2.2 m of the minis, which matters in a dim December room. Order WIDE film early — it is not a supermarket purchase.
What should I add to a Christmas camera gift?
Film, batteries and spares, and an album or display kit for about $15 to $20. Fit the batteries before wrapping, and charge anything rechargeable. Christmas prints are the ones most likely to be kept, so somewhere to put them matters.
Read these next
Best instant camera gifts
The year-round ranking by recipient.
Best cameras for parties
For the gathering itself rather than the gift.
Gifts under $100
Complete gifts inside the budget.
Where to buy instant film
Which formats you can buy at short notice.
instax WIDE 400 review
The family group-photograph camera, in full.
Sources
- Fujifilm instax mini 13 specifications — Confirms the self-timer the mini 12 and mini 41 do not have
- Pro Photo Supply — instax mini film, 20 exposures — $16.99 on 13 October 2026
- Pro Photo Supply — instax WIDE film, 20 exposures — $21.99 on 13 October 2026
- Pro Photo Supply — instax SQUARE film, 20 exposures — $22.99 on 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Go film — $21.99 for 16 photos on 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Color i-Type film — $18.99 for 8 photos on 13 October 2026
- Kodak Mini 2 Retro printer — $89.99 with a 38-sheet bundle, 13 October 2026
- Kodak — 4PASS cartridges — $24.99 for 60 prints on 13 October 2026
- ProCam — Canon 2x3 ZINK paper, 20 sheets — $11.99 on 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — accessories — Album and frame prices, 13 October 2026
- Engadget — the best instant cameras — Cited for published verdicts. We do not test hardware
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will correct it with a dated note. Our picks are re-checked quarterly — see our editorial policy.