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I have no experience with instant cameras but am trying to choose one as a gift. What should I consider? I want it to print photos that are at least larger than a business card and of good quality.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Hi, welcome to Photo.SE. I have voted to close your question because shopping questions are off-topic at Stack Exchanges. Shopping answers are usually too personal to stand as good web search answers for long, and changing markets will obsolete most questions quickly. See also: Q&A is Hard, Let's Go Shopping! \$\endgroup\$
    – scottbb ♦
    Dec 2, 2016 at 6:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ Do you actually mean an instant camera? ie something that prints it as soon as you take the photo. eg Polaroid. If so, the main issue would be availability and cost of film. \$\endgroup\$
    – vclaw
    Dec 2, 2016 at 9:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ the reason I asked is because by looking I only found two options that print wide photos, the lomo'instant and Fujifilm INSTAX Wide 300. These seem ok and price is not really an option, I just want to make sure that despite how advertised that these really are good options and not just the only available. Done anyone know any other specific wide print instant cameras? \$\endgroup\$
    – user58862
    Dec 2, 2016 at 15:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ A compact photo printer might be an alternative. \$\endgroup\$
    – null
    Dec 2, 2016 at 21:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ "What should I look at when choosing an instant camera?" Better cameras. \$\endgroup\$
    – Olin Lathrop
    Mar 14, 2017 at 13:41

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Fuji makes and sells the Instax line which as you know is commercially available.

There is also a group called the Impossible Project which makes film for vintage Polaroid cameras.

https://us.impossible-project.com

Polaroid as a camera and film manufacturer is around in a different form and still making cameras as well.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/2292204770/the-polaroid-pop-instant-digital-camera-produces-4-x-3-prints

There are a few specialty products floating around as well.

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/3185291247/mint-introduces-instantflex-tl70-instant-film-tlr-camera

If you want something where film can be bought in a store or online, and the camera is new in a box, as a gift for a casual user, Fuji is probably the way to go.

I'd look at the Impossible Project just to see if anything there looks interesting (maybe the Spectra film.)

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Updated: I totally misread your question at first and wrote an answer about compact cameras and sensor sizes. Look back at the edit history of this answer if you're interested.

What are some options if I want it to print photos that are at least larger than a business card and of good quality?

The largest instant media I've seen for digital cameras that you'd want to carry around is the Fujifilm Instax Wide 300, which prints photos that measure 86x108mm, or about 3.3x4.3in. That's roughly twice the size of a business card. I haven't used it myself, so can't speak to the quality.

There's an obvious relationship between the size of an instant camera and the size of the photos it can produce. People want small cameras but large prints, and that's a difficult thing to pull off in a single unit. I think you might be better off if you separate the imaging and printing functions: consider buying a compact digital camera (or just a phone with a good camera) and a portable photo printer. For example, the Canon SELPHY CP1200 is easily small enough to carry around in a backpack or camera bag, prints decent borderless 4x6 photos, can print wirelessly, and can run on a battery pack (not included, though). That seems like a good combination of print size, quality, and portability.

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    \$\begingroup\$ this answer does not touch the point of instant cameras, which is crucial here. \$\endgroup\$
    – ths
    Dec 2, 2016 at 11:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ths You're totally right -- I read instant but thought compact. Happy to delete this answer if it's unhelpful, but first I'll look around for some more information and edit if I find a good answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Caleb
    Dec 2, 2016 at 20:49

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