There’s something magical about watching an image develop right before your eyes. The Polaroid camera arrived in 1947, and ever since, the world has been fascinated by instant-print cameras. Even with a smartphone camera in every pocket, the appeal of the instant print hasn't diminished.

Fujifilm's Instax line of cameras and printers largely fills the instant camera niche Polaroid created. There are other options, but Fujifilm’s Instax cameras and printers have provided the best image quality and most reliable results in our testing. I've been testing and using Instax printers for almost two decades and have owned all but one of these.

Which Size Instax Prints Do You Want?

Which Instax camera or printer is right for you depends on the print size you want. Instax film comes in three sizes, Mini, Square, and Wide. The choice is up to you, or you can do what I did and get one of each.

I have found the Wide and Square prints generally appear sharper, with richer colors, but this will depend on which camera or printer you choose, as quality does vary. In the end, the choice is yours.

How We Tested Instax Cameras and Printers

Here at WIRED we like to extend testing to include “living with” the things we write about. I have been using Instax cameras and printers for almost two decades and shooting instant images for far longer than that.