Should You Still Shoot Instant Photography in 2025?

Hello instant photography community!

This will be a simple article. It will discuss why I still shoot instant photography in 2025.

I know instant photography is not for everyone, but you should at least give it a try. Who knows, you may just get hooked!

Below I will give my 5 reasons on why I still shoot instant photography in 2025. I will also mention some downsides. Consider these points if you are looking at getting into instant photography.

Reasons I shoot Instant Photography

1. I enjoy shooting for the unknown, the excitement of seeing what it will actually turn out to be.
2. That Instant-ish satisfaction of receiving an instant photo print (Polaroids now are not near as quick in developing as they used to be)
3. The vintage look and appeal that you get with Polaroid and Fujifilm Instax, that digital filters just can’t replicate (Just like film)
4. There are still tons of vintage Polaroid cameras collecting dust that can still be used today. They come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Many of them still work today, since there were no batteries in them (Batteries were within the film packs.).
5. There is just something great about its simplicity. The simplicity of just pressing the shutter button to capture those silly wonderful moments in our lives

Limitations with Instant Photography

1. Everyone knows that film is expensive– i-type is little cheaper than 600 film and Instax film is cheaper than Polaroid. I know film is not a cheap thing to make, but you should be aware that this can add up quickly.
2. More chances of things going wrong during the process (Film getting stuck, fails to eject properly, etc…). The quality control, especially on Polaroid film, needs to continue to improve. Instax film is more reliable overall in the film department.
3. Need to be careful about the lighting conditions when shooting. Instant photography is not the most forgiving in image capture. The dynamic range of instant photography is quite low and can easily blow highlights and crush the shadows easily. FLASH IS KING!
4. The prints are not the highest resolution quality print you can get!! I grew up shooting 35mm film and than went to digital photography. Once you have been immersed in digital photography, you need to be prepared for the low resolution that will be captured by the film.