Instant cameras are nothing new. Polaroid released its first one in 1948. Since then, companies have been trying to make more capable versions of the Polaroid camera while maintaining the nostalgia such a camera brings. While Polaroid reached its peak in the 80s, Fujifilm’s Instax line has introduced a younger audience to the format.

Now, instant cameras are common to see at events where the photos they produce are given out as souvenirs of sorts. I’ve always loved using my Fujifilm Instax camera, but truthfully, I’ve been in need of an upgrade. That’s when I discovered Kodak’s Printomatic Instant Digital Camera.

The photos from Kodak’s camera don’t look like Polaroids, which is film format. Instead, the camera produces 2×3-inch digital prints on the company’s Zink photo paper. Although the resulting photos are digital, they still create the more retro feel of an instant film photo while feeling like a major upgrade.

Price, availability and specs

Kodak released the Printomatic in 2017, making it a little bit harder to find than other cameras. No need to worry. While you may not be able to buy it at Best Buy or Walmart anymore, you can still find the camera on Kodak’s website or Amazon.

The camera will run you about $60 on the Kodak website, over $40 off the original price of $106. Amazon shoppers can buy the camera for $50, saving $10 from the $60 price tag. Keep in mind that the camera only comes with five sheets of photo paper, so you should buy extra Kodak Zink photo paper which will cost an additional $25.

What I liked

Fun photos, cute design and easy to use

There are a lot of things I loved about the Kodak Printomatic. Starting from the design, the camera comes in six different bright colors, making it stand out from the rest. In the center is an 8 mm, f/2 aperture lens. The best part is that the camera is small enough to fit into the pocket of pair of pants or any small bag.

Overall, the camera is easy to use, especially if you have experience using an instant camera. When you first open up the camera, you’ll need to charge it using the provided USB-C cable. After charging the camera, load in the photopaper, then it’s simple. You just look through the viewfinder and press the shutter button on the top right. A tone will play when the picture is taken.

After snapping the shot, you’ll need to wait a minute for the picture to print. I made the mistake of thinking it wasn’t printing, so I took a second picture, but the first one just needed a minute to actually begin printing.

The photos came out so much better than I thought they would. The colors weren’t as clear as they would have been had I taken the photos with an actual digital camera and then had them printed, but they were still more clear than instant film photos are.

What I didn’t like

Make sure you have good lighting

The biggest issue I have with the camera is that for the photos to come out really well, you need to have great lighting. When I took pictures in my tiny apartment, which had awful lighting, the colors of the photos didn’t come out that well. However, the pictures I took outside during the early evening looked perfect.

Another aspect of the camera I didn’t like was that the camera only comes with five photopaper sheets. When you first use the camera it may take a little bit to first adjust to taking pictures and getting the lighting right, so five photo sheets definitely isn’t enough. To buy an extra pack of photo sheets will cost $25, or you can buy a Kodak Printomatic with photo paper bundle available on Amazon.

Should you buy a Kodak Printomatic camera?

The answer to this depends on what you want to get out of an instant camera. If your dream is to have film photos decorating your refrigerator, then this camera isn’t for you. The photos are digital, so they don’t have the same graininess as film photos.

That being said, I love the Kodak Printomatic and highly recommend it to anyone wanting a new instant camera that develops pictures you actually want to hang up. The photos are big enough to put in your wallet and were a huge hit when I went out with my friends. The Printomatic is a much needed upgrade of instant cameras.