Photographers like instant cameras because they have that specific look that feels nostalgic and the fast the film developed in front of you feels like magic.
Not all instant cameras use a memory card. Digital hybrid instant cameras print analog images but can save digital versions to print later or be transferred to a smartphone. Two of the most popular instant cameras with a memory card slot are the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo and the Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0.
There are more Instant cameras that use memory card to save images and expand their internal memory. Keep reading to find out which Instant cameras can use a memory card and what kind of a memory card can they use.
Fujifilm Instax Cameras
Below is a list of instant camera from Fujifilm that take an SD card to expand their internal memory for saving images.
Does An Instax Camera Need an SD Card?
Most Instax cameras don’t need an SD card but some Instax cameras, like the Instax Mini EVO, Mini LiPlay, Square SQ10, and SQ20, have an SD card to expand the internal memory. These “hybrid” cameras are a combination of instant analogue cameras with digital camera giving it options including saving and choosing what images to print later on the LCD screen on the back of the camera or connecting the camera to your phone to print images.
The following Instax cameras don’t need a SD to work even though it has an SD card slot and how many images it can hold with their internal memory:
Cameras | Holds How Many With Internal Memory? |
|---|---|
Holds 45 images | |
Holds 45 images | |
Holds 50 images | |
Holds 50 images or 30 seconds of movie |
What Type of Memory Card Does a Fujifilm Camera Take?
All Fujifilm Instant cameras that have a memory card slot require the smaller MicroSD / MicroSDHC cards. Most Instax cameras use a MicroSD card that go up to 32 gb but some, like the Instax Mini EVO, can use a MicroSD card with storage up to 128 gb (that’s 108,800 images!).
See the chart below for what memory cards what Instax cameras need and how much it can hold:
Cameras | Compatible MicroSD Cards | How Many Per GB? |
|---|---|---|
SanDisk MicroSD / MicroSDHC cards up to 128 gb | About 850 images per 1 GB | |
SanDisk MicroSD / MicroSDHC cards up to 256 gb | About 850 images per 1 GB | |
SanDisk MicroSD / MicroSDHC cards up to 32 gb | About 1000 image files per 1 gb | |
SanDisk MicroSD / MicroSDHC cards up to 32 gb | About 1000 image files per 1 gb / 3 minutes of video per 1 gb |
Does Instax Mini 8 Save Photos?
The Instax Mini 8
is a point-and-shoot analog instant camera and cannot save digital photos. Instead, the Instax Mini 8 uses the Instax Mini film to produce images, which has 10 sheets of film per pack.
Does Instax Mini 11 Have An SD Card?
The Instax Mini 11 is considered an entry-level analogue Instax camera and does not have an SD card slot or internal memory for photos. However, you can scan the resulting images using different apps to share them on social media. I recommend using the Adobe Scanner smartphone app, iPhone notes app, or the Polaroid app to scan your images (all of these apps will work Instax film but the Polaroid app will only work with Instax Square film).
Does Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Have A Memory Card?
The Instax Mini 9 does not have a memory card slot since, like the Instax Mini 11, is an analog instant camera. Alternatively, the Instax Mini 9 uses the Instax Mini film to produce images, which has 10 sheets of film per pack.
Does Instax Mini 90 Have An SD card?
The Instax Mini 90 has more features than the Mini 9 and 11 in terms of features but it still lacks the internal memory or SD card slot to save digital copies of photos taken with the camera. Instead, the Instax Mini 90 uses the Instax Mini film to produce images, which has 10 sheets of film per pack.
Can Instax SQ10 Save Photos?
The Fujifilm Instax SQ10, which was the first to use the Instax Square film, can save photos to both it’s internal memory and to a MicroSD card. The internal memory on the camera will hold about 50 images. The camera can use up to a 32gb card and 1000 images equal 1 gb of storage space.
Polaroid Instant Cameras
Can You Save Pictures On A Polaroid Camera?
Polaroid, similar to Fujifilm Instax, has a handful of instant cameras that can save photos to their internal memory. All of these cameras use a SD card to be able to save more images onto the camera.
Here is a list of the Polaroid cameras capable of saving pictures :
Camera Model | Internal Memory Capacity | Compatible Memory Card |
|---|---|---|
Holds 1 image | ||
Holds 1, 5MP image | ||
Holds up to 10 images | 128GB MicroSD card (see price on Amazon) | |
Holds 1 image |
Do You Need an SD Card For Polaroid?
Only a few Polaroid cameras use an SD card and those that do use one don’t need it to function. Most cameras use an SD card to expand on their limited internal storage. For example, the Polaroid Pop can only store up to 10 images in its internal memory at a time without an SD card while most other Polaroid hybrid cameras have internal storage of only 1 images (like the Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0).
Do Polaroids Have SD Cards?
There a few Polaroid camera that use SD cards. Polaroid recommends using ScanDisk brand MicroSD cards. The table below shows which Polaroid cameras use an SD card and the compatible SD card sizes.
Camera Model | Compatible SD Card Slot |
|---|---|
Up to 128GB MicroSD card (see price on Amazon) | |
Do Polaroids Have Memory?
Some digital Polaroid cameras have an internal memory so that you can use the camera without the need for an SD card but they are limited. Below is a table of how many photos you can store in the internal memory of each Polaroid camera with internal memory.
Camera Model | Internal Memory Capacity |
|---|---|
Holds 1 image | |
Holds 1, 5MP image | |
Holds up to 10 images | |
Holds 1 image |
Does Polaroid Now Have An SD card?
Neither the Polaroid Now nor the upgraded Polaroid Now+ have an SD card slot for saving digital copies of photos. The most popular Polaroid camera with an SD slot is the Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0.
What SD Card Fits In Polaroid Snap?
The Polaroid Snap can accommodate a 32GB MicroSD card (like this one on Amazon). The newer Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0 can use a 128GB MicroSD card slot to expand the internal memory (like this one on Amazon).
Does Polaroid Now take SD card?
Neither the Polaroid Now or the Polaroid Now Plus has an SD card slot. To save images, you need to scan the prints you’ve taken using the Polaroid App.
Best Instant Cameras With A Memory Card
If you are planning on picking up one of the hybrid cameras, check out our picks for the best hybrid instant cameras available today.
Instax Mini Evo
The Instax Mini Evo is the best hybrid camera that comes in a more compact size. It has a 45-shot internal memory, can handle MicroSD cards up to 128 GBs (approx 850 images per 1 GB), and can be paired with a smartphone to unlock more features like frames and filters. It can connect to your smartphone to transfer images as well as print images from your smartphone. The Instax Mini Evo uses the Instax Mini film which is the least expensive Instax film. However, keep in mind that if you save images to the internal memory you won’t be able to see them if you insert an MicroSD card.
See this guide for how to take a selfie with the Instax Mini LiPlay.
Instax Mini LiPlay
The Instax Mini LiPlay was the first hybrid camera from Fujifilm to use Mini film. It has a 45-shot internal memory, can handle MicroSD cards up to 128 GBs (approx 850 images per 1 GB), and can be paired with a smartphone to your smartphone to unlock more features, transfer images, and print images from your smartphone. The Instax LiPlay uses the Instax Mini film which is the least expensive Instax film. However, keep in mind that if you save images to the internal memory you won’t be able to see them if you insert an MicroSD card.
See this guide for how to take a selfie with the Instax Mini LiPlay.
Instax Square SQ20
The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ20 is a hybrid digital-analog instant cameras and one of the few Instax cameras that shoots the 3 x 3 inch Instax square-style film, which are great for selfies. This camera is also one of the few instax cameras that can also shoot video, however, it doesn’t record sound. The camera has auto-exposure control with a high output flash that allows for adjustments in light exposure, can shoot and playback short videos, allows you to choose which image to print, several image effects / filters, several shooting modes, and can save images to an SD card to transfer to your computer. The camera is also one of the few instax cameras with a 2 or 10 second self-timer and can turn off the flash. However, it was only available for a short time and is expensive if you can find it for sale.
See this guide for how to take a selfie with the Instax SQ20.
Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0
Like the Polaroid Snap, the Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0 uses Zink paper but adds a Polaroid Snap by adding Bluetooth connectivity, 3.5″ touch screen, a higher-resolution sensor, a slightly faster lens at f/2.0 vs f/2.8 on the Snap Touch, a pop-up flash, and prints around 30 seconds faster. The Polaroid Snap Touch 2.0 is unique to Instant cameras because it has a built-in 3.5inch touchscreen display instead of buttons, which helps beginner users operate the camera since it is similar to using a smartphone. It also has a slot for an MicroSD card for up to 128gb and to save your photos. The camera has enough internal memory to hold 1 image.
Polaroid Mint
The Polaroid Mint uses Polaroid Zink paper and is a great camera for taking selfies. The controls and prints are vertically oriented which is ideal for selfies and it is small enough to fit in your back pocket and prints crisp images. The camera is a 16 MP camera, built-in rechargeable lithium-ion rechargeable battery that prints 40 images per charge, a 10-second self timer, and a selfie mirror on the front. The printer only has enough internal memory for 1 image but is can use and support MicroSD cards up to 256 gbs. You can connect your camera to your laptop to transfer your saved images (or remove the MicroSD card).
In Summary
Not every Instant camera has an SD card slot but a handful of instant camera by Fujifilm and Polaroid do. These memory cards help expand the camera’s internal memory so you can save more images to the camera for printing later or to transfer to your smartphone or computer. The Instant cameras that have a MicroSD or SD card slot take a 32gb card at least and some, like the Polaroid Mint camera, can take a memory card up to 256 GBs.