Is Instax film expensive?

Over a year of normal use it costs considerably more than the camera. Cost per shot is the figure that matters and it is the one no listing shows you.

Are Instax film formats interchangeable?

No. The range uses several distinct sizes and each camera takes one. They also differ in cost per shot, so the format affects which camera is actually cheapest to own.

Are Instax bundles worth it?

Sometimes. Price the camera and the film separately first — some bundles are a genuine saving and some are full-price film in a gift box.

Cheapest place to buy an Instax camera in the UK

You are buying film. The camera is nearly incidental.

Updated 26 September 2026 · 1 min read

Film is the real purchase

An instant camera is inexpensive and every photograph costs money. Over a year of normal use the film costs far more than the camera did, which makes cost per shot the number that matters and the camera price close to a rounding error.

Film formats are not interchangeable

The range uses several distinct film sizes, and a camera takes one of them. Buying the wrong format is a common and annoying mistake, and the formats differ in price per shot as well as in picture size.

Establish which format your camera takes before buying any film, and factor that format's cost into which camera you choose.

Bundles are common and worth checking properly

Camera-plus-film bundles are everywhere in this category, particularly at Christmas. Some are genuinely cheaper than buying separately and some are the same film at full price with a gift box around it. Price the two components separately and compare.

Before you buy

Check which film format the camera takes.
Price a film multipack and work out cost per shot.
Compare cameras on film cost, not just the body price.
Price any bundle against camera plus film bought separately.
Check the colourways — they are separate listings and move independently.