Instant Photo Camera: Best Gift for Grandchildren & Grandparents

An Instant Photo Camera (with printer) is an excellent gift for both grandparents & grandchildren. This handy camera-cum-printer device can be carried anywhere and can print small photos instantly (in less than a minute) that people can see and cherish on the spot.

Instant Photo Camera & Printer - Best Gift for Grandparents & Grandchildren

Grandparents are used to printed photos and they like prints more than digital ones. They want a device that’s simple and doesn’t challenge them technologically. Besides, they are familiar with Kodak as a brand from their childhood days.

Grandchildren are so tech-savvy, that giving them a device like this will keep them away from mobile phone addiction. This is a good opportunity to keep them offline and introduce them to the wonderful world of scrapbooking, photo decorations, photo albums, etc.

One such Instant Photo Camera (with a built-in printer) is the Kodak Mini Shot 3.

This attractive retro-cum-digital handy device can shoot & print 3″x 3″ square photos instantly. It can also connect with your Apple or Android smartphone via Bluetooth and print photos from the phone as well.

One advantage with the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Instant Photo Camera is, you can choose whether you want to print the photo immediately, or save it to your phone via Bluetooth. There is a small preview display where you can see the photo, and you have the option to discard and retake a shot that you didn’t quite like.

There is a mirror on the device that enables you to take instant printed selfies – how cool is that! This device even laminates the photos while printing, ensuring the prints remain longer.

You can print photos with a plain border or without. With the accompanying mobile app, you can use colorful borders, graphic elements, photo effects like black & white, filters, etc. to decorate the photo. You can use this device just as a photo printer, if you want to instantly print photos taken earlier on your phone. The four step printing process prints good quality photos.

The easy to replace cartridge that has holds both the ink and the square photo papers is available to order online. The cost of printing (per-photo) is one of the lowest in the industry. You may want to carry a USB powerbank along with this device, to recharge the built-in lithium ion battery on the go – if you intend to use it longer.

Limitations of Kodak Mini Shot 3:

  • Although this is a small and cool-looking camera-cum-printer, it’s quite heavy.
  • The photo quality is good, but don’t expect it to rival the quality of photo studios.
  • At 10 MP, the camera sensor is not great, but it takes decent photos in good light. You have the option to send it to the phone and touch it up slightly before printing.
  • There is no built-in SD card slot to save the photos on the camera.
  • If you intend to print photos continuously, the USB-powered rechargeable battery can only print around ten prints or less on a single charge. You’ll have to recharge the device and change the cartridge afterward.
  • Printing one photo takes around a minute.

Buy From: You can buy the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Instant Photo Camera on Amazon (US). This link will take you to the gift bundle that includes the camera-cum-printer, leather camera case, strap, photo case, photo album, photo clips, and sticker set. There is an option to buy just the Instant photo camera with a few cartridges, if you wish.

You can also buy the Kodak Mini 2 Retro Photo Printer, if you just want a mobile photo printer that you can use to print photos taken on your phone.