There’s no denying how fun instant photography with your friends is, but if you’re like me you may be confused about just what exactly your options are. I decided enough was enough and spent some nights perusing dusty microfiche is some of the nation’s leading libraries to set the record straight.

(Photo by mpclemens on Flickr – used under a Creative Commons license)

Here’s what I learned:

1) Polaroid 300 Instant Camera – This is Polaroid’s latest contribution to instant photography, only not in the original photo size, opting for biz card size photos. The camera will cost you $90 and film runs at $10 for a pack of 10 prints.

2) Polaroid PoGo camera – Another offering by Polaroid that’s a hybrid of classic and digital. You can preview, touch-up and save shots before printing but the output is only 2 x 3 inch sticky back borderless photos. It’ll set you back $200 plus $11 for every 30 pics you decide to print.

3) Fuji Instax Mini Instant Camera – Photojojo calls it “Polaroid’s little brother” and it’s true since the Instax will give you credit card sized pics. What is does differently is give you some options including exposure settings, built-in flash, and a sweeping wide angle. The camera retails for about $99 and the paper will cost you around $20 for a pack of 20.

4) Go Digital – Computer nerd developer friends have made it easy to replicate the look of instant photography. You can give any digital photo a Polaroid look using Poladroid (a free app for PC/Mac) or achieve those effects with phone apps Hipstamatic and Camerabag ($1.99 each). These are all easy options but they won’t appease the most discriminating instant photo buffs.

5) Go Original – You might already have an old Polaroid camera and if not, there are plenty of reasonable priced ones available on eBay, which will also source you old stockpiles of original paper for around $25 (pack of 10). There’s also the Impossible Project which set up shop to produce the old-style paper again. It’s $21 for 8 monochrome images with color expected to be available sometime later this year.

Instant photography can be pricey, but I’m a fan of going original if possible. I take the photos for what they are now – a delicacy best used when you know you’re around amazing human beings.