Though many of us will have an instant camera with us pretty much all of the time in the shape of a smartphone, printing out snaps can be a hassle. Polaroid cameras have a built in printer, and the company is going premium for its latest model – the I-2.
Polaroid was founded in 1937 by Edwin Land, and originally sold polarized sunglasses. The first instant camera followed a decade later, though users had to get very hands-on to obtain a print. That changed with the introduction of the "magic camera" (SX-70) in the early 1970s, which automatically ejected prints.
Instant photography pretty much became known as taking a Polaroid after that, until digital cameras became the new point-and-shoot champions and subsequently led to bankruptcy. When a new version of the company announced the end of film manufacture, a group of enthusiasts called the Impossible Project stepped in to save the day.
Following a brief rebrand to Polaroid Originals, operations were brought back under the original name in 2020 and a bunch of budget-friendly instant cameras has followed since. The I-2 is a bit of premium departure.
"For a long time, it was our dream to make a high-end Polaroid camera and give people more choice in the world of analog photography - a choice that many passionate photographers told us they were craving," said company chairman Oskar Smolokowski. "To develop the I-2, we expanded our engineering team and spent more than four years designing and finessing every element. It is the most capable camera we've ever made and a true milestone in our journey."
The new model represents the first Polaroid to come with manual controls, with the user able to select from six shooting modes as well as adjust shutter speed and aperture. Available camera modes include auto aperture priority, shutter priority and manual. There's a "human-friendly" strobe flash onboard too, though the camera can be used with external flash units if preferred. Settings are displayed through the viewfinder and on the rear OLED panel.
The I-2 sports a continuous autofocus, wide-aperture triple-element polycarbonate/acrylic lens with anti-reflective coating that's been designed in collaboration with veteran Japanese optical engineers. Focusing distance to a subject is helped along by a LiDAR sensor, for the promise of focus accuracy and image sharpness, and there's also a thread on the lens housing to mount compatible 49-mm filters for more creative options.
Rounding out the given features, the camera has a durable ABS and PMMA plastic exterior that's been coated for a "premium look and feel," there's a tripod mount for steady setup, and the camera can be controlled remotely via a companion app running on a Bluetooth-paired smartphone. The Li-Po battery is reckoned good for around 15 film packs before needing a top-up over USB-C.
The Polaroid I-2 has launched today and is priced at US$599.99, though users will need to keep refilling it with a steady supply of i-Type, 600 or SX-70 film cartridges so the cost doesn't end with the purchase of the camera.
Product page: Polaroid I-2
