Polaroid Flip is a new film camera that uses classic tech to take better photos.
Those of us who grew up in the ‘90s may remember the old boxy Polaroid cameras like the Polaroid Sun 660. I lived in Moscow then, and we had one too. Polaroid Flip appears to be a modern reincarnation of those 600-series.
The Flip uses sonar and a 4-lens step focus just like my Sun 660. Polaroid’s earlier design, Polaroid Now, does not have that ability (later designs got 2-step autofocus).
I’m fascinated by Polaroid’s choice of sonar for autofocus, despite other tech like Lidar being more popular today. But the Flip also does some new things: film packs with a rechargeable battery, under/over exposure warning, a (presumably) more powerful flash, and Bluetooth connectivity with an app for manual control, double-exposures, etc.
From the release: “The Polaroid Flip will be available for €219 / $199,99 / £199,99 / CNY 1699, with early access for members starting April 15. It launches on polaroid.com on April 29 and in retailers from May 13.”
Like this camera, Polaroid is a reincarnation of the original brand that began with a defunct factory takeover. A brief history of Polaroid: analog.cafe/r/a-brief-hist…
I like how the new cameras look. Haven’t held one yet, but they appear more solid than the originals, at least based on what today’s Polaroid products are like. The colours are fun!
Polaroid had included some sample scans in their promo materials. This is a very nice photo by Isadora Kosofsky.
If I were to guess about the quality of the lens, I’d say it’s sharper than Now but not as sharp as I-2. This guess is based on the technology that drives the plastic resin lens (2-step autofocus for Now, 4-step autofocus on Flip, and stepless on I-2) and the samples I’ve seen so far. I’ve only shot with Now.
Dmitri Apr 16, ‘25
Dmitri Apr 16, ‘25
Dmitri Apr 16, ‘25