I was sent the Polaroid Now+ Generation 3 instant camera in a coral color. They had sent the camera and two cartridges of photos with no expectation of any content being produced. In this article, I'll be sharing my experience with it over a few days of use.
Check out the full video on YouTube:
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I also have a live stream where I unbox and try out the camera for the first time.
For those unfamiliar with instant cameras, the process is simple: you buy the film, and the film itself becomes the photo. It develops right after you take the picture, ejects from the camera, and in about 10 to 15 minutes, you have a physical photograph to enjoy.
The Now+ Generation 3 is compatible with both Polaroid 600 and i-Type film. Throughout this review, I'll show you some of the shots I took both outdoors and indoors. One of my long time viewers had mentioned in the initial live stream that the 600 film has an integrated battery and it's meant for the older Polaroid cameras, so for this camera it makes more sense to use the cheaper i-type cartridges unless there are other differences I don't know about.
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| A look at the color i-Type film box. |
Camera Specifications
- Lens: Polycarbonate resin.
- Aperture: An aperture range of f/11 to f/64.
- Autofocus: It features a twin-lens autofocus system that switches between two focusing ranges. The close-up range is 0.4m to 1.3m (about 1.31 ft to 4.26 ft), and the standard range is 1m to infinity (about 3.28 ft to infinity).
- Field of View: 41 degrees vertical, 40 degrees horizontal.
- Shutter Speed: The shutter speed ranges from 1/200th of a second down to 30 seconds, and it also includes a Bulb mode for user-defined exposure times.
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| A close up view of the 35-40mm 1:11 lens. |
Key Features and Design
The camera's design is classic Polaroid but with modern touches.
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| The large red shutter button on the front of the camera. |
On the back, you'll find the power button, a digital display that shows the number of frames you have left, and a button to toggle the flash on or off. The camera body also has connection points for the included neck strap.
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| A close-up of the power button, flash toggle, and film counter on the back of the camera. |
A USB-C port on the side is used for charging the internal battery. Next to the port is a small light that indicates the battery's charge status.
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| The USB-C charging port and battery level indicator light. |
The viewfinder is separate from the main lens, which means you might experience some parallax error when shooting subjects very close up (around 15 inches at the minimum). What you see in the viewfinder won't be exactly what the lens captures at that distance.
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| One of the photos I had taken at a Japanese styled garden. |
The camera has a built-in flash, which Polaroid calls an "auto-adjust output vacuum discharge tube strobe system," but I'm going to assume it's a standard traditional camera flash.
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| The front of the camera while it's connected to a tripod. |
The internal 750 mAh battery is rechargeable. Since the camera has wireless connectivity for the app, battery life will depend heavily on how often you use those features. There is also a standard 1/4-20" tripod socket on the bottom, so I would be careful with it.
Loading Film and Getting Started
Using the film is straightforward. Each cartridge contains eight photos. To load it, you press a button on the side to open the film door.
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| Pressing the button to open the film door. |
You insert the cartridge with the paper side facing up, close the door, and the camera automatically ejects the darkslide (the protective cardboard top sheet). After that, you're ready to start taking photos.
One important thing to remember with Polaroid film is that it's sensitive to extreme temperatures. I learned this the hard way with the smaller Polaroid Go 2 camera; my photos came out green in the cold. For this outing, the temperature was perfect, so I had no issues.
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| A winter photo walk with the Go 2 camera. |
A few Polaroids from the Past
Before showing my own results, I wanted to share some vintage Polaroids a family member found. These first two are from the mid-1960s and were taken on the older roll-type film, which was a more involved process.
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| A vintage roll-type Polaroid from 1964 that said "Bun puff and babies" on the back. |
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| Another vintage Polaroid of a Christmas tree from 1965. |
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| I also had two photos from the 1980s that had the well known Polaroid shape. You can see them in the main video. |
My Photos with the Now+
I took a few photos indoors to start. Here is a comparison between the Now+ and the smaller Polaroid Go 2 photos.
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| On the left is the Now+ i-type photo. The right is from the Go 2. |
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| On the left is the Now+ i-type photo. The right is from the Go 2. |
Exploring the Polaroid App and Creative Modes
The main benefit of the Now+ comes from its app connectivity, which unlocks a host of creative features. However, experimenting can be risky with film cameras. I ended up with two completely black frames that I suspect were while I was trying out the Tripod Mode via the app. Since each photo costs money, mistakes can be costly.
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| One of the completely black frames that resulted from a user error in the app. |
The camera itself has a "+" button on the front that acts as a mode selector.
- Single Press: Activates the self-timer. I didn't use this because the app provides more control.
- Double Press: Activates double exposure mode, one of the most fun features.
- Long Press: Activates a custom mode that you can assign through the app.
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| Pressing the "+" button on the front of the Now+ cycles through different modes. |
The app unlocks a lot...
Remote and Self-Timer: The app offers a remote shutter release and a more customizable self-timer, where you can set the exact number of seconds.
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| The Remote mode interface in the Polaroid smartphone app. |
Double Exposure: The app gives you more control over double exposures. I took one shot holding the camera, then placed it on a tripod and used the app to trigger the second exposure for a creative selfie.
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| A double exposure photo combining a fountain and a self-portrait. |
Aperture Mode: You can set a specific aperture from f/11 to f/64 and control the flash.
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| The Aperture mode interface, showing the range from f/11 to f/64. |
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| The camera on a tripod. |
Tripod Mode: This mode likely helps with long exposures. As I mentioned, be careful with this one. I think my error was letting the exposure time be all zeros while the app was probably waiting for metering information from the camera.
Portrait Mode: The app helps you determine if your subject is too close or too far for an optimal portrait.
Light Painting: This mode lets you use your phone's flashlight to "paint" with light during a long exposure.
Full Manual Mode: This is the best part of the app. It gives you full control over focus range, aperture, and shutter speed. It also provides a light meter and flash control. You can even choose to disable auto-eject if you want to experiment with multiple exposures on one frame, assuming that's what the eject option it means. I didn't try it out.
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| A portion of the manual mode screen in the app. |
You can save your favorite mode and related settings as a custom shortcut, which you can then activate by long-pressing the "+" button on the camera without needing to connect to the app. This lets you at least access one of the extra features with fixed settings directly through the camera.
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| A portion of the app that's talking about the shortcut feature. |
Scanning Your Polaroids
The Polaroid app includes a feature to "scan" your photos using your phone's camera. It guides you to frame the photo, then automatically captures and straightens it.
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| Using the scanner feature within the Polaroid app to digitize a photo. |
This works pretty well, but the biggest challenge with digitizing Polaroids is glare. To get a good scan, you need to set up your lighting carefully to avoid reflections. Angling your lights low and your phone at an alternate angle is one option I fount that works okay.
Why Choose an Instant Camera?
So, with all the digital and traditional film cameras out there, why use an instant one? For me, I'm not a huge fan of the traditional film developing process. It's a hassle to find a lab, and I don't want to do it myself. I did one video project where I tried a point-and-shoot film camera. I had found a local small business which worked well, but they were the only one I could find in the area that didn't send film in to a big lab where I'd likely lose the negatives for digital scans.
Instant cameras give you that tangible feeling of film photography with the "wait and see" excitement, but the wait is only about 15 minutes. With a camera like the Now+, you can even go full manual. It's not as complex as an SLR, but it's fun and challenging.
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| A look at the Polaroid camera and a box of film. |
Of course, the image quality isn't perfect, and it has a distinct retro aesthetic. If you don't like that look, this isn't for you. But if you enjoy the convenience and the unique charm of instant photos, it's a super fun experience. The Now+ with its manual controls and creative features is especially cool, but be prepared for the cost of film when you're experimenting.
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| The camera with its film cartridge slot open. |
Downsides to Consider
- Internal Battery: The battery is built-in. Years from now, it might lose its charge or have issues. While Polaroid has collaborated with iFixit on a guide for replacing it, the process is relatively complex and requires special tools. At least it's possible, just not convenient.
- Ongoing Cost: Film is an ongoing expense. Every photo you take has a direct cost associated with it.
- Temperature Sensitivity: As mentioned, the film doesn't perform well in extreme heat or cold, so you need to be mindful of your environment.
The Good Stuff & Final Thoughts
I'm a fan of orange, so the coral color is nice to me. The build quality seems solid and comparable to the Polaroid Go 2. The Now+ is easy to use as a simple point-and-shoot, but the app control opens up a lot of creative possibilities. I had no complaints with the app's performance. The camera was easy to connect and re-connect as needed.
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| The Polaroid Now+ Generation 3 box, alongside two packs of i-Type film. |
Overall, I've really enjoyed using the Now+ Generation 3 camera. It's a lot of fun and has some very cool features through the app. Again, Polaroid sent me this camera at no cost and with zero obligation to make anything about it, but I enjoy making videos and such, so here we are! I've enjoyed the process of using the camera and producing content about it. I hope you all found it helpful.