The Polaroid I-2 Is an Incredible Instant Camera, Let Down By Its Film

If you're willing to spend $599 on a brand-new Polaroid camera with fully manual controls, you don't need to read anymore. Just the fact that it exists is probably enough.

The new Polaroid I-2 is a big deal. It's the first new Polaroid in decades that is a proper photographer's tool instead of an automatic point-and-shoot. Previously, if you wanted to control essential settings like focus, shutter speed, and aperture, you'd have to buy a used camera from 40-something years ago, something like the Polaroid 180. For confirmed Polaroid fans, it's an instabuy. For the rest of us, it might be harder to see past the limitations, which pretty much boils down to the Polaroid film it uses and some old-world hardware choices.

"I can see the appeal of this new Polaroid camera for certain photographers. The full manual controls allow creative flexibility that phone cameras lack. And there's something special about watching a photo develop right before your eyes," cinematographer and photographer Matteo Martignago told Lifewire via email. "However, for most people, the high cost of both the camera and Polaroid film makes this impractical for everyday use. Digital cameras and printers are far more affordable and convenient if we look at the technical aspects."

Manual Roll

The I-2 looks just like a Polaroid but is way more advanced. While you can shoot in full-auto mode, the appeal here is the manual control over exposure, although oddly, the only focus option is automatic. Using the built-in light meter, you can choose the aperture and shutter speed you need to get the photo you want.

This is important not only just to get the correct amount of light onto the film but also for creative purposes. A slower shutter speed allows moving objects to blur, for example, and a wide-open aperture can blur the background, making your subject stand out.

The lens is also brand new, and according to Polaroid, it's the best one ever on a Polaroid camera, using LiDAR-based autofocus.

Then we get to the controls. Shutter speed and aperture are adjusted by moving dedicated rings set around the lens. This is exactly as it should be, making it dead easy to adjust by touch, with the camera up to your eye. The viewfinder also has a detailed readout panel at the bottom, looking more like the display inside a pro DSLR than something you'd expect to find in an instant camera.

The camera's settings are also shown on a small B&W external screen, which works in concert with a single button to access various settings. In a video review, The Verge's senior video producer, Becca Farsace, calls the single-button control system "annoying," but once you have things set up how you like them, you can mostly ignore it.

It's all amazing, with only one downside. Like other Polaroids, the specs are rather pedestrian. The maximum aperture is a dingy ƒ8, and the maximum shutter speed is just 1/250th/sec. At least there's a built-in flash for indoor photos. The film, though, is another story.

Film Fail

Polaroid film used to be bright, colorful, punchy, and just lovely to use. Today's Polaroid film is washed out, with colors that are pastel at best, and even this fancy camera can't change that.

"But there's a big red flag in Polaroid's marketing material for their newest, fanciest camera. They're still leaning into the imperfection angle," writes photographer and vintage camera aficionado James Tocchio on his Casual Photophile blog. "They write that the camera is 'Made for the Imperfectionists.' That's code for 'Our film is still not great, and no matter what you try and no matter how much money you spend on a new camera, you'll never make a perfect Polaroid image.'"

If you like this look, you've probably already ordered a new I-2. But if you prefer the more saturated, punchy photos from Fujifilm's Instax film, there's nothing for you here. You'll just have to stick with Fujifilm's superior film and inferior toy-like cameras.

In many ways, shooting any kind of film is an exercise in frustration. The best cameras are old, used models, film is hard to buy and expensive when you find it. $600 for a camera that can only use poor, low-quality film from a single manufacturer seems nuts, but I still think this camera will be a hit, and it certainly shows that Polaroid is totally committed to its cameras and film.