Camera geekery: Polaroid Originals OneStep 2 i-Type Camera
Is this a glitch in the matrix? Almost a decade since they bid adieu to the instant film and camera they became synonymous with, Polaroid is finally back with the OneStep 2 i-Type and new instant film. Well, technically it’s produced by The Impossible Project, as we all know the company that started the grassroots campaign to preserve Polaroid’s instant film in the face of a relentless digital assault.
Of course there’s been many alternatives to the instant film game since, but all somehow lacked the brand recognition and the cool, hip aura of Polaroid many moons ago. In conjunction with Polaroid’s 80th anniversary, this release is the long-awaited fruit of The Impossible Project’s labor when it purchased Polaroid’s equipment, reverse-engineered the film and tossed a life raft to those treading water with classic Polaroid instant cameras.
Name value? Check. Retro form factor? Check. Real-sized Polaroids you can actually see? Check. Pure analog bliss? Check.
Ordered mine and i can’t wait till mid-Oct when it arrives. For about $100 USD, it’s looking like a great affordable option to introduce to a new generation of photographers a blast from the past that’s true to it’s roots. A lot of retro reboots stem from pure trends, but this icon of 20th century visual history should rekindle a joy not exactly experienced for a long time.
Check out the news here https://eu.polaroidoriginals.com/
What are your thoughts? Comments are welcome.
Great news! I understand the film is an interation of impossible project film. However, is it identical to the current film or is it an improved version.?BTW The latest impossible film is pretty good these days.
If the films are the same troublesome product from IMPOSSIBLE at super-high prices… forget it.
Film prices for the OneStep 2 are lower. Around $16 US (as opposed to $24 previously).
I’ll stick with fujifilm instax wide. It’s a shame they market mini or square and not wide -it’s the best format out there!
Polaroid Originals (former Impossible Project) is a different brand then Polaroid. The new camera and film is rebranded Impossible. I couldn’t find any info, if the film is a new generation of film, but it could be. A few months ago they released a new beta test film, that has not been used as Impossible branded film.
The new film is improved from Impossible’s current stock. They say it’s sharper, brighter, with faster dev times. Also, Polaroid Originals is indeed an arm of Polaroid, which is now owned by the group that owned the majority stake in Impossible. Impossible’s former CEO (former, because Impossible is now wrapped as a brand) is the new CEO of Polaroid Originals.
I don’t know about the formula of the new film, but from what I read I-type is just 600 film with no integral battery so it costs less than the 600, which has also dropped in price a bit
This leaves me in a difficult position – in addition to owning an Instax Mini & Instax Wide, I like this (& the price for the camera is reasonable – although the film is cheap, it still comes in packs of 8), Lomography is also producing an analog Instant Square. Sadly, since I am not Richard Branson (who would never think to use a film camera!) I must make some hard decisions…
Having purchased the previous impossible Type 1 or I or whatever it was called I won’t be buying this. That camera was buggy from day 1, battery died after sitting idle for 24 hours, film was like $25 no thanks. It looked cool siting there collecting dust until I sold it for a 1/3 of what I paid for it.