That said, the process really is simple and reliable. The app-based functions work brilliantly, from the seamless pairing to the turn-on-and-go nature of using the app in tandem with the camera. While there's no awkward waiting for the camera to handshake with your phone, there is inherently an extra layer of operation involved when using modes like aperture priority or double exposures, as you will be using a shutter button on your phone rather than the one on the camera. The redesigned Polaroid app has a very Apple-esque interface, connects quickly and reliably, and is a joy to use When shooting indoors, the improved flash system delivers very pleasing results with more evenly exposed images. Neither look is necessarily better than the other, but they are distinctively different flavors and it's down to personal taste which you prefer.Īs with all instant cameras, the Now+ can be inconsistent when used outdoors where the flash is overpowered by ambient light images don't have the same bite or saturation as those where the flash is the key light, but this again produces a uniquely analog image character that may be to your liking. If you're comparing image quality against frames taken by Fujfilm cameras like the Instax Mini 11 (opens in new tab), Polaroid film has an inherent bias towards magentas when rendering white tones using flash, which produces a more distinctively "vintage" look, while Instax film produces truer whites that sometimes make Caucasian skin tones a little ghostly – and it also tends to crush the blacks, producing a more contrasty look but with a loss of detail in the shadows. Opinions on the character of instant photographs are very subjective, but what we can say without question is that the sharpness and contrast of the images on the Polaroid Now+ are the best we've yet seen on a Polaroid camera. The in-camera creativity includes features like double exposures, but requires the Polaroid app (Image credit: James Artaius) On the rear of the camera is the power button, flash override and an LED indicator to show how many shots are remaining in your pack of film (both i-Type and 600 are accepted).Īnd while we've had packs of film as well as single frames jam on both the Now and the Go, we haven't yet had a single problem with the Now+. The controls are simple and instinctive, with a big red shutter release on the front along with a "+" button and LED indicator to select creative modes (self-timer, double exposure or a custom function) without needing to connect to the app. If you're looking for something that will slip into a handbag or jacket pocket, you'll be better served checking out the diminutive Polaroid Go (opens in new tab).Īs with all analog instant cameras, the viewfinder is both optical and approximate you're not getting a true view of what the lens sees, since the finder is offset to the left, so you will need to fire a few frames to get used to accurately composing your shots (the finder tends to give a wider view than the lens, so you can safely get a tad closer to your subjects than it appears). It's a very solid and well built camera, constructed of polycarbonate and ABS plastics, and obviously has the heft and chunkiness of old school instant cameras. In essence, though, the two cameras basically feel indistinguishable in the hand – and if you've got a bag that perfectly fits the original, you've no need to worry. The Now+ is ever so slightly larger than the regular Now, at 150.16 x 112.2 x 95.48mm instead of 150.2 x 112.2 x 94mm, and just a smidge heavier at 457g versus 434g. However, the Now+ has superior image quality thanks to the improved autofocus and flash systems, and it has a number of app functions that the OneStep+ lacks (the only thing it doesn't have is the noise trigger mode, which isn't something we really miss).Īs always, Polaroid film (both i-Type and 600) loves saturated colors (Image credit: James Artaius) In many ways the feature set of the Now+ makes it more comparable to the OneStep+ than the regular now. This includes five lens filters – starburst, red vignette, and blue, yellow and orange colors for in-camera effects – along with a lens cap! The latter is made possible by the addition of a standard tripod mount (absent on the base Polaroid Now), which is one of a slew of new physical features that don't rely on the smartphone app. Light painting, double exposures, self-timer, portrait mode and manual control – along with, for the first time on the Now product line, aperture priority mode and tripod mode. On top of that, it brings to the party the Bluetooth connectivity found in the Polaroid OneStep+ – and used in tandem with the newly designed Polaroid app for your smartphone, this unlocks a wealth of creative tools.
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