Part of me longs for the simplicity of a Polaroid camera like the new Polaroid Flip
With products now typically on an annual update cycle with minor spec bumps every year, don't you just wish you could go back to the old days of simple products that just work?
The smartphone pretty much destroyed the digital camera market for all but the most passionate of photographers. And I don't mind admitting that even as someone who loves this stuff, the annual upgrades to phones (and cameras) with minor spec bumps can be a bit exhausting.
Part of me longs for a more tangible connection to the photos, which is why I'm quite intrigued by the launch of the Polaroid Flip in Australia. Retro in both style and functionality with some modern day upgrades, the Flip promises a more immediate connection to your photos.
It's like a traditional Polaroid, but with some more recent camera tech inside. You get the iconic red shutter button and instant print slot, but with a flippable lid that gives the camera its name.
The Flip uses a Hyperfocal 4-lens system, with each lens automatically selected depending on the distance to the subject. Like a submarine, the Polaroid Flip uses sonar to detect distance to a subject - even in the dark - to help the camera focus every time.
The flash, which is hidden away in the foldable lid, is Polaroid's most powerful flash ever, able to light up a subject up to 4.5 metres away, while the Bluetooth connectivity connects the camera to the Polaroid app on your phone to allow for creative photography tools like double exposure and a self-timer mode.
Pricing and availability
The Polaroid Flip will launch in Australia on 13 May, through leading technology and camera retailers including JB Hi Fi, Myer and WALKENS House of Film.
It will have an RRP of $399 in Australia, which makes it one of the more expensive instant cameras on the market. Particularly when you factor in the cost of film – the Flip supports both Polaroid i-Type and 600 films, which cost about $3.50 a printed photo.
Is that the cost of simplicity? Maybe. I'm still keen.
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