Skip to main content

Polaroid lives again with new brand and OneStep 2 instant camera

Polaroid Originals OneStep 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Holiday Gift Guide Banner
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This product was featured in our Holiday Gift Guide! Check it out to find gift inspiration for everyone in your life.

Recommended Videos

On the 80th anniversary of the founding of Polaroid, the people behind the Impossible Project are launching a new brand, Polaroid Originals, with the goal of bringing back instant photography from its roots in classic Polaroid cameras. The Impossible Project, which produces film for old Polaroid cameras, teased the announcement earlier this month. Arriving alongside the brand is a key new product: the OneStep 2 instant camera, the spiritual successor to the original Polaroid OneStep. The company is also launching new film in both color and black-and-white, as well as continuing to produce film compatible with classic Polaroid cameras.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Built for the modern era, the OneStep 2 combines old-school instant film aesthetics with some modern touches. It includes a built-in flash, self timer, “long-lasting” battery, and can even charge over USB. It will sell for $100, while eight-exposure packs of film will sell for $16 (vintage film for older cameras will sell for $19). The OneStep 2 is available for preorder now and the camera is expected to be available in October.

In addition to the new OneStep 2, Polaroid Originals will continue to sell refurbished vintage Polaroid cameras (as the Impossible Project was doing before).

This is all great news for Polaroid fans. At one time, the fate of the company appeared to be sealed. Polaroid had pioneered instant photography, but simply couldn’t keep up in the digital era. But when a group of instant film fans formed the Impossible Project and bought up the last Polaroid film factory, after Polaroid had ceased production in 2008, there was at least hope that the format wouldn’t die out completely, even if the brand did (the Polaroid name never went away, however, it did become a licensing business). Polaroid Originals is now taking that a step further and keeping the name alive, made possible after the Impossible Project’s principal shareholder acquired the Polaroid brand earlier this year.

Polaroid Originals is not the the only company producing instant film cameras, however. Fujifilm is well entrenched in the market, and offers a wide range of instant cameras under its Instax brand, including the new SQ10 which combines a digital sensor with instant film. Still, with the experience of the Impossible Project and the Polaroid name behind it, the OneStep 2 could prove to be a popular camera among instant photography aficionados. As for the Impossible Project name, it seems to be on the way out, as its website now directs to the new name — makes sense, as it isn’t so impossible anymore.

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
Capture all the action with the GoPro HERO12 Black — $150 off today at Amazon
The GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition set up on a small tripod on the beach.

In the moment, when you're blasting over that jump on your dirt bike, catching that killer wave, or jumping off of whatever insane cliff you've found, you don't necessarily think about capturing it all. But one of the best ways to make that happen is to strap on an action cam, like a GoPro. You can capture all of the action, and it's relatively low-lift. You wear whatever unique mount is best for the situation and the camera does all the work. There's just one issue, action cameras can be expensive especially if you're on a budget. However, today, Amazon has the GoPro HERO12 Black for $150 off. That brings it down from its normal price of $400 to $250. You can use that extra money to grab an accessory and you're good to go. GoPro HERO12 Black captures it all in 5.3K or 4K so you can rewatch the glory over and over.

 
Why buy the GoPro HERO12 Black? To capture the action, that's why
An action camera like a GoPro makes it possible to capture the action, in full detail, no matter what you're doing. You don't even have to be doing crazy stunts either. A common misconception is that they're only useful for outdoor activities, but no they work for filming just about anything. Even if you're having a barbecue, or a birthday party, or want to see what your roaming cat sees throughout the day -- a GoPro is what you need.

Read more
NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit discussing his photography from aboard the ISS.

NASA astronaut Don Pettit arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September on his fourth orbital mission in 22 years. Besides working on various science projects on the space-based facility, Pettit is also known for his keen interest in photography, and he regularly shares his impressive efforts -- including rivers, clouds, star trails, and high-speed spacecraft -- on X and Instagram.

Pettit -- at 69, he's NASA’s oldest serving astronaut -- has just taken some time out of his busy schedule to chat about his photography.

Read more
Target has great deals on the Fujifilm Instax cameras today
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 on a white background.

If regular camera deals look a little overwhelming or too expensive, you should check out what Target has to offer. Right now, there are some great deals on Fujifilm Instax cameras, which are perfect for those times you want to take some quick snaps and not worry about fancy settings. The deals include the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 and the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. Let’s take a look at both cameras and see which will suit you best. Each camera is a great gift for someone this holiday season, but it’s also a fun way of snapping anything you want during the festive period.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera -- $140 $150 7% off

For that instant retro look, check out the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. It takes 3 x 5 instant photos, so it’s good for shooting wide shots. Sure, it won't compete with the best DSLR cameras, but it's a fun way of taking some quick snaps. It has a rugged yet beautiful design, so it can handle a few more bumps than most cameras. It offers easy-to-use analog-style controls with a choice of three focus modes; these include normal, landscape, and macro when using the relevant and included close-up lens. It provides automatic exposure, flash control, and a self-timer with an LED countdown, so all the essentials are here. The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera also has two viewfinder framing guides to assist in composing your image, and you can add a tripod mount if you want.

Read more