I feel there’s something strangely reassuring about having a photo in your hand. Not swiping through 30 iterations of the same selfie, but feeling the paper, seeing the image come to life right before your eyes. Polaroid, the name behind instant photography, brings a new way to get us back to that experience—with the Polaroid Flip. A point-and-shoot camera loaded with tech, but still beautifully analog at its core.
Launching April 29, the Flip blends nostalgia with modern engineering. It’s got that classic Polaroid feel. But under the hood, it seems smarter than you’d expect, especially for something that doesn’t need an app to do its main job.
If you’ve ever fumbled with a camera trying to get the focus just right or missed a moment because settings got in the way, this might be the antidote. The Polaroid Flip might be your requirement if you’re the one who just wants to point, shoot, and actually keep the photo.
Here’s What Makes the Polaroid Flip Flip-Worthy
So, what’s going on inside that minimalist design? A lot more than you’d guess at first glance.
- Hyperfocal 4-lens system: It’s like automatic gear-shifting for your lens. The Flip has four “sweet spots” of focus based on how far away you are from the thing you’re focusing on. Whether you’re photographing your friend in the next room or a flower in front of you, the camera selects the most appropriate lens for the task. No guesswork required.
- Sonar autofocus: The Polaroid Flip brings back the sonar AF. It analyzes sound waves to calculate the distance to your subject, resulting in crisper focus in low light. I love how it seems a smart piece of old-school-meets-new-school engineering that prevents your shots from getting blurry.
- The thinking flash: The Flip’s flash isn’t simply a blinding flash of light. It varies depending on the distance of your subject, and it’s powerful enough to illuminate scenes up to 4.5 meters from you.
- Scene analysis: A small viewfinder LED alerts you if your picture’s going to be too light or too dark before you take it. It also politely informs you when you’re too close for a good shot.
But maybe the Flip’s most impressive feature is what it doesn’t have. It doesn’t upload pictures to the cloud. Also, it doesn’t get in your face with a thousand filters. It simply allows you to take the picture, print it on the spot, and hold onto it. Concrete. Permanent. Not swipable.
Pricing and Availability
Coming in April for $199.99, the Polaroid Flip is compatible with Polaroid i-Type and 600 film and charges through USB-C. It pairs with the Polaroid app over Bluetooth if you’re interested in exploring manual settings, remote capture, or creative features such as double exposure and self-timer modes. But if not? You can simply flip open the lid, click the red shutter, and be present.
It is an era of instant anything. I think in this era, the Polaroid Flip makes us remember perhaps the most important things are the ones you have to wait a few seconds to hold.
[via Polaroid; Image credits: Polaroid]
