It may be a paradox, but Polaroid’s large I-Type film is the reason to choose its camera versus a Fujifilm Instax Square, but at the same time, I-Type’s finicky nature is reason enough to think twice about going with a Polaroid camera.
(Credit: Jim Fisher)
First, the positives. I-Type is the same size as the SX-70 and 600 series film from yesteryear. Its 3.1-inch square image area and iconic white plastic border tickle your nostalgia bone even more readily than 2.4-inch pictures from the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ40. Plus, the larger Polaroid prints look better on your fridge or bulletin board.
On the negative side, the $2-per-image cost is the most obvious red flag, but understand that color Polaroid film requires some special handling. For one, it must be shielded from light as it develops, so you should wait a good 10 seconds before you remove it from the eject slot. The camera has a long, opaque plastic tongue that shields the film surface as it ejects, which makes things easier.
(Credit: Jim Fisher)
The film also shows color shift in cold or hot weather. If you take your camera out on a chilly morning, you can expect to see a cyan tint in images, and on hot days it shifts toward red. Polaroid colors aren’t as punchy or naturally saturated as Fujifilm Instax. Pictures seem a little browner on Polaroid film, whereas they come out with naturally vibrant colors when using Instax. Both Polaroid and Fuji materials capture scenes with limited exposure latitude, something that is inherent to instant film in general. You can expect to see dark shadows or washed-out highlights in high contrast lighting with most instant films.
Polaroid’s black-and-white film is much better than color, however, and delivers excellent contrast and tones. Its exposure latitude is also narrow, but I prefer it to Fujifilm’s lower-contrast Instax Monochrome. The I-Type B&W simply has more bite and works better for the monochrome scenes, based on my tastes, though you’ll disagree if you prefer a monochrome image that stresses the mid-tones.
Size comparison showing (clockwise from top) Fujifilm Instax Square, Polaroid I-Type, Instax Wide, and Instax Mini film formats (Credit: Jim Fisher)
Additionally, Polaroid occasionally produces limited-run, artistic films. In years past, I’ve written about its Black and Green film, and it put out a neat Reclaimed Blue stock last year. While there are no experimental stocks available at press time, it’s worth seeking them out when they’re available.
For fun, I shot a decade-old pack of Black and Red film. The film was way expired, but I was happy to get a few fun snapshots, including one of my cat standing in a sunbeam, along with some that didn’t turn out at all. Remember that because the developing chemicals are part of each instant film frame, its shelf life is only about a year. You can prolong it by storing it in a refrigerator, but you should never freeze instant film. Polaroid has some tips to help you get the best results from its film, and it’s worth reading if you’re not an instant film expert.
I was happy that any photos came out from a pack of decade-old red duochrome film (Credit: Jim Fisher)
Film type is the primary factor in picture quality among instant cameras, but it is not the only one. The lens, autofocus, and metering system matter, too, and the Now+ is pretty basic on those fronts. The Flip is better. I used the two side-by-side and found the Flip’s 4-zone sonar autofocus did a better job finding its target. Since the camera knows a precise distance to its subject, it is also better able to adjust flash power.
(Credit: Jim Fisher)
The Flip gives up the ability to use lens filters, but otherwise is an all-around better version of the Now+, for about $60 more. That’s not a huge difference when you consider film costs. You’ll get more keepers with the Flip, so it should make up the difference in the long run. On the other hand, if you are truly devoted to Polaroid film in particular and want on-camera exposure control, the I-2 is there.
