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If you are looking to get into analog film photography, it can be difficult to know where to start. Vintage cameras can have a high price point and are difficult to maintain and find film for after being discontinued for many years. A modern analog camera can emulate the feeling and look of a retro camera while being affordable and easy to maintain. We compare several instant film cameras with a vintage look in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review.
What Is the Polaroid OneStep 2?
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The Polaroid OneStep 2 has a retro style that is sure to turn heads. It looks exactly like the classic Polaroid instant film cameras of the past decades. The OneStep 2 is an easy-to-use analog camera that prints instant film photographs. The photographs are large and square, unlike the small credit card-sized prints of most of the competitors.
Product Specs
Image by Pasi Mämmelä from Pixabay
The Polaroid OneStep 2 is easy to use and has a 60-day rechargeable battery. The camera uses i-Type or 600 Polaroid film to take square-shaped instant film photos that are about 4.2 by 3.4-inches and have a thick stock. The film allows the camera to take 8 photos per load. This is the only camera that takes the larger square pictures in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review.
The Polaroid OneStep 2 has a magnified viewfinder and a timer button on the front for selfie-like pictures. The shutter button is a large button on the front, which can take some getting used to if you are familiar with modern cameras. The camera is all plastic and weighs about one pound. We found the retro look of the camera to be one of the best things about this camera in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review.
Pricing
The Polaroid OneStep 2 can be found on Amazon or camera retailers for around $100. There are bundle sets that come with the i-Type or 600 film and other accessories for a small extra cost. The i-Type or 600 film can be purchased separately for around $16 for 8 prints.
How It Compares
We picked a few similar products available on the market to see how they compare.
- Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera
- Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera
- Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera
Polaroid OneStep 2
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Ease of Use
The Polaroid OneStep 2 is simple to use and has features similar to a retro analog camera. The viewfinder is magnified to help you find your subject, and the camera has few, easy to learn buttons. The OneStep 2 has a front-facing large shutter button and a flash button in the back. The camera also has a self-timer on the front to take selfies or group photos.
Print Quality
The Polaroid OneStep 2 uses square-shaped, large, instant film prints much like the retro Polaroid cameras. We found this to be a compelling reason to buy the camera in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review. The prints are about 4.2 by 3.4-inches on thick paper and cost about $2 per print. The prints look great, and the camera can use i-Type film or 600 film like the older Polaroids. Just like the older Polaroids, the film can take a few minutes to develop and should be kept cool.
Design Quality
The Polaroid OneStep 2 has a convincing retro look from the front and the only indication that it’s not really from the 70s is the micro-USB charging port. We found the camera’s look to be the most like a retro camera in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review. The OneStep 2 has an internal rechargeable battery that lasts up to 60-days. The camera has a viewfinder and only a few buttons.
Warranty
The Polaroid OneStep 2 is covered by a one-year limited warranty.
Pros
- Best retro look
- Takes large square pictures
- Rechargeable and easy to use
Cons
- Film is expensive
- Film quality is the same as older cameras
Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera
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The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera is a compact analog instant film camera. The Mini 90 has a rechargeable battery that will last through about 100 photographs. The Mini 90 uses Fujifilm mini film cartridges for 10 credit card sized photos.
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera sports a classic look much like the analog cameras of the 80s and 90s and weighs about 10-ounces. The Mini 90 has an automatic flash and shutter speed for high-quality photos with ease. Pressing the shutter button twice in quick succession will produce two of the same photograph. The 60mm lens provides a good focal range for indoor and outdoor photos.
Ease of Use
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera is good for beginners to try photography. It quickly prints and allows you to make a double print on the spot. The fast shutter speed of the Mini 90 catches moving objects easily. The Mini 90 has a rechargeable battery that is great for people who are used to the feature common in digital cameras. The LCD display on the camera shows the mode, remaining shots, and battery life. The camera also features a self-timer and macro mode.
Print Quality
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera uses Fujifilm mini film cartridges. This provides 10 small film photographs per cartridges for about $0.65 each. The camera has an instant print size of 2.1 by 3.4-inches.
Design Quality
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera has a two-tone retro design. The black plastic is textured for extra grip, and the camera has a wrist strap. The Mini 90 has a rechargeable battery that gets about 100 photos, and it has two LCDs to show battery life, shots remaining, and mode. The camera has few buttons making it easy to use; these include an automatic flash and shutter speed button.
Warranty
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera is covered by a one-year limited warranty.
Pros
- Retro textured design
- Rechargeable battery
- LCD and easy button controls
Cons
- Prints are very small
- Travelers may find the rechargeable battery inconvenient
Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera
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The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera is a premium and contemporary analog camera. The Sofort uses small film cartridges to print credit card-sized photos with brilliant colors. The camera can also use the Fujifilm mini film cartridges if you have trouble finding the Leica brand film. The Sofort comes in three metallic colors or a flat black color and has a textured black grip around the perimeter.
The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera has a rechargeable battery and an LCD screen that displays battery, mode, and remaining shots. The 60mm Leica lens provides good focusing power for indoor and outdoor ranges. The Sofort has multiple automatic shooting settings including automatic, flash, and a self-timer.
Ease of Use
The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera is good for digital photographers transferring to film photography. The camera has few buttons but provides many automated functions. The Sofort has a rechargeable battery, and spares are affordable. The viewfinder and 3-zone manual focus are easy to use on the Sofort.
Print Quality
The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera prints 2.1 by 3.4-inch instant film prints quickly after the shutter is pressed. The prints come out brilliant thanks to the lens quality, and the Leica can use readily available Fujifilm mini film cartridges. The camera prints 10 photos per cartridge and loads from the back.
Design Quality
The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera is available in four colors and has a black textured grip and wrist strap. The camera has a few easy to use buttons including an auto flash, self-timer, and mode options. The LCD screen is a nice modern feature and allows you to monitor the rechargeable battery. The camera is plastic but has a premium Leica 60mm lens for clear photos at multiple ranges.
Warranty
The Leica Sofort Instant Film Camera is covered by a 2-year limited warranty.
Pros
- High-quality lens
- Easy to use
- Rechargeable battery
Cons
- Premium price tag
- Small print size
Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera
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The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera is different from the other cameras included in our Polaroid OneStep 2 review because it is digital and doesn’t use instant film. The Snap is a great way to get all the features of a digital camera with the convenience of printing photos from the camera in under two minutes. The Snap uses Zink paper which uses no ink or toner and is more affordable than film.
The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera has a viewfinder instead of an LCD screen for an analog-style. The Snap has a simple and pocket-friendly design. The camera has a rechargeable internal battery and can save 10-megapixel photos to an SD card up to 32GB. The Snap has an LED light indicator for the self-timer.
Ease of Use
The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera is easy to use if you are used to digital photography because it is 100% digital. You can save photographs to an SD card instead of printing to sharpen your skills without wasting paper. The viewfinder is easy to use, and the camera has a button to change the filter and a self-timer.
Print Quality
The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera prints digital photos that are about 2 by 3 inches. The prints are around $0.50 each using the Polaroid Zink paper, and the camera holds 10 sheets at a time. You can print photos with a filter using the filter button at the top of the camera.
Design Quality
The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera has a simple and compact design. There is no LCD screen on the camera, but it does have a pop-up viewfinder. The paper loads from the back of the camera, and the internal battery charges by a micro-USB cable. The camera can facilitate an SD card up to 32GB so you can save your photos instead of print them. The Snap has a magnetic lens cap for its 25.8mm lens and has a good indoor and outdoor focus range.
Warranty
The Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera is covered by a one-year limited warranty.
Pros
- Easy to use and fully digital print camera
- Rechargeable battery
- Lower priced prints than competitors
Cons
- Picture quality is low at 10MP
- The lens is not good for long-range focus
- Poor low light quality
Conclusion
The camera is overall a good value if you want to take instant film photographs. The OneStep 2 is great for beginners looking to get into film photography and works well for taking instant film photographs with charming imperfections. We liked the retro style of the camera most of all and the larger square photo prints rather than the small credit card-sized prints of the other film cameras.
Polaroid OneStep 2 Review
The Polaroid OneStep 2 has a simple and easy-to-use design. The camera is plastic and has a slightly bulky and retro style that can easily fool onlookers into thinking it’s a camera from the 1970s. The camera appears to be a vintage camera, and the only indication that it is not is the small micro-USB charging port. The camera has the convenience of a rechargeable battery that lasts about 60-days.
The Polaroid OneStep 2 takes large square photographs, but the prints can cost as much as $2 each. The film takes some time to develop and needs to be kept in a cool dry environment just like the instant film in the 70s. The camera can use the modern i-Type film or 600 Polaroid film. The large and front-facing shutter button on the Polaroid OneStep 2 completes the look but might seem strange to those used to modern cameras. The OneStep uses a viewfinder, has a flash, and has a self-timer function on the front that can be used for selfies.
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
