You can purchase the Polaroid Flip directly from Polaroid. Using these affiliate links help me keep this site online and doesn’t cost you anything. Thank you!
If you’ve watched my videos or read my reviews, you’re probably sick of me talking about the Polaroid Impulse AF. The reason I love that vintage camera so much is that it is an affordable, entry-level camera that has the a great lens and autofocus system using sonar. That’s super cool, especially since it is still pretty affordable used.
So if you asked me to put together a wish list for what I want in a brand new, modern I-type Polaroid camera that doesn’t break the bank, it’d pretty much be a new Polaroid Impulse AF. And while right in the middle of reviewing the Polaroid Now Gen 3 and having my heart broken yet again, imagine my surprise when the Flip showed up out of nowhere, complete with – that’s right – sonar autofocus, something I haven’t seen on any modern day camera in ages, Polaroid or otherwise.
I was terrified to try it. I’d been hurt so many times before, after all. But reader, I’m happy to report the Polaroid Flip is the best I-Type camera they’ve ever made.
The Impulse AF has the edge, but you really have to squint at some detailed scans to see it sometimes.
Sharpness and Image Quality
The very first I-Type Polaroid camera, the I-1 from back when the current version of Polaroid was still called The Impossible Project, had a curious system of switching between a handful of lenses to hit focus rather than an internally moving single set of glass. It had some gaps, but generally worked well enough.
The Polaroid Flip uses a very similar lens system as the I-1, which I think is a great compromise between getting sharp results and keeping costs down. If the lens assembly of the current I-2 camera is responsible for that camera’s massive 600 USD price tag, then I’ll happily take the Polaroid Flip’s much cheaper lens system any day.
Because the results really are good. The vintage autofocus glass Polaroids of the past like the Impulse AF or SLR 680 can still outclass it if you’re really peeking at a zoomed in scan, but the Polaroid Flip is still better than fixed focus vintage cameras like the Polaroid OneStep Closeup or the cheaper Polaroid Now cameras.
Focus
But lens quality only matters if you can hit focus in the first place. One of the biggest problems with the Polaroid Now series is that the autofocus system is unreliable, and there’s no easy on-camera way to know what it is doing or manually set it.
That’s where the sonar autofocus system comes in for the Polaroid Flip, and I’m happy to report it really works! Pressing down halfway will engage the autofocus system, and you’ll often hear the slap of a lens switching accordingly. And unlike the Polaroid Now, it does a great job. I still like to press down halfway and hear the reassuring click inside before pushing down all the way on the shutter, but it seems to work even if you mash down the shutter in one motion.
Even better, there is an led indicator below the viewfinder that flashes if the camera can’t find focus. I shouldn’t be so excited, but it really does help, especially if the sonar autofocus is interrupted by window glass or something in the foreground.
Be warned, this camera cannot focus close enough to make handheld selfies possible. The placement of the shutter makes it almost impossible to hold the camera facing yourself and take a photo with one hand anyway. If you are photographing yourself, I recommend using a tripod and either the timer or the app as a remote shutter.
Exposure
The other major weakness of I-Type cameras lately has been setting exposure, even with the expensive I-2. I’m happy to report that the Polaroid Flip is fairly solid when it comes to exposure.
Keep in mind, you’ll still be able to trick it in extreme cases. I’ve noticed the camera tends to overexpose accidentally sometimes, but generally as long as you keep the flash on, you’ll be okay with reasonably close subjects.
But wait, there’s more! It’s not very intuitive, but you can actually set exposure compensation on the camera itself (I had to look at the instruction manual to figure this one out). If you hold down the timer button, an exposure compensation icon will appear on the back screen, with a line next to it. Press the button again to switch between adding exposure, neutral, and lowering exposure. It’s a rudimentary VCR-ish interface, but I chalk up anything on the camera body itself as a huge win for long-term usability. Apps come and go, so on-camera functionality is critical if this is going to be useful a decade on from now.
Flash
The flashbar is what puts the Flip in the Flip, and the larger flash really does help. Even in bright sunlight it is able to match exposure on the subject if they aren’t too far away. It’s also above the lens (rather than beside it like on other I-type cameras), resulting in more flattering shadows on your subjects.
You can turn the flash on and off easily enough with a button on the back of the camera. Just be aware that without flash the camera is more likely to mess up exposure, especially indoors. When shooting friends, I always keep the flash on, while with editorial or creative projects I tend to turn it off and build light myself (and in that case, I usually have more time and leeway to fix it if it doesn’t work out).
Ergonomics and Build Quality
I love the flip design, a mainstay of Polaroid cameras since the 1980s. It’s not only useful as a way to get the flash higher, but when flipped closed all the delicate bits of the camera are protected. You can easily throw the Polaroid Flip into a bag and not worry about it.
The Polaroid Flip feels a bit on the cheap side with some uneven seams and flimsy plastics, so it doesn’t look quite as good on a shelf as the very attractive Polaroid Now series, but it more than makes up for that in practicality and by being so, so much better of a camera.
I handed this camera to a friend to take a photo, and they ended up pressing the timer switch on the back instead of the red button on the front of the camera, so there’s still a little bit of a learning curve here (as with all modern day instant film cameras).
Battery
Vintage Polaroid cameras were actually powered by a battery in each pack of film, which can be a wasteful proposition when each cartridge of film only holds 8-10 shots. I-Type film is simply 600 without the battery pack in the cartridge – instead the camera itself has a battery in it.
The Polaroid Flip is powered by a lithium battery pack that can be recharged by any USB-C charger lying around. This is fine, but lithium battery packs will die with time, especially if they’re left unpowered for a long period of time. To truly make this camera perfect, Polaroid needs to make these batteries easily user-replaceable. I have I-Type cameras that already can’t hold a proper charge after a few short years, and most people are just going to throw these cameras in the trash rather than replacing them. A good Polaroid camera should last decades, just like the vintage Polaroid cameras I still use and love.
Recommendations
If you want a new Polaroid camera, the Polaroid Flip is the camera to get. The I-2 is way too expensive (and is less reliable), and the Polaroid Now cameras are too fussy to be useful.
Lest I sound too excited and seem like I’m promising the world – remember, this is an instant film camera. You will get photos that come out weird. You will get crazy colors and unexpected defects. You’ll be surprised and sometimes get frustrated. But that’s the fun of instant film. It is a world of controlled chaos.
For best results, I recommend starting out with the black and white I-Type film first, since it develops faster than the color film and tends to look better in more conditions, especially when it comes to portraits.
I am so happy to finally have a Polaroid camera I can recommend to people without asterisks or reservations. I pay for all these cameras and film out of my own pocket to review them, so I’m not afraid to call out companies when their products aren’t up to snuff. But I like shooting Polaroid film, and for the format to flourish it needs to be good cameras to shoot it with. If you’re looking for a great new camera at a reasonable price, then the Polaroid Flip is that camera.
Right now the Polaroid Flip seems to only be distributed by Polaroid directly. My fellow US customers, as with all electronics these days, don’t be surprised if the price fluctuates wildly as our stupid administration implements tariffs at random. My advice at the moment is if you want a piece of gear and have the means – get it while you can before it goes up in price or disappears from shelves entirely.
I’ll have a guide on how to shoot this film up shortly, but in the meantime, remember to get fresh film for your camera, charge before a shoot, and to protect your developing shots from the sun. Also give the circle frame a try – I thought it sounded dumb at first but it really is a blast to play with. Finally, make sure you scan your film early and often, color Polaroids especially tend to fade quickly in the sun over years and even months.
You can purchase the Polaroid Flip directly from Polaroid. Using these affiliate links help me keep this site online and doesn’t cost you anything. I purchase all my cameras with my own money, companies don’t send me anything for reviews. It’s an incredibly hard time to be an independent website with AI web crawlers stealing info while giving nothing in return, so I appreciate your visit and support!
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