STACK #222 April 2023

TECH FEATURE

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POLAROID – GET INSTANT SNAPPING WITH THE OG! When it comes to instant photography, Polaroid actually wrote the book, releasing their first instant camera way back in 1948. Polaroid Go If small is your call, then check out this little pocket-sized USB rechargeable wonder. Weighing in at just 242 grams (without film), its handy size doesn’t mean that you miss out on big features, either. Compatible with Polaroid Go film, you get Polaroid’s human friendly red-eye zapping automatic

Sure you can take a photo on your smartphone or a digital camera, but it won't deliver the many feelings that you can get from holding a physical image. Enter the instant camera – yes, the classic is still very much alive, and very much up to date for those who still crave that tactile experience. Words Bec Summer S ome may remember when instant cameras first arrived, doing away with the need to send our happy the technology inside them has kept up with that of the 21st century. This means better

flash system (with an override if required), a self-timer, plus a useful selfie mirror. Complete with a handy wrist strap, you can even get all artsy creative with two frames in one photos via a built-in double exposure option. Polaroid Now+ i-Type Yes, the Polaroid Corporation invented the instant camera, and this modern take on their creation brings current tech to a gorgeous retro-honouring shape. The design has a friendly face vibe – especially if you’re prone to facial pareidolia, where you see faces in everyday objects – and the camera

printed picture quality than ever before, along with even more features that make for not only ease of use, but also options to have a whole lot of creative fun with your photography. Ultimately, you don’t want to think about it, you just want to go click and have a memory in your hand soon after. Just point and shoot. It’s a fun nod to nostalgia that even the youngest snappers can get onboard with. If you haven’t indulged in all of the fun of instant photography of late, it can be a top way to get friends and family interacting. Why not add some spontaneity to your trip away these holidays? You may find it brings you all together in ways that staring at a smartphone will never accomplish. On the following pages we take a look at some of the options that’ll get you snapping and printing instantly in, quite literally, next to no time.

snaps off to a lab to get developed, and that feeling of dread as to whether all those important shots would turn out as intended. Instead, you’d take a shot, wait a few minutes and it’d appear right before your eyes - it was like a mini miracle! Many may dismiss them as old hat due to our omnipresent smartphones, but it’s that physical presence that has people rekindling their love of instant photography. Take a snap, hand it to a friend as a permanent memory, send it to a loved one far away, or slap it on the fridge with a magnet. Try doing that with a smartphone! A printed image is a real thing, a tangible presence that can mean so much more than just another image texted through to somebody. While at first glance the results today are similar to the old school instant cameras,

is also refreshingly friendly to use. It packs features such as a two-lens autofocus system for sharper images, as well as a human-friendly flash (bye-bye red eyes), and a self-timer. Complete with a tripod mount, it also includes five special filters for fun with your photos, as well as Bluetooth app connectivity to up the creative possibilities even further. Plus, it works with classic full size Polaroid film.

SHAKE IT ‘TIL YOUMAKE IT? Shaking your images during the processing stage is bad, OK? It can disturb how clearly the image turns out. Wow, Outkast were wrong!

46 APRIL 2023

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