The new Polaroid I-2 combines traditional analog experience with modern camera technology to establish a new benchmark in instant photography.
Armed with the sharpest ever Polaroid lens and built-in manual controls, the I-2 produces exceptional image quality and empowers photographers with the tools to master their craft.
"For a long time, it was our dream to make a high-end Polaroid camera and give people more choice in the world of analog photography - a choice that many passionate photographers told us they were craving," said Polaroid Chairman, Oskar Smolokowski. " To develop the I-2, we expanded our engineering team and spent more than four years designing and finessing every element. It is the most capable camera we've ever made and a true milestone in our journey."
At the heart of the I-2 is a continuous autofocus three-lens system capable of making the sharpest shots of any Polaroid instant camera for integral film, while a wide aperture delivers a gorgeous depth of field. The lens has been designed in partnership with Japanese optical engineers with decades of experience developing marquee analog products.
The autofocus takes full advantage of the lens with a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, which precisely detects the distance to the subject and auto-adjusts the lens, ensuring accurate focus. LiDAR enables longer focusing distance and is reliable even in difficult scenes with high or low light conditions.
The I-2 is the first Polaroid camera for integral film with built-in manual controls allowing more creative freedom. A large, bright viewfinder offers a traditional optical experience and communicates camera settings via an integrated display. Shutter speed, aperture size and six different shooting modes are directly selectable on the camera.
Further extending creative choices for photographers, the Polaroid I-2 is the first instant camera compatible with i-Type, 600 and SX-70 film and has a built-in lens thread mount compatible with 49mm filters.
The design of the I-2 is a celebration of its functionality. The exterior is built around the lens and the camera’s manual controls. It is made with high-quality materials and has a modern look while remaining uniquely and unmistakably Polaroid.
Made for the digital age, Polaroid I-2 features Bluetooth connectivity, and the accompanying app allows firmware upgrades over the air as well as complete remote control of the camera.
Coco Capitán, Kotori Kawashima and Max Siedentopf became the first artists to try the new I-2 camera. Polaroid commissioned their work for the "Imperfectionists" campaign designed to mark the launch and celebrate instant photography as a creative medium that is beautifully unpredictable and imperfect.
"I am not interested in perfection. Chaos. Spontaneity. Randomness. That's where reality exists," remarks Coco Capitán, the celebrated Spanish artist. "Working with the I-2 and the Polaroid film is remarkable. As a creative tool, it has a lot of capabilities, while you cannot always predict what the photo will look like. Every shot is unique, and the process is as meaningful as the result."
- Lens: 3-element lens with continuous autofocus system. Capable of ƒ/8 aperture across 0.4m (1.3') ~ ∞ range controlled via a stepper motor. Material: optical grade polycarbonate and acrylic with anti-reflective coating.
- Built-in manual controls: camera mode, flash mode, distance to the object, shutter speed, aperture, and light meter indicator value are selectable on the camera and communicated through an integrated viewfinder display and external OLED display.
- Design: Modern design that echoes past iconic Polaroid machines. The technical requirements and the lens dictate the camera's shape. The exterior is made of high-quality ABS and PMMA plastic that is more impact-resistant and finished with a special coating giving it a premium look and feel.
- UX design: working with I-2 is engaging, I-2 technical performance is 'on the surface - complexity is highly accessible.
- App-enabled: download iOS or Android Polaroid App to enable full remote control and firmware updates via OTA Bluetooth.
The Polaroid I-2 instant camera is available for purchase on polaroid.com and through select retailers worldwide from September 7.
*Please ensure that all imagery is credited to the photographer in the filename (if provided) as well as Polaroid.
About Polaroid
Polaroid was founded by Edwin Land in 1937 as an icon of innovation and engineering. The company first produced ski goggles and 3D glasses for the US Army and Navy. It wasn’t until 1943 when Land’s daughter asked why she couldn’t see a photograph of herself immediately that the idea for the instant camera was born. In 1947 it became a reality with the first ever instant camera.
It was the introduction of the breakthrough Polaroid SX-70 camera in 1972 that launched instant photography.
As we know it today, followed by landmark innovations such as the original OneStep, instant color film; and the Polaroid 600 and Spectra cameras and film formats.
Polaroid cameras went on to inspire artists such as Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, Robert Mapplethorpe, Maripol, Keith Haring, and Guy Bourdin who raised the brand to the status of a cultural icon.
In the 1990s and 2000s, the swift rise of digital technology eclipsed instant photography and Polaroid announced the end of instant film production in 2008. But that was short-lived; a dedicated group of instant photography fans under the name ‘The Impossible Project’ saved the last Polaroid factory in the Netherlands. Since then, they have been the only people in the world making film for vintage Polaroid cameras.
In 2017, The Impossible Project re-launched as Polaroid Originals: a brand dedicated exclusively to Polaroid’s original analog instant photography products. Bringing analog instant photography back under the Polaroid umbrella was a significant milestone, but it was not the end of the journey. In March 2020, Polaroid took the next step and became one brand, with the one name: Polaroid.
Today, Polaroid has analog instant photography at its core and represents the brand that people all over the world came to know and love for over 80 years. By unifying its entire product portfolio under one name, Polaroid is setting out its new vision as a global brand that will continue to create products that bring people together in human and meaningful ways.
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