Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

Summary: Polaroid fans have been through the wringer. First the company went bankrupt, then it got acquired. Then came the devastating news that it would stop making instant cameras and film. Now, after promising to do so earlier in the year at CES, Polaroid (or the resurrected version of the company anyway) has finally released a new instant film camera, the Polaroid 300.

Polaroid fans have been through the wringer. First the company went bankrupt, then it got acquired. Then came the devastating news that it would stop making instant cameras and film. Then the Impossible Project provided a glimmer of hope. Then came the devastating news that Lady Gaga was hired. Now, after promising to do so earlier in the year at CES, Polaroid (or the resurrected version of the company anyway) has finally released a new instant film camera, the Polaroid 300.

Though it's not the retro-cool PIC 1000 that was shown off at CES, the Polaroid 300 does indeed shoot actual instant film, albeit in the less-traditional 1.8x2.4-inch size. The new camera looks a lot like the old Polaroid Mio from 2001 (of which I'm a proud owner), which used similar-size film. It's a little fancier than the Mio, though: In addition to the automatic flash, it offers four scene settings to help you capture shots in various lighting conditions. Pricing of $89.99 for the camera and $9.99 for 10-packs of film seems a bit steep for a limited-use camera that is banking on pure nostalgia, but considering the company seems to have more lives than a cat, I'm not writing them off yet.

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Topic: Hardware

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  • Polaroid or Fuji Intax Mini 7?

    This is a Fuji Instax Mini 7 being sold under the Polaroid name using Polaroid film. I bet it uses the Instax mini film too.
    johnnylumber
    • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

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  • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

    This makes no sense, now. A digital camera with a built-in inkjet printer would be much better. It could produce multiple copies and print faster as well.
    ldheinz
  • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

    This chemistry is bad for the environment. We really need to leave it behind.
    ecloud
  • Z-ink

    The Polaroid Bluetooth Zero-ink pocket printer is a clever, limited use, device which, if built into a camera or camera phone, would be nice to have.
    I bought one for under $30 and find it useful for things like making name/picture badges, since each sheet of Zink paper has a sticky backing.
    fiosdave
  • Polaroid instant cameras

    I had the old cameras years ago.If the format was
    6x4" or thereabouts it would be of some use.but pictures the size of a digital camera viewfinder are in my option pointless to print. This size from a digital pocket camera on a standard inkjet or dye substrate printer would be the way to go probably more than a 100% cheaper and less time wasting as a series of pictures could be taken & only the required one printed saving ink & paper.
    ronangel
    • Sounded cool until...

      ...I saw how small the pictures were. What
      Polaroid should have done is come out with a
      brand new camera that could use either SX-70 or
      600 film (a two-speed camera could be made that
      took both), or Spectra.

      Also, a camera with integrated Pogo would have
      been cool as well.

      The only problem with physical prints is that
      most people don't print pictures anymore--they
      view them on a screen. Except when a then-and-
      there print is absolutely needed, which seems
      to be Polaroid's niche.
      jabster17
  • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

    These investors are either very brave or very stupid.
    techie1411@...
  • Why not a digital camera with a built in printer?

    With today's technology someone is going to do it soon!
    bobdavis321
  • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

    I want to like Polaroid but they just make it so hard to do so.

    The image size is unacceptable.

    I don't see the need for instant print anymore except for printing visitor tags for corporations. Even still there is better technology available for this.

    As for photo sharing; how much longer will it be that cameras utilise cell technology to instantly transmit the photos as yout ake them to a predetermined list of people. There are already wifi enbaled SD cards so cards that can photo text or post to Facebook shouldn't be too far behind
    thedudeistoocool@...
  • Wireless link to printer kills any instant photo printing in camera

    Wireless link to printer kills any instant photo printing in camera
    Nikolayev
  • Better Idea...

    What about printing on demand to the typical instant Polaroid camera, while at the same time, write to the SD card so you could have the digital/analog combo option. That camera would be worth purchasing. After all, you can now get a film quality sensor at a popular price point.
    DAMANgoldberg
  • RE: Polaroid instant cameras are back (for real): Introducing the Polaroid 300

    Yeah! New camera but they stop making insta-film next year!
    isuzu803