The Polaroid Now+ Hands-On Review

Polaroid’s most creative camera yet hits the market with a bang. Here's my thought on what might be the best and perfect go-to instant camera for every creator.

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Hold onto your hats, folks, because I've had the sheer delight of playing around with the charming Polaroid Now+. This isn't just any instant camera; this is a marvel, a treasure chest brimming with more creative tools I never thought I'd see with an instant camera.

The control is phenomenal. The added filters are a color lover's dream, making every click an exciting escapade. The creative possibilities are boundless, like an open field ready for my imagination to run wild.

One of my standout features was the rainbow of five lens filters it offers. It was like having an art studio at my fingertips, each filter adding a new depth and perspective to my photos. And just when I thought I'd seen it all, I discovered even more delightful tools tucked away inside the Polaroid mobile app. But my absolute favorite feature has to be the double exposure. It's as if I'm painting with light, creating a seamless blend of visuals for an amazingly expressive photograph.

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To Know:

Polaroid Now+ is a whole new connected camera with more creative tools than ever seen before in an instant camera. More control, more filters, and more creative opportunities with the 5 lens filters, plus extra tools inside the Polaroid mobile app to mix up how you craft. Boasts a stellar focus with aperture priority, and an amazing expression with double exposure.

What We Love:

No Gimmicks, Double Exposure is Real

Get two moves in one with double exposure. Mix angles, layer ideas, and clash influences together inside one Polaroid photo.

Light Painting

Watch your idea develop with light painting.

Manual Mode

Let the ideas flow with precise control measure on the Now + manual mode.

The Details:

Brand: Polaroid

Product Type: Instant Camera

Best For: Creatives wanting an all-encompassing opportunity to craft stellar images with manual control, exposure play, and a filter package.

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This stunning camera invigorates a nostalgic feel but strikes strong with modern flexibility. For an additional cost, Polaroid’s Now+ includes app-based manual control and a set of colorful filters designed to widen the creative spectrum. Polaroid still offers the same film used by previous models, making your upgrade even easier. Still, this bad boy is an enchanting powerhouse for niche photographers wanting to step out of the box.

Available in 3 colors, the Polaroid Now+ fosters the same functions as the vintage all-stars. The system to capture and eject the film implies the camera's familiar shape and size. Sleek and shiny, the bodies are as beautiful as ever and compact enough to travel with you on the fly. Just shy of a pound of plastic, the Now+ is also light and breezy for daily use.

Although it skips out on the front selfie mirror, I don’t find that an important takeaway. Simply center the camera’s direction and fire away! Its 35mm angle makes it easy for single-person portraits, so stand close with another friend if you plan to capture an image arm’s-length away.

The set of filters is a sweet catch, and I was stoked to give them a twirl. They slip right onto the lens, which is a breeze compared to other filters that require a screw thread. Yellow, red, green, and blue colors are useful for brightening various parts of the photos with black-and-white film or to cast vibrant hues for creative shots.

But perhaps the greatest feature I’ve fallen in love with is its excessively awesome exposure techniques, including manual control, light play, and aperture priority. Working in tandem with a remote shutter release button, you have access to unlimited potential. It even boasts a portrait assistant to help you get the camera close enough for a blurred bokeh background. Best part? Working with the mobile app is completely optional, so you don't have to partake if you’re not into additional steps. Using it will open the door to fun avenues you wouldn’t otherwise partake in with other point-and-shoots.

What We Rate


  • Skill Level
    • Just getting started
    • Understands manual settings
    • Shoots regularly
    • Professional

  • Photo Quality
    • Passable
    • Pretty Good
    • Really good
    • Best Out There

  • Auto Focus
    • Always hunting
    • It Works
    • It Works Quickly
    • Quick and Locked In

  • Low Light
    • Very noisy.
    • Average
    • Clean
    • Crisp And Clean

  • Battery Life
    • Sucks
    • Not bad
    • Good
    • Really Good

  • Rugged Ability
    • Leave it in the studio
    • Daily Carry
    • Traveler
    • Mountain Goat

  • Build Quality
    • Cheap
    • What You’d Expect
    • Solid
    • Top Of The Line
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What It Has:

  • Focal length:
  • Standard Lens: 102.35 mm (40mm/35 equivalent)
  • Close-up Lens: 94.96 mm (35mm/35 equivalent)
  • Field of view:
  • Horizontal 40°, vertical 41°
  • Flash system:
  • Auto-Adjust Output Vacuum discharge tube strobe system
  • Lens filter kit, USB charging cable and Neck strap included
  • Tripod mount on base of camera

What It Does:

  • Manual Mode
  • Tripod Mode
  • Aperture Priority
  • Comes with a set of colorful filters
  • USB-C Charging
  • Light Play Opportunities

Specs:

  • Dimensions: 5.9 in / 150.16 mm (L) x 4.4 in / 112.2 mm (W) x 3.8 in / 95.48 mm (H)
  • Weight: 457 grams (without film pack)
  • Battery: lithium-ion battery (UN3481)
  • Outer Shell: Polycarbonate + ABS plastics
  • Lenses: Polycarbonate resin
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