Polaroid - Go Gen 3 Bundle - Graphite

PROS: * Ease of use (even a young child can use it) * The setup was easy * Polaroid’s support for accessories * The price of $90 is welcomed SO-SO: * The quality can be lacking * Any motion of the subject will affect the photo CONS: * 15-20 minutes processing time * Expensive film (about $1 a shot) * Only 8 shots per roll Over the last few years, I’ve been intrigued by Polaroid’s easy-on-the-go cameras. My sister-in-law and her family have one, and it seems like the perfect device for introducing photography to young eyes. I was eager to try this miniature camera, which promises ease and a quick 15-minute processing of the mini polaroids. The concept of a compact camera that produces tiny prints you can easily carry and use to capture those family moments is perfect for us, who are often out and about. Setting up the camera was straightforward. It charges via USB-C, but ours was already quite full, which was nice. The controls are minimal: just power, flash, and shutter. This makes the operation intuitive. Loading the film was as simple as well. Within minutes of opening the box,we found ourselves taking a test photo of our two kids. It took about 15 to 20 minutes for the photo to fully develop, which is how long the instructions say. Now, in the long scheme of things, 15-20 minutes doesn’t seem long at all; however, in the moment, waiting that long after the moment is gone is a bit underwhelming. Our young kids didn’t understand at first, but after the first one developed, they quickly understood that it isn’t like a picture on our phones. This finished product you can hold, which makes it much more unique than a digital photo. You’d think after 20 minutes of processing, the image quality would be excellent. Sadly, the quality leaves a lot to be desired. I took the photo inside with plenty of lighting, ensuring ideal conditions, yet the result was murky, oddly overexposed, and so high in contrast that fine details disappeared. We had hoped for dreamy, nostalgic images, but instead ended up with muddy and unpredictable prints. Now, with that being said, you’re not going to be purchasing one of these for high-quality prints. This is a bit of a novelty item, but you can still have a lot of fun with it. We used it on a vacation at our favorite place, and were able to take it with us horseback riding, which was awesome. We captured a few with our kids on the back of the horses, which we’ll treasure for a long while. The camera is genuinely portable, being much smaller and lighter than traditional Polaroid models. It’s easy to use, and its design adds to its appeal. My youngest daughter absolutely loves it, and we’ll be having her take pictures of everyday life soon. She already has a great eye. As fun as this thing is, the negatives are hard to ignore. Each photo costs about $1, making you hesitate before taking a shot. This can be frustrating when you’re out, and some of the shots don’t end up great quality-wise. The slow development time and inconsistent image quality can make using the camera feel stressful rather than enjoyable. Additionally, the prints are very small, so they may not appeal to those who want to use them for photo albums. Although that brings up another positive for me. I love Polaroid’s dedication to accessories and available photobooks. It’s obvious the brand is backing these devices, so the support is there. These are great for kids, in my opinion, and should be marketed to kids, tweens, and teens. It’s a perfect launch pad for photography, and having them take their time when they take the photograph rather than just taking a bunch on a cellphone without thinking.

I got this camera so my younger daughter could experience the excitement (and disappointment) of a Polaroid camera. It is part of the experience... sometimes you capture the perfect shot, sometimes you don't, but it is real... no AI touch up or taking 20 photos... it makes you treasure the moments and challenges you to think creatively. Pros - Lightweight and easily handled by smaller hands - Wrist strap is included - Fun retro modern design - Selfie mirror - Built-in Flash - Rechargeable via USB-C - 9-sec delay self-timer - Double exposure option allows for some cool creativity and fun. It lets you to take 2 overlapping photos on the same film. It is really neat when you pull it off, but can be tricky. You have to get the light and subject setup right. Things to Consider - The camera delivers on memories, not perfection. Photos are small (<2 inches square) and not that clear, even when you get the light right. The film is also expensive compared to just printing your digital photos. - The combined flash, self-timer, and double exposure button is not ideal; you have to be careful you didn't select the wrong setting. - Follow the film development instructions - you are supposed to keep the photo covered for 15 minutes after you take a picture... the instructions say that shaking it doesn't help speed it up, but I remember different!

Highlights: * Tiny in size and light in weight * Everything you love about Polaroid but smaller * Much better flash than previous generation * Viewfinder glass is reflective for use with selfies * USB-C rechargeable * Simple to take photos * Extra creativity with Self-timer and Double-exposure modes Considerations: * Reflective coating for selfies adds a visible artifact through the viewfinder * Film access door is a tad too easy to open * Film cost can feel high (about $1.30 per photo) compared to “free” digital photos Setup is basically the same as any other camera. Charge up the internal battery with a USB-C cable and power supply (neither provided). Then download the free app, create an account, update the firmware of the camera, etc… Ha! Just kidding…. This camera is delightfully analog - no app, no user account, no firmware updates. Just charge it up, load the film and take up to 8 as-is photos before you have to do anything else. In a world of AI-modified digital photography where you can endlessly manipulate a photo to remove stuff that was there, add things that that weren’t there and basically show what you imagine rather than what was actually present, Polaroid cameras remain a bastion of actual photography while still preserving similar in-the-moment excitement of a digital photo. Frame the image, snap the shutter and see the result in a few seconds. This is photography for fun and creativity in the moment…. A reminder of a memory rather than a photo-realistic fantasy. It’s not 100% spontaneous photography since you have to turn the camera on first (takes about 2 seconds), but battery life is so good due to the lack of a screen, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc., that you can just turn it on before your first photo and leave it on until you’re done shooting for a while. A full charge takes about 2 hours but should be good for about 120 photos or about 15 packs of film at 8 shots per pack. I love the whimsy of Polaroid. Their logo is a rainbow color band, and even the Quick Start Guide reflects those colors but highlighting each steps in one of them. As usual for Polaroid, the photos are a bit softer and more vintage-looking than you’re probably used to with digital photography. Perhaps you’ve applied filters to a digital photo to get it to look a Polaroid but here, you just get what you get- a photo that IS a Polaroid picture. Simplicity is key here. There are three buttons and one connector on the camera. The connector is used only to charge the internal battery. A three-line LED display indicates the charging progress or current level when the camera is first turned on each use. The power button just enables the camera to take a photo or not. Once turned on, the small LED display primarily shows a countdown of the number of remaining photos in the installed pack. It also shows a few more things, but is delightfully simple instead of the distraction of a color touchscreen. The flash is always on by default and works up to about 6 feet from your subjects. Tap the flash button to enable or disable the auto flash as indicated by an LED dot on the small digital display. That’s it for basic photography… Frame the image through the optical viewfinder at least 1.5 feet away and tap the big red button to take photos until you’re out of film (as shown by a “0” on the display). Load another film pack and continue until the muse no longer inspires more pictures. Note that contrary to the popular song lyric, the Quick Start guide recommends that you avoid “shaking it like a Polaroid picture” and instead let your pictures sit upside down or in the dark until done developing… about 10-15 minutes as mentioned on the side of the film box. To get even more creative, you can use a countdown timer to get yourself in the photo or overlap two photos onto a single image. Hold the Flash button for more than 2 seconds to enable the 9-second countdown timer. A blinking orange light will come on next to the flash on the front of the camera. Frame the photo then tap the shutter button and the photo will be taken 9 seconds later. Double-exposures are a fun way to overlay two images on a single piece of film. Double-tap the Flash button to enable it as indicated by a blinking “1” on the display. Snap the first image and the film will remain in the camera with a blinking “2” for the second image. Take the second photo and then that film frame will be ejected and developed. Th resulting photos are what you expect from Polaroid - they have a certain look that is unique to instant analog photography. They are neither razor sharp nor 100% identical to what you see… more of an artistic representation of a memory for fun and creativity. Each pack of film has 8 photos and at current prices, that’s a bit over $1.00 per image. Unlike the carefree abandon of digital photography where you can snap, reframe and snap again until you run out of memory, these photos tend to be a bit more deliberate and permanent since there’s a monetary cost to each picture. They also have a bit more whimsy and spontaneity due to the fact that each image is frozen as-in on the film and cannot be so easily altered or replaced like with digital. Each photo is a one-of-a-kind and cannot be duplicated or edited after taken. You can scan them in (or take a digital photo of the image) if you want it also in your digital library, but otherwise, it’s a physical artifact for a collection to show, share or save. This camera is much smaller than a “regular” Polaroid, but it is still by no means pocketable. This is a still a camera that makes you aware that you’re taking a photo unlike holding up your phone to snap a shot. It’s a whole different vibe and this Go Gen 3 camera makes it that much easier to carry a Polaroid alongside your phone for when you want a “photographic memory” rather than a digital snapshot. A wrist lanyard is provided and there are two attachment points on the back depending on which side you’d like the lanyard attached to. Go cameras have always been fun to use in good outdoor lighting. The flash on this model is significantly better for indoor or lower-light photography. For easier selfies, the viewfinder’s glass is now coated in mirrored finish so you can more easily see yourself in It from the front to frame that fun solo shot. I found that the mirrored finish does show up as a noticeable artifact in the regular viewfinder, but you can ignore it after a few seconds of staring through it. The only real maintenance you need to do is making sure that the optics are clean, the battery is charged and the rollers are clean. Exposed film passes through a pair of rollers to squeeze and distribute the developer goo as the film slides on the way out of the camera. If these rollers get gunky, the film will start showing imperfections. There’s a built-in cleaning mode to make it easier to clean them. With no film in the camera and the camera off, open the film door, position a clean cloth against the rollers from the inside and hold the Shutter and Flash buttons together to spin the rollers against the clean cloth. Do this a few times to ensure the best results and be careful to not let the cloth get caught in the rollers. As usual with Polaroid cameras, be careful of the film loading latch which is under the camera…. You slide that latch to open the film door to remove an empty or insert a fresh pack of film. If you open the door accidentally while a pack is installed, you might ruin at least one image. Since there are no more than 8 photos per pack, that might ruin your day if you don’t have more fresh packs on you. That, and the wasted $1.30 per image you have to toss. Small reminders about Polaroid film in general… Do not pass unexposed film through an X-Ray or CT scanners like at TSA. Keep unused packs refrigerated (but not frozen) for longer shelf life. And try to use the full pack within 12 months of the production date stamped on the outside of the film box. Polaroid cameras are a definite vibe that can’t be imitated by digital photography. The Go line of cameras makes that more portable and fun. This Go Gen 3 amps up the convenience and photographic features while maintaining the immediacy and creativity of an always-with-you analog camera.

I'll start off by quickly mentioning that I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to cameras. I've been snapping photos with all kinds of cameras since I was in elementary school :D. Sooo naturally I'm always excited to try new cameras, and can be a little picky when it comes to camera gear. Anywhoooo! This Polaroid Go is the 3rd generation and the first Polaroid Go I've personally owned. First impressions out of the box were WOW this thing is small! It's cute and fits in the palm of my hand. Instant cameras tend to be pretty large to accommodate the film you will be printing photos on. The film in this camera is small, roughly 2"x 2" tiny! While this might put off some people, who prefer to have larger prints. The small film allows the camera to stay small, and you can use the small film for all kinds of hobbies. You can use them for journaling, fridge magnets, and can even make keychains out of them! Of course you'll need to purchase extra items to make this stuff, but having these small prints allows you to do all kinds of things with them. The one negative I have to say about this camera is that exposure can be very hit or miss. Unless you are already familiar with Polaroid instant cameras it is going to take you a lot of practice to perfect exposure with this camera. It has a built in flash but it isn't very powerful and if you stand to close to your subject it will blow out the exposure. Expect to waste a few shots while you figure out when to use flash, and how to use it. That being said.. when the photo is exposed good the photos look really cool and have a vintage feel to them. Colors of the prints are saturated and warm. The camera has a cool double exposure setting if you double press the flash button. The camera will let you snap two photos and impose the second over the first and create a double exposure photo. You can make some really cool looking photos with this. The camera itself is built very well. It is mostly plastic so it is quite light but feels tough and rugged. This doesn't mean you can throw it around and get it wet. But It should be perfectly fine in your backpack or large purse. It has a built in rechargeable battery, and a lanyard for your wrist. The battery holds quite a charge, I'm on my third pack of film and I still haven't needed to recharge it. I think for the asking price, this camera is very well built and should hold up for a few years. The film packs for it comes in packs of 8 exposures and go inside the bottom of the camera. The camera has a "tongue" that rolls out with the film to shield it from light while rolling out. I like to keep the film covered with it for about 15-20 seconds before I remove it. After pulling the film from the camera, you don't need to shake it. I think it's best practice to place it face down in a dark place while it develops. All in All I think the Polaroid Go Gen 3 is very cool. I'll have to say that it isn't for everyone. You'll have to be happy and satisfied with the types of photos that you get with this type of camera. Some people will love it and be happy with it forever but I think most will see it as more of a novelty camera and only use it once in a while. The film for these cameras gets expensive quick, and unless you have deep pockets.. it can be difficult to want to use it often. I think everyone should experience and instant camera though, they put smiles on everyones faces. Especially when you can hand the photo to the person and let them keep it. To me, that alone makes it worth it.

The Polaroid Go is a very fun little camera that makes people around you excited to take photos. It is a nice step back to the time before camera phones that I feel causes photo fatigue. Everyone also loves how small and compact the camera is. It is literally a small version of an old school Polaroid camera. Even more fun are the photos it takes. They are like miniature little Polaroid photos. Those who remember the old Polaroid photos will appreciate it the most. It is also super easy to use. You just charge via USB type C, turn on, insert the photo cartridge, and you are ready to go. It is very simple to use, you push the button once to turn flash on or off. Then you just hold the shutter button to take the photo. The performance of the camera itself leaves a little to be desired. First of all, the photos take about 20 minutes to develop. I cannot recall how long the old original Polaroid photos used to take, but I feel as if it was not 20 minutes. Although I must say, it is fun to say "shake it like a Polaroid picture" again. The image quality is also not great. It took a close up photo very nice, but any photos over a few feet away, you start to lose image quality. One photo I took came out very blurry, and I don't remember being too shaky when I took it. These image quality issues take away from the nostalgia and fun of this camera. Overall I still think this is a fun camera to have at a party or for a teenager or college student.