Polaroid Originals - 9016 - OneStep 2 ViewFinder Blue

Product Information

I’ve been using the Polaroid OneStep 2 for a few months now and I admit that I am a little behind schedule with this review. (Too much desk work and very little actual shooting being the problem!) It’s here now though, so let’s dive right in! Generally, I leave this switch in the middle. All of the images in this article are shot with the light/dark switch in the center, except for the double exposures. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heather Broster/Mathieu Gasquet and Instant Camera Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. The instant camera is simple enough to use that my 6-year-old had fun snapping a photo with it (although, it was a bit too large for my four-year-olds hands). And while adults will enjoy the camera, too, instant film is a fun way to teach kids photography, and demonstrate that some things are worth waiting for.

Lighten/Darken: Use the lighten/darken switch on the right side of the lens barrel to adjust the exposure of your shot. To get a brighter photo, move the lighten/darken switch right to the plus/lighten position. For a darker photo, move the lighten/darken switch left to the minus/darken position. These two settings correspond to different Exposure Values (EV). The camera’s Exposure Values are +½ EV (when you move the switch to plus/lighten) and -½ EV (when you move the switch to minus/darken). Among the benefits of a mirrorless camera is they're less bulky because of the absence of the mirror found in a DSLR, so instead of an optical viewfinder, you'll compose your shots on an electronic viewfinder or an LCD screen, according to our digital camera buying guide. You'll get these with the Sony Alpha 7R V and more, as it's capable of recording 8K 24p/25p and 4K 60p/50p video, and taking 61MP photos. It's powered by the Bionz XR image processor, which can process massive amounts of image data while reducing latency. Slide the film door latch to open the film door. Push the film cassette all the way in, with the film’s darkslide facing up. There are a few functions on the OneStep 2. You have the flash with flash override, the light/dark switch, and the self-timer.The only feature on the base of the camera is a tripod mount. It is useful if you frequently plan to use the self timer or want to eliminate camera shake. Most images I took have a desaturated, muddy appearance with a surprising amount of green and yellow cast. Some might call this a “vintage” look but it only really works for certain scenes. Instax photos, by contrast, have stronger contrast, more saturation and a colder hue that is more true to life. Another issue I found was that images featuring lots of open sky sometimes had small white dots – an issue that other reviewers have reported as well. The Polaroid Now is our latest model. It has all the features of the OneStep 2, but with a few extras. The Polaroid Now’s strongest feature is its lens. It has an autofocus 2-lens system, which means it switches between a portrait and landscape lens based on what you are trying to photograph. The OneStep 2, on the other hand, has a fixed focus lens. This means you need to adjust your distance yourself to get your subject in focus for sharp photographs. Another extra with the Polaroid Now is the double exposure feature. Just two taps of the self-timer button and you can capture two moments in the one photograph for greater creative expression.

The camera’s modernity is also obvious in the small self-timer button on the front for triggering an instant film selfie. A switch below the viewfinder on the front allows for brightening or darkening the image, another feature not on the original camera. Both cameras share these features: the point-and-shoot simplicity, a standard lens (0.6m-infinity), self-timer, a flash you can turn on and off, along with a rechargeable battery. They also take i-Type film, which is a new instant film that’s battery free, so it’s a little friendlier on the wallet. Both cameras have that retro look from the ‘70s and make it simple to take great Polaroid photos. Deciding between both cameras comes down to the sort of photographs you enjoy taking. Though I really enjoyed the experience of using the camera, I couldn’t help but feel a little let down by the image quality of the i-Type colour film, especially compared to my Instax photos. Sitting beside the finder is the fixed focus 106mm lens with a field of view of 41° (vertical) and 40° (horizontal). This gives you a diagonal angle of view of 57°, which is close to the field of view of a 40mm lens in 35mm format terms. It is constructed from optical grade polycarbonate and acrylic and has a range of 60cm to infinity. Don’t make the mistake of trying to focus at less than 60cm – your photos will end up blurry! Multiple exposures: Here is a neat tip I learned from photographer Matt Day. Though the camera doesn’t have a dedicated function, you can easily create multiple exposures by holding the shutter button down after you’ve taken a shot, turning the camera off so it cannot eject the film, releasing the shutter button, and then turning the camera on again. Basically this lets you take additional exposure with the same slide of film. The results aren’t that impressive but it’s fun nonetheless.Store your unopened film inside a fridge between 4 and 18°C. Let it warm up to room temperature for about an hour before shooting it. Self timer: The timer is a fun tool that gives you ample time to jump into your photo. When you press the timer button, a countdown of 8 seconds will begin and the LED light on the front will light up to solid orange to confirm that the timer has been activated. Note that if you want to suppress the flash, you have to press the shutter button and ‘no flash’ button at the same time after the timer has been set. Yes. This camera is a nostalgia play, but a good one. The OneStep 2 offers the genuine Polaroid look, and it’s fun to use at the same time. Just remember that the per-photo cost is extremely high. You’ll only end up using this on rare occasions. So synonymous is the Polaroid brand name with instant film photography that many people colloquially refer to all instant cameras, including the Instax series from Fujifilm, as “polaroids”.

That said, the new i-Type colour film is a significant improvement, not just in terms of the shorter development time and reduced susceptibility to direct light exposure post-camera, but also the image quality, notably both the colour saturation and the contrast. The OneStep 2 uses a traditional view finder located on the right side of the lens barrel. The viewfinder is most accurate when you align your right eye with the space behind the viewfinder, resting your cheek on the slope of the camera body. Keep in mind, because this is a battery-free film, it will not work in 600 cameras. That film has its own battery in the film, while the new i-Type OneStep 2 boasts a rechargeable battery of its own. Before you do anything else, make sure to fully charge the camera using the provided USB cable. The LED light beside the USB port will stop flashing red once the camera is powered up and ready to go. Inspired by the original OneStep, Polaroid says they've updated the OneStep 2 "to create a simple, easy-to-use instant camera that works straight out of the box." It sports a 'high quality lens' that can focus from 2ft to infinity, a 'powerful' flash, a rechargeable battery that allegedly lasts 60 days on a charge, a self-timer function, and it's compatible with both the new i-Type instant film and the old 600 series film.Light/Dark Switch: This is basically your exposure compensation switch. If you’d like your image to be brighter and exposed longer, switch it to right where you see the “+” sign. If you’d like it darker, switch it to the “-” sign.

To avoid a blurry photo, make sure you are at least 60cm (2 feet) away from your subject when you take the picture. For the best results, always try to shoot with your light source behind you. Considering you can still buy a decades old film camera and use it, the Polaroid OneStep 2 likely has a long lifespan. It’s a plastic camera that isn’t sealed against the elements, but we expect it will last for years to come if taken care of. Should you buy it?

Cuenta con un potente flash integrado para facilitar la captura de instantáneas. Un botón nos permite cancelar el flash cuando queramos, incluso usando el modo de disparo con temporizador Print ejection is motorized, but while the SX-70 cameras simply spat one out and development began immediately, it’s a bit more complicated with the Polaroid Originals film. After taking the shot, a flexible protective cover unfurls from the camera to prevent the exposed print being instantly dosed with available light. You then need to place the print face down (and away from direct light) to await complete development which is now thankfully shorter than the 30+ minutes required by The Impossible Project films, but still longer than we suspect Dr Land would have approved of. It also flashes green between shots and will be a solid green when it’s ready to use. The light is orange at partially charged and red when it is out of battery. Although bankruptcy forced the Polaroid Corporation to cease production of instant film products in 2008, its legacy lives on in the form of Polaroid Originals, a Dutch company formerly known as the Impossible Project. On the other side, you’ll find the red shutter release button, infrared LED, self-timer button, and built-in flash unit that always fires unless you suppress it by holding down the ‘no flash’ button on the rear.