Polaroid Originals - 9016 - OneStep 2 ViewFinder Blue

Product Information

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. 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.

If you shoot towards the light — going agains the recommendations — the lens sometimes flares and causes portions of the photo to blow out. Unfortunately, the flare isn’t an artsy, rainbow-style effect, but a white blob at the edge of the photo. You can usually tell through the viewfinder when this is going to happen, and can even prevent it by shielding the lens with one hand, a sort of makeshift lens hood, but this isn’t always easy to do and you risk getting your hand in the photo if you’re not careful. 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. Once you feel comfortable with the basic controls, you can take some time to experiment with the camera. 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. If Polaroid Originals manages to improve the quality of the film, I can definitely see myself using this camera as much as my Instax Mini cameras, if only to have access to the wonderful square format and larger image area.

Vintage Polaroid Cameras and Film

This comes down to your preference for subjects and lighting situations, but you’ll only need the flash for subjects at close distances when you’re inside or in the shade. I primary shoot in bright sun or landscapes, rarely needing flash.

Stamped right on the bottom of the camera is the suggestion to keep at least 2 feet away from your subject. The fixed-focus lens is rated for 2 feet to infinity; get too close, and the images will be soft. Indoors, the flash is also far too bright for objects that close. Other suggestions etched on the camera recommend shooting with the sun behind you and always leaving the flash on unless shooting in an ultra bright scene. Hilary Grigonis/Digital Trends 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. 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! 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). 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.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.