This is serendipitously the 100th episode of In An Instant! With all the sweat and tears that go into each installment, seeing the number 100 is truly mindblowing to me. I could never have churned out all these hours of viddys without the love from this amazing community. Thank you to all the doinkers and the sweeties, I love you and I'm *in* love with you.
At first, I was a little bummed that it wasn't an SLR, but then I realized that this means the SX-70 (and its film) will keep a prominent place in the polaroid line-up which makes me appreciate this camera much more.
the Fact that we're all comparing the newest and greatest camera that Polaroid can produce in 2023 with the Sx-70 manufactured in the 70s and that the latter stills comes out on top in a couple areas (Slr, more premium build, foldability) speaks volumes for how incredible the sx70 is, truly a giant! However I-2 is looking very juicy, definitely Big 4 business :)
This is true! And also worth keeping in mind Polaroid spent billions of dollars to invent the SX-70, at a time when analog camera manufacturing was significantly more supported by a supply chain. Polaroid had to do a whole lot with a whole lot less when it came to the I-2.
@@InAnInstant Sure that's true my dude... But for us analog nerds, why would we even THINK about using the inferior shit-tier i-type cameras, when shit like the 600SE and the SLR 680 exist? The SX70 imo is kinda shit cause its film sucks, but the 600SE (with integral film back or instax wide back), and the SLR680 BLOW this shit out of the water.... And they're cheaper too!
I think it's so amazing that we're in a time where high-quality polaroid cameras are actively being made again, it's like we're back in the 90s except more high-tech I just wish it had a manual focus mode, god there just always has to be that one thing
I don't think anything will ever fully replace my SX-70's, and that might just be the hipster in me. BUT - this little bad boy definitely has my interest. I'm definitely planning on getting one.
It's 700€ in the EU. Seven. Hundred. Euros. For a plastic lens and a built-in battery for which Polaroid doesn't offer a replacement service (AKA "this will be a doorstep in a couple of years"). That, along with their questionable quality control for film and cameras, as well as them advertising a 700€ camera with "Chase imperfection, embrace the random," will be a no for most Polaroid photographers and probably all potential new users. The video is great, as always! 👍
For me, I say the images speak for themselves. It's either worth 700 euros to you or not, but you can't fault them for the price of making a great machine like this.
@@InAnInstant The images look great! But a non-replaceable battery in a 700€ camera is unacceptable. And Polaroid does not offer repair services for any of their cameras. In fact, are there ANY companies that repair modern Polaroid cameras? Say, there is a dead battery or another issue, and the 700€ camera is out of warranty. What does one do? Also, it doesn't look like the new plastic lens is sharper than the old glass one in the folding cameras. The claim it's the sharpest lens they even put in a camera is pure marketing. But they aren't lying, if they are only considering their modern cameras. If anything, the new lens seems to have some pincushion distortion, which the old one doesn't have.
Not to mention a feature being parallax correction, with a tip shutter speed of 250. 600 is a joke for this thing that has features a rangefinder from the 60-70s has.
@@dragonforcesWow you have some kind of crystal ball? Such a negative attitude. So don't buy one. But hundreds if not thousands of devices have lithium batteries that last for years without issue.
I love how when I want to learn a new hobby, whether if the technology is new or old. I can always find someone that is very knowledgeable on that specific piece of equipment here on TH-cam. Appreciate the thorough video on this. I'm looking to get my first instant camera.
Ohhh, Olympus engineering. Ok, awesome. Good optics and clever design. I kind of love that the polycarbonate lens actually gives a hint of that glow I love so much in the SX-70 lenses. I hope people don't freak too much over the price, because it looks like it's actually worth it. The parallax correction should help composition enough, too. However, I CAN'T WAIT for studio photos at full manual with strobes on this thing. :)
For real JM, the capabilities of this thing for professionals is unquestionably unmatched. The gray area is for more casual enthusiasts I think, but for diehards I don't see how anyone could pass this up by Christmas 😂
For sure! It's on my Christmas list. ha ha. Or maybe I'll sell that SLR 680 I've got in repair and let my Sonar go back to not having an ND filter stuck to it. What a fun time to be into Polaroid! Time to get some celebrities into this thing, too.
Ben this is an absolute BONKERS announcement!! This is without a doubt the coolest new film camera that I've seen and should be VERY exciting news for film lovers, instant or otherwise, to see this kind of support for and dedication to the format, that creating modern film cameras like this is not "Impossible", but quite possible. Now a very very hype reality! These are crazy times that we're living in...it's nice to get some crazy good news. And congrats and thank you for 100 episodes of In An Instant! I appreciate you. -Michael, your friendly doinker
Was about to give up on Polaroids but this has rejuvenated my interest. This camera has blown every other instant camera out the park. Bad news for Fuji and Mint. Fuji missed a trick by not creating a camera like this. This could be the best instant camera ever made. Polaroid has done an amazing job, going from the inferior Impossible Project to where they are now.
Thank you for this snappy and useful overview of the I-2. My last Polaroid was an SX-70 I bought in 1978, so it’s been awhile… I got my I-2 last week and have really enjoyed the camera and the results, both color and B&W. I’ve ordered a set of traditional B&W filters (Y, O, R) to try. And it’s great to know the on-board meter will automatically compensate for those filters! Really enjoy your channel and appreciate the info you’re putting out there!
Also, just, congratulations! It’s beautiful to see how far you’ve come from a polaroid enthusiast to releasing such a well done video for the review of such a revolutionary camera. I sense more than a little support from the now Polaroid company in this video, so I imagine it’s been amazing to work so closely with them lately. Congratulations again!
I love the developments but their film really needs to step up. Instax is really leading the charge on instant film right now, even if their "image" is more consumer.
I’m not even half way through this video and I already understand and the features and exactly why it’s priced accordingly, so truly this video is big for Bussiness.
This video has everyhing. Everything what I looked for. Now after 7 years and 89 differend polaroids cameras I tried I can buy this I2 and be satified - I hope so.
Thorough, informative and entertaining! Your videos are always so well made and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for catching me up on this new camera as I was away when it was being teased.
I just got my email about this product and knew that you would release a very informative video. Thank you for having all my questions that I had! Looking foward to seeing more of your videos on this!
Excellent video! I have been watching several videos on the I-2 and yours was the most informative (especially the part about turning on the camera with the film door open in order to select the Film-Type Mode; no other video has mentioned that!) I wish Polaroid would send me one, but at least they did offer me a nice discount based on my body of work, so will be ordering first thing Monday morning! But you've got a new subscriber here.
The pricing isn’t bad at all. Was worried about leaks that it’d be close to the ridiculous pricing of some MinT products that scrape close to 1000$. Not sure if I’ll buy the I-2 just yet but at 599$ I think it’s definitely in the books for me.
Lovely video as always. Just wanna add that the I-2 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/250th of a second. Polaroid has this listed deep on the product page in the "full technical specifications" but this feels like pretty important info to surface for customers since its the only downside of this camera compared to a nicely modified SX-70 from MiNT Probably still gonna get one but I thought I should share this info with folks
1/250s still should be more than enough for most lighting situations, considering you can get aperture down to F/64. Only thing you're missing out on is bokeh in bright light situations.
OMG, I am in love! I have been waiting for this camera- it is what I wanted from the i-1, and from the sx-70! OK, I gotta sell some gear or film and get one of these NOW! Polaroid, you have made me very happy! Ben, thank you as always- you rock!
This camera could make the step into Polaroid's future, but to make the step complete I really hope for improvements on their film. Out of all available cameras, the possibilities and precision of this one probably allow for the best results with the current film. And having the current film in the state it is in right now is a miracle by itself, but imagine how much bigger the difference to the photos possible with e. g. the SX-70 would be if this new camera could utilize an improved film formula. Also, advertising the precision and possibilities of a professional camera with keywords such as "imperfection" doesn't work that well in my opinion. Nonetheless a great camera and I wish for it to get even better with improved film!
Definitely an interesting camera seems like theyre slowly going into a more user friendly camera system for all the films Still looking forward to how that film turns out i sent you though (some was experimental)
Great video and some great features. But what a letdown at $600. A non-replaceable battery that will leave this a brick in under a decade. A plastic lens? (No plastic is ever the same). I guess I'll stick with my SX70. This should be $199, not $599
Great review, as always! Tbh the battery issue is what bothers me most, too - really hope they can find a solution to this. Anyway, I love that beast and the images it produces, I'm in my own little filter heaven with the filter thread. Ouch for my recent eBay purchases of 49mm filters :D
Been watching and loving your videos since day 1 and this is one of your best! Love your stuff man, definitely going to get this camera! (after maybe a year of saving up haha)
Excellent video, well put together as always, I really like this camera, it has all the benefits of the One Step + and more but with all facilities on the camera itself or used via the app. Though, I can’t help feeling like this camera is trying to compensate for bad film, rather than it having genuine good features, which is still true, I just feel Polaroid have made this in vain. Original Polaroid film didn’t need to fall back on fancy cameras because the film was that good. You still got your sharpest shots from the SLR and Spectra models but it was much crisper, vibrant colours, developed in 90 seconds, not light sensitive after ejecting from the camera, stable, it was excellent. New film now is less sharp, softer, either really washed out or very underexposed/ over saturated. The colour shifting in the new film is all over the place. It’s a shame because with real Polaroid film, this would be a fantastic camera. We can only dream of film as good as the original 600 and SX-70 chemistry. I love Polaroid and I am absolutely amazed they managed to remake the film at all but unless they improve it at this stage, I can’t see it lasting much longer. Granted they are always working on it but I can’t live in denial that they have been trying to perfect it for the last 13 or so years, of course, it has come a long way since but it still has quality issues and mixed results, after all this time and investment, personally, to get it back where it was in the 90s, I think will always remain “impossible”. I am not saying the film is complete trash because it isn’t, I have taken some wonderful pictures with it but at this stage in the game and based on the price of this new camera, I think it is a big capital outlay, when the film is no where near the quality it should be, respective of the camera. I like to keep an open mind though and would definitely be willing to try it for myself and see how it handles.
This is the video I was waiting for. I love the clear body version and I was looking at an Onyx Polaroid last night. And those aperture blades! Real aperture blades!
@@kyotodream7135 There is not much to be gained with a glass lens over a polycarbonate lens on polaroid film. It does not show any more detail. This is polaroid instant film we're talking about. Many of the images I have seen from it are as good or better than an SX70.
@@NandR But for the same price as an entry level mirrorless camera, they could probably do better than disposable camera optics. Then you still have the issue of Polaroid film which is just bad. I've shot with plenty of it, and Instax is better in almost ever way than Polaroid film. These shots look like my Polaroid Sun 660
@@kyotodream7135 You can't compare this to a mirrorless digital camera. The sensor size alone is waaaaaa smaller and is digital. It needs very high quality glass to avoid image quality issues. This lens covers a 3" area of instant film. The film can't resolve anything better than what this lens puts out. I have an Instax wide printer and it has no more detail than polaroid only better saturation and less dynamic range. Also typically better consistency.
Oh man, this video had me so pumped to get the I-2 to add to my collection. I was thinking that it was going to be my new go-to, the mother load of modern instant cameras... and then the price came.... Well... maybe in a few years someone will sell a used one on Mercari....
For the last year, I have been watching your channel and flirting with the idea of buying an SX-70 simply because I'm bathed in instant gratification. But have yet to pull the trigger simply because other owners have made modifications that aren't going to work for me, or have made changes to the camera that don't allow it to operate as its normal functioning camera as it did out of the box. If this is that new blend of SX 70 experience in a new shell with new functionality, this might be the one thing that really gets me to buy the camera and the film and go all in. I am saying this before watching the video....that being said, Ben, take me to the SX70 promised land!
Episode 100 already? :O I still remember when the channel has just begun, wow. I cannot believe, that there were so little hints and leaks...and you were able to shoot through it the whole year? Wow, it does seem, like there is finally a camera, that can replace my two semi-broken I-1s. About a few weeks ago, a few posts popped up on Reddit and some people claimed the I-2 to be a hoax. I am so glad, that it isn't. Thanks for the awesome review and everything else you've done for the instant community as a whole.
Ben! It is a beautiful camera! This is a glorious review! But there is exactly one down side, and that is that there is no manual focus. It’s not a big deal, it’s really not a big deal, but I do slightly wish it had manual focus, but this is truly just an incredible creative tool, it’s inspiring
During my last vacation break I saw a friend using his Polaroid camera. This is now 6 weeks ago and there is no way arround it: I’m hooked with already owning the Now+, Now and Go, all gen 2 and already eyeing for the I-2 in July for my birthday, I think I have a problem #polaroidAnonymous
Not the first fully manual Polaroid. I love my Model 195, which I just shot all weekend at a wedding. Aperture f 3.8 - f 64, shutter 1 s - 1/500th s, manual rangefinder focus - the best pack film camera Polaroid ever made. But pack film is growing only scarcer, & the I-2 might be a good, albeit less capable, path forward to integral instant film manual photography.
Yeah I was talking about integral cameras. There are a few manual packfilm cameras and they were very commonly used in non-Polaroid cameras, whereas integral wasn’t.
Thanks Ben for another great and informative video. I’ve been eagerly awaiting to see how this camera would perform and can see myself buying one. I still like my SX-70 Sonar and SLR 680 both bought after watching your previous videos. I’ve just had the SX-70 fully refurbished also a full manual control mod done by Dennis of Chromatic Parts. Excellent! I’ll send him the 680 next which I must admit was my Baby but I have Twins now as both cameras are excellent!😃 Thanks again for your videos! They’ve kept me inspired and sane in this insane world we live in - the Ripple Effect. Thanks Again! Glenn
Thanks very much for this review. What a wonderful and apparently very versatile new camera. It would be nearly impossible for the company to top the aesthetic pleasure of using an SX-70 combined with the joy of the quality images it produces. But this looks like an awesome camera and I'm sure it'll make a lot of people happy.
Extremely beautiful! The external flash socket is truly a game changer! but it costs way too much. they can't afford to charge that much for a camera, their films aren't that high quality. it is stupid to have such a high-performance camera and then have defective or low-quality films!
This is clearly the preeminent review of the i-2! You must have been so looking forward to today for the embargo to be up. Also, that SX-70 mode is amazing! Great video!
One thing to note when you were talking about the design of the camera, from an industrial designer point of view, it's design language comes from the existing box cameras, but the top "pyramid" half which terminates into the lens, pays a homage to the sx-70 sillhouette.
The price point is absolutely hilarious! For that kinda money you can buy one of those little bluetooth printers and a bunch of paper to print photos with and print photos shot with your phone.
This is IT chief - order placed! I love my Instax-modified Polaroid 110B but I’m looking forward to NOT integrating a bodybuilding routine into my instant photography life.
I know people who haven't used a rangefinger before are going to be bummed that it's not an SLR; but as someone who fell in love with the 35mm camera Konica C35 EF (the one adored by Andy Warhol; ironically there is a famous polaroid of him holding up both a KC35EF and SX-70 in the same image). I can attest that even with the most 'vague' viewfinder estimates (the Konica had 4, portrait, couple, three people and infinity) you can obtain incredibly sharp focusing. In fact, one thing I love about the KC35EF is that when you get the image, even if its out of focus; the image is still wonderful because its focusing on *something* and when you do hit the mark, it feels like magic because you did it purely through six sense. Trust me, one pack of film through this thing and you will be taking perfectly focused shots purely through instinct alone. It's like learning to throw a ball into a cup from a distance. You dont need a measuring tape, you just need practice and it will eventually become 2nd nature. Also gotta love that SONY PS3 Price. "$599 US DOLLARS"
@@juslitor Dude have you used the new Polaroid formulation? That's the real Russian roulette right there. As someone who grew up using original polaroid film before they went bankrupt and the new Polaroid film; I can say that if you are worried about the cost then Polaroid in general isn't the film for you. I use a modified SX-70 that has a new motor and uses 600 film and even with that, the new film can come out looking over exposed and the totally wrong colour/tone. I have photos I took from 2004 on original Polaroid with one of the ugly curved one step cameras from the early 2000's that replicated colour perfectly; and I've brought brand new packs of modern Polaroid film, shot on an SX-70 where half the frame hasn't developed properly. So yeah, if you are worried about burning money on ruined shots, then stick to Fuji Square.
Now we just need high quality film before anyone should consider buying a high quality camera... I think my 10€ Polaroid one could take better pictures with good film than the ones you can get with the I2 right now. Once the film quality exceeds what we can capture with the cheap plastic lenses it is time to upgrade the optics. I buy some 600 film maybe twice a year to support them and shoot it for fun but unless they improve the quality of the film drastically there is no need for a better camera. The I2 looks great and all these features on a Polaroid camera are amazing, but with current Polaroid film you still end up with crappy images. The non replacable battery is a no-go, though.
Ben, thanks so much for all of the information in your videos. A couple of questions I'm hoping you can answer about many images from the I-2 I'm seeing on the internet. There is often a "half star" at the top right of the frame, or some unusual free-rom overexposure at the bottom of the frame. Are these defects due to uneven developer spreading? Is it just inconsistency in the packs, or the rollers in the camera? And on the internal exposure meter when in manual mode: is it not simply a center-weighted meter that one could aim at an object in the frame, and then use knowledge of the zone system to calculate an accurate exposure without carrying a hand-held meter?
I always look at a Polaroid camera in like a movie and I was like "That's so cool. I want to have that". And now with Polaroid finally returned from the dead, I can finally make that wish come true. Well, maybe once I got enough money to buy the camera with some film.
Will all the photos have washed out colors (or in positive terms "pastel")? I prefer the color saturation of Instax - and it's easy to get pastel effects via diffusion filters.
Depends on your scan IMO, Polaroids have plenty of contrast and punch. You can scan them into a digital file to interpret them that way, but I mostly leave as-is coming off the flatbed
and shadows being disgusting green, I honestly cant shoot instax its so lifeless. Except Wide. Instax Wide is chefs kiss, just love the format size@@juslitor
IMO Impossible/Polaroid needs to reach the goal of polaroid film with polaroid quality pretty soon. it's hard to motivate 2.5x the price per image as fuji while simultaneously having film that is so temperature sensitive and takes so long to expose. Like I want to buy this camera, and I want to buy a pack of film a week, but currently, the price and the quality of the film are so inferior to Fuji that it's impossible to justify.
This is what Polaroid shooters have been waiting for, save for the polycarbonate lens. But even with that plastic lens, it appears to be a pretty capable instant camera.
Just bought mine today 🎉 already have an adapted MINT SX70 and a Spectra as well as the Lab, HELP 🤪 Great video and images, thank you,…much better than the official Polaroid ones .. shhh 🤫
Sorry Polaroid, I'm sticking with Fujifilm Instax Wide. When your best camera still has exposure issues, your film blows out highlights, and costs $2 a shot I can't justify the $600 price. I was ready to buy, and even though it's a certified doinker, it's just not enough for me. I'll stick with my Impulse AF for when I'm feeling charitable, or the Lab when I want something exposed properly, until then I'm sticking with my plastic fantastic Wide 210 and RF70.
@@InAnInstantIt's worse quality and more expensive. I've shot plenty of Polaroid film and it fades badly after a few years, even kept in a dry cool setting. Fujifilm Instax is leagues better.
This is a bold and hopeful statement: "...they'll surely be able to service the batteries for years to come." I very much wish it were true, yet am doubtful that it is. Do we have any experience of Polaroid replacing lithium-ion batteries in any of their cameras?
It’s a really cool camera but with that money you could get a really nice professional medium format film camera that might even have Polaroid backs for it.
Perhaps, but then you’re still dealing with a vintage tool and with Polaroid integral backs costing around $300, you’re still well over the $600 mark if you are investing in something like the RB67
Holy snap... that caught me by surprise. Will not be able to order the first batch due to already spent holiday money. However, it will be mine, yes, it will be mine!
maybe when they release better quality film this will be good but $600 for shit photos with no dynamic range and massive color shifts is insane. $20 for a pack of film and you get 1 good photo a pack its just sad
Sounds terrific, especially since it's a rangefinder. One suggestion -- I wonder if your grading scale should be in "Eddies" in honor of Dr. Land. Perhaps that's too narrow, especially when you review non-Polaroid products, but it's an idea. Cheers.
![Lomography Lomomatic 110 - Camera Review, Image Samples & A Brief History of 110! [Instant Review]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pGEU5NxUE8w/mqdefault.jpg)
This is serendipitously the 100th episode of In An Instant! With all the sweat and tears that go into each installment, seeing the number 100 is truly mindblowing to me. I could never have churned out all these hours of viddys without the love from this amazing community. Thank you to all the doinkers and the sweeties, I love you and I'm *in* love with you.
Congrats, buddy! It’s been one heck of a ride! 🥳
♥
Congratulations! Thank you for the always interesting content. Greetings from Braunschweig* (Germany) *Hometown of Rollei and Voigtländer
Instant gratification.
You are a treasure to the instant community. Stay golden!
At first, I was a little bummed that it wasn't an SLR, but then I realized that this means the SX-70 (and its film) will keep a prominent place in the polaroid line-up which makes me appreciate this camera much more.
the Fact that we're all comparing the newest and greatest camera that Polaroid can produce in 2023 with the Sx-70 manufactured in the 70s and that the latter stills comes out on top in a couple areas (Slr, more premium build, foldability) speaks volumes for how incredible the sx70 is, truly a giant! However I-2 is looking very juicy, definitely Big 4 business :)
This is true! And also worth keeping in mind Polaroid spent billions of dollars to invent the SX-70, at a time when analog camera manufacturing was significantly more supported by a supply chain. Polaroid had to do a whole lot with a whole lot less when it came to the I-2.
@@InAnInstant very good point!
@@InAnInstant Sure that's true my dude... But for us analog nerds, why would we even THINK about using the inferior shit-tier i-type cameras, when shit like the 600SE and the SLR 680 exist? The SX70 imo is kinda shit cause its film sucks, but the 600SE (with integral film back or instax wide back), and the SLR680 BLOW this shit out of the water.... And they're cheaper too!
I think it's so amazing that we're in a time where high-quality polaroid cameras are actively being made again, it's like we're back in the 90s except more high-tech
I just wish it had a manual focus mode, god there just always has to be that one thing
I don't think anything will ever fully replace my SX-70's, and that might just be the hipster in me. BUT - this little bad boy definitely has my interest. I'm definitely planning on getting one.
It's 700€ in the EU.
Seven. Hundred. Euros.
For a plastic lens and a built-in battery for which Polaroid doesn't offer a replacement service (AKA "this will be a doorstep in a couple of years").
That, along with their questionable quality control for film and cameras, as well as them advertising a 700€ camera with "Chase imperfection, embrace the random," will be a no for most Polaroid photographers and probably all potential new users.
The video is great, as always! 👍
For me, I say the images speak for themselves. It's either worth 700 euros to you or not, but you can't fault them for the price of making a great machine like this.
@@InAnInstantenjoy a dead battery in a year or two. But you got it for free, so no loss.
@@InAnInstant The images look great! But a non-replaceable battery in a 700€ camera is unacceptable. And Polaroid does not offer repair services for any of their cameras. In fact, are there ANY companies that repair modern Polaroid cameras? Say, there is a dead battery or another issue, and the 700€ camera is out of warranty. What does one do?
Also, it doesn't look like the new plastic lens is sharper than the old glass one in the folding cameras. The claim it's the sharpest lens they even put in a camera is pure marketing. But they aren't lying, if they are only considering their modern cameras. If anything, the new lens seems to have some pincushion distortion, which the old one doesn't have.
Not to mention a feature being parallax correction, with a tip shutter speed of 250. 600 is a joke for this thing that has features a rangefinder from the 60-70s has.
@@dragonforcesWow you have some kind of crystal ball? Such a negative attitude. So don't buy one. But hundreds if not thousands of devices have lithium batteries that last for years without issue.
I love how when I want to learn a new hobby, whether if the technology is new or old. I can always find someone that is very knowledgeable on that specific piece of equipment here on TH-cam. Appreciate the thorough video on this. I'm looking to get my first instant camera.
Ohhh, Olympus engineering. Ok, awesome. Good optics and clever design. I kind of love that the polycarbonate lens actually gives a hint of that glow I love so much in the SX-70 lenses. I hope people don't freak too much over the price, because it looks like it's actually worth it. The parallax correction should help composition enough, too. However, I CAN'T WAIT for studio photos at full manual with strobes on this thing. :)
For real JM, the capabilities of this thing for professionals is unquestionably unmatched. The gray area is for more casual enthusiasts I think, but for diehards I don't see how anyone could pass this up by Christmas 😂
For sure! It's on my Christmas list. ha ha. Or maybe I'll sell that SLR 680 I've got in repair and let my Sonar go back to not having an ND filter stuck to it. What a fun time to be into Polaroid! Time to get some celebrities into this thing, too.
This is the type of camera I've been waiting for to get into instant. Appreciate your guiding hand :)
Hand be going dummy with that guiding!!
Ben this is an absolute BONKERS announcement!! This is without a doubt the coolest new film camera that I've seen and should be VERY exciting news for film lovers, instant or otherwise, to see this kind of support for and dedication to the format, that creating modern film cameras like this is not "Impossible", but quite possible. Now a very very hype reality! These are crazy times that we're living in...it's nice to get some crazy good news. And congrats and thank you for 100 episodes of In An Instant! I appreciate you. -Michael, your friendly doinker
Was about to give up on Polaroids but this has rejuvenated my interest. This camera has blown every other instant camera out the park. Bad news for Fuji and Mint. Fuji missed a trick by not creating a camera like this. This could be the best instant camera ever made. Polaroid has done an amazing job, going from the inferior Impossible Project to where they are now.
Thank you for this snappy and useful overview of the I-2. My last Polaroid was an SX-70 I bought in 1978, so it’s been awhile…
I got my I-2 last week and have really enjoyed the camera and the results, both color and B&W. I’ve ordered a set of traditional B&W filters (Y, O, R) to try. And it’s great to know the on-board meter will automatically compensate for those filters!
Really enjoy your channel and appreciate the info you’re putting out there!
Also, just, congratulations! It’s beautiful to see how far you’ve come from a polaroid enthusiast to releasing such a well done video for the review of such a revolutionary camera. I sense more than a little support from the now Polaroid company in this video, so I imagine it’s been amazing to work so closely with them lately. Congratulations again!
I love the developments but their film really needs to step up. Instax is really leading the charge on instant film right now, even if their "image" is more consumer.
I’m not even half way through this video and I already understand and the features and exactly why it’s priced accordingly, so truly this video is big for Bussiness.
This video has everyhing. Everything what I looked for. Now after 7 years and 89 differend polaroids cameras I tried I can buy this I2 and be satified - I hope so.
Holy grail of instant cameras Batman! Parallax frame lines have been a wishlist item for years! Can’t wait to get my hands on one of these 😲
Thorough, informative and entertaining! Your videos are always so well made and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for catching me up on this new camera as I was away when it was being teased.
Thank you so much CL!!
So good. That view finder with the exposure meter and f stop/shutter. Game changer
I KNEW you would have a video today. Can't wait to snag one of these!
I just got my email about this product and knew that you would release a very informative video. Thank you for having all my questions that I had! Looking foward to seeing more of your videos on this!
Thank you for watching!
Excellent video! I have been watching several videos on the I-2 and yours was the most informative (especially the part about turning on the camera with the film door open in order to select the Film-Type Mode; no other video has mentioned that!) I wish Polaroid would send me one, but at least they did offer me a nice discount based on my body of work, so will be ordering first thing Monday morning! But you've got a new subscriber here.
The pricing isn’t bad at all. Was worried about leaks that it’d be close to the ridiculous pricing of some MinT products that scrape close to 1000$. Not sure if I’ll buy the I-2 just yet but at 599$ I think it’s definitely in the books for me.
Lovely video as always. Just wanna add that the I-2 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/250th of a second. Polaroid has this listed deep on the product page in the "full technical specifications" but this feels like pretty important info to surface for customers since its the only downside of this camera compared to a nicely modified SX-70 from MiNT
Probably still gonna get one but I thought I should share this info with folks
1/250s still should be more than enough for most lighting situations, considering you can get aperture down to F/64. Only thing you're missing out on is bokeh in bright light situations.
@@fricki1997 ND filter on the front might enable that?
I couldn't resist!!! I just bought one!! 😁
Wait! is this a review for this camera without an affiliate link? the holy grail.
OMG, I am in love! I have been waiting for this camera- it is what I wanted from the i-1, and from the sx-70! OK, I gotta sell some gear or film and get one of these NOW! Polaroid, you have made me very happy! Ben, thank you as always- you rock!
Was hoping polaroid would have given you a camera to test, and for a whole year too! Glad it is performing well for you, really enjoyed the review.
This camera could make the step into Polaroid's future, but to make the step complete I really hope for improvements on their film. Out of all available cameras, the possibilities and precision of this one probably allow for the best results with the current film. And having the current film in the state it is in right now is a miracle by itself, but imagine how much bigger the difference to the photos possible with e. g. the SX-70 would be if this new camera could utilize an improved film formula. Also, advertising the precision and possibilities of a professional camera with keywords such as "imperfection" doesn't work that well in my opinion. Nonetheless a great camera and I wish for it to get even better with improved film!
Their film sucks and it’s too expensive
Great camera but needs better film to go with it
this is by far one of the best episodes, love that is the 100th!
I would love that a new GO camera arrives with some of the capabilities of the i2
Definitely an interesting camera seems like theyre slowly going into a more user friendly camera system for all the films
Still looking forward to how that film turns out i sent you though (some was experimental)
Great video and some great features. But what a letdown at $600. A non-replaceable battery that will leave this a brick in under a decade. A plastic lens? (No plastic is ever the same). I guess I'll stick with my SX70. This should be $199, not $599
I think I'd really be interested in side-by-sides of this vs Mint's SF70 because that's really what I'm likely deciding between.
Great review, as always! Tbh the battery issue is what bothers me most, too - really hope they can find a solution to this. Anyway, I love that beast and the images it produces, I'm in my own little filter heaven with the filter thread. Ouch for my recent eBay purchases of 49mm filters :D
Been watching and loving your videos since day 1 and this is one of your best! Love your stuff man, definitely going to get this camera! (after maybe a year of saving up haha)
Thanks so much Josh! I hope you can get your hands on one
Nice that Polaroid paired up with Olympus engineers again, like the Olympus Camedia c-211 hybrid back in the day.
Built in, not replaceable battery… remember what happened to the I-1?
Excellent video, well put together as always, I really like this camera, it has all the benefits of the One Step + and more but with all facilities on the camera itself or used via the app. Though, I can’t help feeling like this camera is trying to compensate for bad film, rather than it having genuine good features, which is still true, I just feel Polaroid have made this in vain. Original Polaroid film didn’t need to fall back on fancy cameras because the film was that good. You still got your sharpest shots from the SLR and Spectra models but it was much crisper, vibrant colours, developed in 90 seconds, not light sensitive after ejecting from the camera, stable, it was excellent.
New film now is less sharp, softer, either really washed out or very underexposed/ over saturated. The colour shifting in the new film is all over the place. It’s a shame because with real Polaroid film, this would be a fantastic camera. We can only dream of film as good as the original 600 and SX-70 chemistry.
I love Polaroid and I am absolutely amazed they managed to remake the film at all but unless they improve it at this stage, I can’t see it lasting much longer. Granted they are always working on it but I can’t live in denial that they have been trying to perfect it for the last 13 or so years, of course, it has come a long way since but it still has quality issues and mixed results, after all this time and investment, personally, to get it back where it was in the 90s, I think will always remain “impossible”.
I am not saying the film is complete trash because it isn’t, I have taken some wonderful pictures with it but at this stage in the game and based on the price of this new camera, I think it is a big capital outlay, when the film is no where near the quality it should be, respective of the camera. I like to keep an open mind though and would definitely be willing to try it for myself and see how it handles.
The fact the autofocus is LiDAR based has me incredibly interested in this. It’s like an updated sonar focusing I love from the 670
This is the video I was waiting for. I love the clear body version and I was looking at an Onyx Polaroid last night. And those aperture blades! Real aperture blades!
Onna three element plastic lens...
@@kyotodream7135 There is not much to be gained with a glass lens over a polycarbonate lens on polaroid film. It does not show any more detail. This is polaroid instant film we're talking about. Many of the images I have seen from it are as good or better than an SX70.
@@NandR But for the same price as an entry level mirrorless camera, they could probably do better than disposable camera optics. Then you still have the issue of Polaroid film which is just bad. I've shot with plenty of it, and Instax is better in almost ever way than Polaroid film. These shots look like my Polaroid Sun 660
@@kyotodream7135 You can't compare this to a mirrorless digital camera. The sensor size alone is waaaaaa smaller and is digital. It needs very high quality glass to avoid image quality issues. This lens covers a 3" area of instant film. The film can't resolve anything better than what this lens puts out. I have an Instax wide printer and it has no more detail than polaroid only better saturation and less dynamic range. Also typically better consistency.
Im actually very happy this came out, once i fet my hands in the camera i literally will not stop taking pictures
All of these features + slr and I would buy it. However still staying with my sx70.
I spotted Grainy Days. 😎
Days do be grainy!
I-2: 600 $
Random second hand 600 type: 10 buckaroos
end result = 2 almost identical photos
Fax and even if you bought an old sx-70 along with it you would still be saving about $500
Oh man, this video had me so pumped to get the I-2 to add to my collection. I was thinking that it was going to be my new go-to, the mother load of modern instant cameras... and then the price came.... Well... maybe in a few years someone will sell a used one on Mercari....
With a flat battery - as it is still not replaceable.
For the last year, I have been watching your channel and flirting with the idea of buying an SX-70 simply because I'm bathed in instant gratification. But have yet to pull the trigger simply because other owners have made modifications that aren't going to work for me, or have made changes to the camera that don't allow it to operate as its normal functioning camera as it did out of the box. If this is that new blend of SX 70 experience in a new shell with new functionality, this might be the one thing that really gets me to buy the camera and the film and go all in. I am saying this before watching the video....that being said, Ben, take me to the SX70 promised land!
thank you Ben! It sounds so cool! I'm glad they got such a great camera release. I'm gonna wait for offers on the price before deciding to buy it
What a cool camera - thanks for the info, Ben!
Episode 100 already? :O
I still remember when the channel has just begun, wow.
I cannot believe, that there were so little hints and leaks...and you were able to shoot through it the whole year? Wow, it does seem, like there is finally a camera, that can replace my two semi-broken I-1s. About a few weeks ago, a few posts popped up on Reddit and some people claimed the I-2 to be a hoax. I am so glad, that it isn't.
Thanks for the awesome review and everything else you've done for the instant community as a whole.
Ben! It is a beautiful camera! This is a glorious review! But there is exactly one down side, and that is that there is no manual focus. It’s not a big deal, it’s really not a big deal, but I do slightly wish it had manual focus, but this is truly just an incredible creative tool, it’s inspiring
During my last vacation break I saw a friend using his Polaroid camera. This is now 6 weeks ago and there is no way arround it: I’m hooked with already owning the Now+, Now and Go, all gen 2 and already eyeing for the I-2 in July for my birthday, I think I have a problem #polaroidAnonymous
Welcome to the club, you are safe here!
Not the first fully manual Polaroid. I love my Model 195, which I just shot all weekend at a wedding. Aperture f 3.8 - f 64, shutter 1 s - 1/500th s, manual rangefinder focus - the best pack film camera Polaroid ever made. But pack film is growing only scarcer, & the I-2 might be a good, albeit less capable, path forward to integral instant film manual photography.
Yeah I was talking about integral cameras. There are a few manual packfilm cameras and they were very commonly used in non-Polaroid cameras, whereas integral wasn’t.
Thanks Ben for another great and informative video.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting to see how this camera would perform and can see myself buying one.
I still like my SX-70 Sonar and SLR 680 both bought after watching your previous videos.
I’ve just had the SX-70 fully refurbished also a full manual control mod done by Dennis of Chromatic Parts. Excellent!
I’ll send him the 680 next which I must admit was my Baby but I have Twins now as both cameras are excellent!😃
Thanks again for your videos! They’ve kept me inspired and sane in this insane world we live in - the Ripple Effect.
Thanks Again!
Glenn
Never stop never stopping. These videos are top.
I shalt not stopping!
If you like shooting polaroid, buy the Mint SLR670 with the shutter speed dial.
Been waiting for something like this for a looong time.
What a comeback. We missed you, Benny-bags
In my T-Swift Reputation era 😂
Thanks very much for this review. What a wonderful and apparently very versatile new camera. It would be nearly impossible for the company to top the aesthetic pleasure of using an SX-70 combined with the joy of the quality images it produces. But this looks like an awesome camera and I'm sure it'll make a lot of people happy.
YEAH BOIIII also love the Dharma Initiative logo! 3:28
Extremely beautiful! The external flash socket is truly a game changer! but it costs way too much. they can't afford to charge that much for a camera, their films aren't that high quality. it is stupid to have such a high-performance camera and then have defective or low-quality films!
This is clearly the preeminent review of the i-2! You must have been so looking forward to today for the embargo to be up. Also, that SX-70 mode is amazing!
Great video!
I really was, such an amazing day honestly, a massive step forward for this little engine that could!
Wow! Christmas and birthday wishlist now complete!!!
So happy that this beast is finally out :D
One thing to note when you were talking about the design of the camera, from an industrial designer point of view, it's design language comes from the existing box cameras, but the top "pyramid" half which terminates into the lens, pays a homage to the sx-70 sillhouette.
Very true and great observation!
The price point is absolutely hilarious! For that kinda money you can buy one of those little bluetooth printers and a bunch of paper to print photos with and print photos shot with your phone.
you miss the whole point of Polaroids, but yeah, go do that.
sx 70 killer feels like a stretch but this is a very cool camera and I'm super happy to see polaroid making cameras instead of speakers lol
Will buy as soon as they update the store. This is amazing
okay I was weary about this camera but after seeing your photos i really might consider getting one
This is IT chief - order placed! I love my Instax-modified Polaroid 110B but I’m looking forward to NOT integrating a bodybuilding routine into my instant photography life.
I know people who haven't used a rangefinger before are going to be bummed that it's not an SLR; but as someone who fell in love with the 35mm camera Konica C35 EF (the one adored by Andy Warhol; ironically there is a famous polaroid of him holding up both a KC35EF and SX-70 in the same image). I can attest that even with the most 'vague' viewfinder estimates (the Konica had 4, portrait, couple, three people and infinity) you can obtain incredibly sharp focusing. In fact, one thing I love about the KC35EF is that when you get the image, even if its out of focus; the image is still wonderful because its focusing on *something* and when you do hit the mark, it feels like magic because you did it purely through six sense.
Trust me, one pack of film through this thing and you will be taking perfectly focused shots purely through instinct alone.
It's like learning to throw a ball into a cup from a distance. You dont need a measuring tape, you just need practice and it will eventually become 2nd nature.
Also gotta love that SONY PS3 Price.
"$599 US DOLLARS"
glad someone can ignore burning over 2 euro on a busted snapshot.
@@juslitor Dude have you used the new Polaroid formulation? That's the real Russian roulette right there. As someone who grew up using original polaroid film before they went bankrupt and the new Polaroid film; I can say that if you are worried about the cost then Polaroid in general isn't the film for you. I use a modified SX-70 that has a new motor and uses 600 film and even with that, the new film can come out looking over exposed and the totally wrong colour/tone. I have photos I took from 2004 on original Polaroid with one of the ugly curved one step cameras from the early 2000's that replicated colour perfectly; and I've brought brand new packs of modern Polaroid film, shot on an SX-70 where half the frame hasn't developed properly.
So yeah, if you are worried about burning money on ruined shots, then stick to Fuji Square.
Heckin' sweet camerino, but that dang price tag is QUITE a chonker!
Got the email from Polaroid in the morning while at work, looked at it for less than a few minutes and hit "Order" in an instant!
Love this video, now I'm a fan of the I-2!
Lighthouse lounge yo what up from Utah union Station baby how you doing!? Was not expecting to see my bar here on this video that's incredible.
YESSS let’s go baby! Representing Utah heavy in this video 😂
Now we just need high quality film before anyone should consider buying a high quality camera...
I think my 10€ Polaroid one could take better pictures with good film than the ones you can get with the I2 right now. Once the film quality exceeds what we can capture with the cheap plastic lenses it is time to upgrade the optics.
I buy some 600 film maybe twice a year to support them and shoot it for fun but unless they improve the quality of the film drastically there is no need for a better camera.
The I2 looks great and all these features on a Polaroid camera are amazing, but with current Polaroid film you still end up with crappy images.
The non replacable battery is a no-go, though.
th-cam.com/video/B_DNq1_J1hE/w-d-xo.html
Ben, thanks so much for all of the information in your videos. A couple of questions I'm hoping you can answer about many images from the I-2 I'm seeing on the internet. There is often a "half star" at the top right of the frame, or some unusual free-rom overexposure at the bottom of the frame. Are these defects due to uneven developer spreading? Is it just inconsistency in the packs, or the rollers in the camera? And on the internal exposure meter when in manual mode: is it not simply a center-weighted meter that one could aim at an object in the frame, and then use knowledge of the zone system to calculate an accurate exposure without carrying a hand-held meter?
I always look at a Polaroid camera in like a movie and I was like "That's so cool. I want to have that". And now with Polaroid finally returned from the dead, I can finally make that wish come true. Well, maybe once I got enough money to buy the camera with some film.
return from the dead, more than at least 7 years polaroid is making new stuff, but ok
Will all the photos have washed out colors (or in positive terms "pastel")? I prefer the color saturation of Instax - and it's easy to get pastel effects via diffusion filters.
Depends on your scan IMO, Polaroids have plenty of contrast and punch. You can scan them into a digital file to interpret them that way, but I mostly leave as-is coming off the flatbed
Instax film is awesome except for any strong specular lightsources turning black.
and shadows being disgusting green, I honestly cant shoot instax its so lifeless. Except Wide. Instax Wide is chefs kiss, just love the format size@@juslitor
“William nilly” threw me for a loop
Bill Nilly really has us on skates
It would be worth the $600 price tag if their color chemistry was still pre-impossible project original Polaroid quality. At least the b&w slaps.
It is worth what someone would pay for it, and I think this is gonna fly off the shelves!
It’s gotten better gradually over time, so it’ll likely get back eventually.
Lets face it, its never gonna sell to a wide audience, not with the present film prices. @@lofianddiy
I was under the impression, the new polaroid owns the IP for the film chemistry. Could you share your source?
I’m gonna wait till cyber Monday to buy mine lol
IMO Impossible/Polaroid needs to reach the goal of polaroid film with polaroid quality pretty soon. it's hard to motivate 2.5x the price per image as fuji while simultaneously having film that is so temperature sensitive and takes so long to expose. Like I want to buy this camera, and I want to buy a pack of film a week, but currently, the price and the quality of the film are so inferior to Fuji that it's impossible to justify.
I see an "In an Instant" upload, I stop and watch.
Dems the rules!
Very expensive for a vintage photo mode.
This is what Polaroid shooters have been waiting for, save for the polycarbonate lens. But even with that plastic lens, it appears to be a pretty capable instant camera.
For sure! Vintage glass like that on the SX-70 can be outclassed by modern polycarb optics, so I'm sold on the results regardless.
great review really good!! question where can you get that clear I-2?
Just bought mine today 🎉 already have an adapted MINT SX70 and a Spectra as well as the Lab, HELP 🤪 Great video and images, thank you,…much better than the official Polaroid ones .. shhh 🤫
Sorry Polaroid, I'm sticking with Fujifilm Instax Wide. When your best camera still has exposure issues, your film blows out highlights, and costs $2 a shot I can't justify the $600 price. I was ready to buy, and even though it's a certified doinker, it's just not enough for me. I'll stick with my Impulse AF for when I'm feeling charitable, or the Lab when I want something exposed properly, until then I'm sticking with my plastic fantastic Wide 210 and RF70.
Polaroid film has significantly better latitude than Instax, especially in highlights
@@InAnInstantIt's worse quality and more expensive. I've shot plenty of Polaroid film and it fades badly after a few years, even kept in a dry cool setting. Fujifilm Instax is leagues better.
This is the best news in 2023
This is a bold and hopeful statement:
"...they'll surely be able to service the batteries for years to come."
I very much wish it were true, yet am doubtful that it is. Do we have any experience of Polaroid replacing lithium-ion batteries in any of their cameras?
It’s a really cool camera but with that money you could get a really nice professional medium format film camera that might even have Polaroid backs for it.
Perhaps, but then you’re still dealing with a vintage tool and with Polaroid integral backs costing around $300, you’re still well over the $600 mark if you are investing in something like the RB67
Holy snap... that caught me by surprise. Will not be able to order the first batch due to already spent holiday money. However, it will be mine, yes, it will be mine!
Lovely review, it does have shortcomings too, the film could be better, and it's not an SLR. No interchangeable lenses too.
The SX-70 can still fit in my back jeans pocket! So THERE!! And as an owner of a NONS... I LOVE IT!
maybe when they release better quality film this will be good but $600 for shit photos with no dynamic range and massive color shifts is insane. $20 for a pack of film and you get 1 good photo a pack its just sad
Kind of crazy there's no hot shoe mount, for a camera with a flash sync
Hmmm, can we say the 49mm filter threads was chosen because the designers were originally from Olympus and almost all Zuiko's were 49mm.
As someone who has always thought the rigid SX-70 rangefinder cameras were underrated, I love that this is a rangefinder.
what rangefinder, its autofocus ?
@@juslitorwell at roughy 1:45 he describes it at a “box style rangefinder focusing beauty” 🤷♂️
Sounds terrific, especially since it's a rangefinder. One suggestion -- I wonder if your grading scale should be in "Eddies" in honor of Dr. Land. Perhaps that's too narrow, especially when you review non-Polaroid products, but it's an idea. Cheers.
Hmmm they lost me with the non replaceable battery..