This is the POLAROID OneStep +,
an advanced camera for I-type film. The first modern camera for I-type
film was the Impossible I-1 camera with a somewhat awkward design, but
with advanced features, accessible via Bluetooth from a smartphone.
When the Impossible project was sold to the new Polaroid company,
rebaptisized Polaroid Originals, the I-1 was replaced by a OneStep 2
model. Its design was inspired by the old OneStep series, which were
simple non-folding cameras for SX-70 film without flash. Obviously they
kept the base from the I-1 and its built-in rechargeable battery for
the use of I-type film. They put a flash into the old-style housing,
but kept the design very close to the old Polaroid cameras. The OneStep
2 lost the advanced features.
These are back with the OneStep +. The features are: remote control,
more vesatile self timer, double exposure, light painting mode,
complete manual exposure control, a noise trigger for the shutter and a
scan and share mode to scan, crop and edit your pictures.
Specifications:
Lens: Fixed focus lens, optical grade polycarbonate, coated (there is little information about it)
Standard lens focal length: 103 mm, 0,6m-inf Portrait lens focal length: 89 mm, 0,3-0,9m
Aperture: f/14 to 64
Shutter Speed: up to 1/250 Sec, Bulb Mode Field of view: 41° vertical, 40° horizontal
Battery: lithium-ion battery (1100mAh), rechargeable via USB Outer shells: Polycarbonate + ABS plastics External viewfinder barrel, no parallax indication Flash System: Vacuum discharge tube strobe Bluetooth LE connectivity Neck Strap and USB charging cable included Tripod mount on base of camera
Back
view. Viewer, on/off switch, flash control lamp and USB socket, flash
off button below, has to be held while pushing the shutter button.
Strap lugs on the base.
Front.
Flash, +button for bluetooth connection and self timer, infrared LED,
lens, viewer, darken/lighten switch, meter cell, orange shutter botton,
film door latch on the base.
Left side.
Seen from above. Indication LEDs for shots left, lens range switch.
Tripod socket.
Camera paired to a smartphone, manual mode.
The camera is easy to use, point and shoot, it's automatic. Within
flash range and in broad daylight the pictures are fine. In subdued
light as in bad or cloudy weather and near dawn or dusk pictures are
largely underexposed in my taste. As darken/lighten is only 1/2 EV, it
doesn't really help, nor does suppressing the flash. The lens range
switch moves much too easily on my camera, if you put it into a bag or
pouch it moves and you may spoil a picture, at €2 a picture and only 8
pictures per cartridge, this is not funny.
The app works fine, no problem. As there is a manual mode, you can
prevent underexposed pictures. So it's an easy point and shoot camera
under good light circumstances, in all other situations you have to use
the app. This takes a bit longer, but prevents bad results.
