Smartphones can capture sharp photos in almost any lighting condition, automatically enhance them and have them ready for Instagram within seconds. Yet taking the Polaroid Go Generation 3 out for a day reminded me that photography does not always have to be about getting the technically perfect shot.
I brought the compact instant camera along to Singapore Oceanarium, where the activation places marine-inspired CRYBABY characters throughout the Oceanarium.
More importantly, the visit gave me the chance to use the Polaroid Go in very different conditions: outdoors in brighter light and inside, where lighting was considerably dimmer.
Small Enough to Bring Everywhere
The first thing I liked about the Polaroid Go is obvious: it is tiny.
Polaroid calls it the world’s smallest analogue instant camera. It measures 106.5 x 83.8 x 64.6mm and weighs around 252g without film, making it significantly easier to carry around than the larger instant cameras we are used to seeing.
I could simply put it into my pocket and pull it out whenever something caught my eye. Polaroid Go measures just 66.6 x 53.9mm, with a 47 x 46mm image area.
Singapore Oceanarium turned out to be an ideal location to test what the Polaroid Go is like as an everyday travel camera.
The CRYBABY collaboration provided plenty of playful subjects, while moving between outdoor and indoor environments allowed me to see what it was like to shoot when lighting conditions changed considerably.
Upgraded Features
The Gen 3 has been upgraded with a new fixed-focus lens and stronger flash, with Polaroid specifically positioning the changes as helping produce clearer photographs across different lighting conditions. Its lens has a 63.75mm focal length, f/14.4 and f/32 apertures and a shutter range from 1/500 second to one second.
What I liked about the Polaroid Go photographs was precisely that they didn’t look like photographs from my phone. There is a softer, more analogue character to the images that immediately gives them a nostalgic quality. With smartphone photography, I can take five, ten or twenty versions of the same scene and choose the best one later. With the Polaroid, every press of the shutter feels more deliberate because you’re committing a piece of film to that moment.
There is a selfie mirror, self-timer and double-exposure mode, while the Gen 3’s improved flash is designed to make the camera more versatile when shooting indoors.
They are so mini. I could even slide one behind my phone case and carry the memory around with me.
Battery life should not be something you need to think about frequently either. Polaroid rates the internal lithium-ion battery for up to 15 film packs before it needs recharging.
A Different Kind of Camera
While my phone delivers sharper, more polished photos, the Polaroid offers something more personal: a physical memory of the moment. It’s small enough to carry anywhere, simple to use and makes every shot exciting.
There’s also something special about waiting for a photo to develop and having a tiny keepsake you can slip into your wallet.
It retails in Singapore for S$159.
Find out more here.
