The best Polaroid cameras, and the film bill behind each one
Polaroid makes four cameras worth buying and they take three different films at three different prices. Getting that wrong is the expensive mistake here.
The best Polaroid for most buyers is the Now Generation 3 at $119.99 listed, which shoots the full-size 4.2 x 3.5 inch print on i-Type film at about $2.37 a shot. The Go Generation 3 is cheaper at $89.99 but its print is smaller than an instax mini.
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| # | Product | Best for | Cost per shot | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polaroid Now Generation 3The full-size print with autofocus that actually works, at the sensible end of the range. | Best Polaroid for most people | $2.37 | Check price |
| 2 |  Polaroid Go Generation 3A genuine Polaroid at $89.99 — provided you know the print is tiny. | Cheapest way into Polaroid | $1.37 | Check price |
| 3 | Polaroid FlipSonar autofocus, four lenses, and a warning when the shot is going to be wrong. | Best Polaroid, no budget limit | $2.37 | Check price |
1. Best Polaroid for most people
Polaroid Now Generation 3
The full-size print with autofocus that actually works, at the sensible end of the range.
- Buy it for
- Anyone who wants a real Polaroid photograph and has accepted the film cost.
- Skip it if
- A tight budget. At about $2.37 a shot, a hundred photographs costs roughly $237 — about twice the camera.
- The 4.2 x 3.5 inch print on i-Type film: the photograph people picture when they say Polaroid.
- Two-lens autofocus with zones at 0.40-1.3 m and 1.0 m to infinity — a real improvement on fixed focus.
- Six usable apertures from f/11 to f/64, a built-in tripod mount, self-timer and double exposure.
- Takes both i-Type and older 600 film, and charges over USB-C.
Running cost: Polaroid i-Type works out at $2.37 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $366.86 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores7.9/10 overall
- Print size10
- Ease of use8
- Running cost2
- Build and feel9
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
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2. Cheapest way into Polaroid
Polaroid Go Generation 3
A genuine Polaroid at $89.99 — provided you know the print is tiny.
- Buy it for
- Someone who wants the brand and the white frame, pocketable, under $100.
- Skip it if
- Anyone expecting the classic big print. The Go photograph is 2.6 x 2.1 inches — smaller than an instax mini.
- The lowest entry price to real Polaroid film, and genuinely pocket-sized at 251.9 g.
- Go film is Polaroid's cheapest at about $1.37 a shot — still 60% above instax mini.
- Self-timer, double exposure, selfie mirror, and up to 15 film packs per charge.
- Engadget calls it "basic and relatively cheap, but it offers a lot", while noting the autofocus "delivers spotty results".
Running cost: Polaroid Go works out at $1.37 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $243.92 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores7.4/10 overall
- Print size4
- Ease of use8
- Running cost5
- Portability10
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “basic and relatively cheap, but it offers a lot”.
#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you
3. Best Polaroid, no budget limit
Polaroid Flip
Sonar autofocus, four lenses, and a warning when the shot is going to be wrong.
- Buy it for
- Someone who has decided on Polaroid and wants the best version of it.
- Skip it if
- A first instant camera, or a gift for anyone undecided. $219.99 listed, on $2.37-a-shot film.
- Engadget's verdict is "most advanced modern instant camera to date".
- Sonar autofocus with a four-lens system, which is the most capable focusing in instant photography.
- Polaroid's most powerful flash, and an over/under-exposure warning before you spend a frame.
- Takes i-Type and 600 film, USB-C charging.
Running cost: Polaroid i-Type works out at $2.37 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $466.86 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.2/10 overall
- Print size10
- Ease of use8
- Running cost2
- Capability10
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
Engadget, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “most advanced modern instant camera to date”.
#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Polaroid's three films, and what each costs
Polaroid film is the most expensive instant film sold, and the difference between its own formats is large. These figures come from Polaroid's own store on 13 October 2026:
| Format | Print size | Pack | Pack price | Cost per shot | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaroid Go | 2.6 x 2.1 in (66.6 x 53.9 mm) | 16 | $21.99 | $1.37 | Polaroid |
| Polaroid i-Type | 4.2 x 3.5 in (107 x 88 mm) | 8 | $18.99 | $2.37 | Polaroid |
| Polaroid 600 | 4.2 x 3.5 in (107 x 88 mm) | 8 | $20.99 | $2.62 | Polaroid |
| Polaroid SX-70 | 4.2 x 3.5 in (107 x 88 mm) | 8 | $21.99 | $2.75 | Polaroid |
- i-Type is the film for the Now, Flip, Mod and I-2. It is what you will buy if you buy a new full-size Polaroid.
- 600 fits the same cameras plus vintage 600-series bodies. It is $2 more per pack for the same 8 shots, so there is no reason to choose it for a modern camera.
- SX-70 is ASA 160 rather than 640, so it needs far more light, and it is the most expensive film here at about $2.75 a shot. Only for SX-70 and I-2 cameras.
- Go film fits only the Go. Sixteen photographs a pack rather than eight, which is why its per-shot cost is the lowest.
Multipacks help a little. Polaroid's own five-pack of i-Type works out at about $2.12 a shot against $2.37 for a single pack — roughly 11% off, which is worth having and does not change the ranking. Full details in what Polaroid film costs and why it is so expensive.
What the first year really costs
| Camera or printer | 40 shots | 100 shots | 200 shots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polaroid Go Generation 3$89.99 listed at polaroid.com | $155.963 packs of Polaroid Go | $243.927 packs of Polaroid Go | $375.8613 packs of Polaroid Go |
| Polaroid Now Generation 3$119.99 MSRP at launch, March 2025 | $214.945 packs of Polaroid i-Type | $366.8613 packs of Polaroid i-Type | $594.7425 packs of Polaroid i-Type |
| Polaroid Flip$219.99 listed at Glazer's Camera | $314.945 packs of Polaroid i-Type | $466.8613 packs of Polaroid i-Type | $694.7425 packs of Polaroid i-Type |
At 200 photographs, the film costs more than any of these cameras — in the Now's case, roughly four times as much. That is not an argument against Polaroid; it is the number to have in mind before you buy one.
The other cameras in the range
- Polaroid Mod, $169.99 listed — a newer body shooting i-Type film. Worth comparing directly against the Now Generation 3 at the time you buy.
- Polaroid I-2, the flagship, with manual controls and the only modern camera that takes SX-70 film. A deliberate enthusiast purchase.
- Polaroid Now+, which adds app-controlled shooting modes and lens filters to the Now.
- Vintage 600-series and SX-70 cameras still work, and film for both is in production. A refurbished one is a real option — but a worn-out camera wasting $2.62 frames is an expensive kind of charming.
If the film cost has changed your mind
Two honest alternatives. The instax SQUARE SQ40 gives you a square instant print for about $1.15 a shot — not a Polaroid, but the same shape of photograph at under half the cost. Or the Polaroid Hi-Print, which is Polaroid-branded but prints phone photographs at about 85 cents, because it is dye-sublimation rather than instant film. Both are covered in Instax vs Polaroid.
Questions people ask
What is the best Polaroid camera to buy?
The Polaroid Now Generation 3 for most people — the full-size print, two-lens autofocus, and $119.99 listed at launch. The Flip at $219.99 is more capable, with sonar autofocus and an exposure warning. The Go Generation 3 at $89.99 is cheapest but makes a much smaller print.
Why is Polaroid film so expensive?
The print is much larger than an instax mini — 4.2 x 3.5 inches against 2.4 x 1.8 — so there is more chemistry per sheet; packs hold 8 exposures rather than 20; and Polaroid manufactures at a far smaller scale than Fujifilm, having rebuilt the original production line after the brand was wound down.
Is the Polaroid Go a real Polaroid?
Yes — it shoots genuine Polaroid instant film with the white frame, just in a smaller format. Its photograph is 2.6 x 2.1 inches with a 47 x 46 mm image area, which is smaller than an instax mini print, and its film fits no other camera.
Can new Polaroid cameras use old film?
The Now Generation 3 and Flip take both i-Type and 600 film, so old 600 packs work. They do not take SX-70 film, which is a lower ISO — only the I-2 and vintage SX-70 bodies do. i-Type film will not work in a vintage 600 camera, because it has no battery in the pack.
How many photos are in a pack of Polaroid film?
Eight, for i-Type, 600 and SX-70. Polaroid Go film comes sixteen to a pack. Eight is the number that catches gift buyers out: a pack of i-Type at $18.99 is gone in one afternoon.
Read these next
Polaroid Now vs Polaroid Go
The print-size decision inside the Polaroid range.
What Polaroid film costs per shot
Every Polaroid film, with pack prices and multipack savings.
Why Polaroid film is so expensive
Three real reasons, and whether it is likely to change.
Instax vs Polaroid
The comparison that decides most purchases in this category.
Is a Polaroid camera a good gift?
The honest answer, with the caveat that matters.
Sources
- Polaroid — instant cameras — Listed prices, 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Color i-Type film — $18.99 for 8 photos on 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Go film — $21.99 for 16 photos on 13 October 2026
- Engadget — the best instant cameras — Cited for published verdicts on handling and image quality. We do not test hardware
- Polaroid Now Generation 3 launch details — $119.99 launch MSRP and the two-lens autofocus specification
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will correct it with a dated note. Our picks are re-checked quarterly — see our editorial policy.