New Polaroid Flip Aims to Be the Best Instant Camera for Nearly Everyone

Apr 15, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A hand adjusts two instant cameras on a white surface. The cameras are side by side, one black and the other white with an orange accent. Both have visible lenses, viewfinders, and flash units.

Polaroid announced the Polaroid Flip, which it calls “the ultimate point-and-shoot instant camera for an analog life.” The new camera features a hyperfocal four-lens system, sonar-based autofocus, Polaroid’s most powerful flash to date, and a new “scene analysis” feature that alerts photographers when their shots will be under or overexposed.

The Polaroid Flip is built upon Polaroid’s rich 80-year photography legacy and aims to be extremely easy to use, even for complete beginners used to snapping all their photos on a smartphone. The ease of use starts with a flippable lid. Designed to protect the camera when not in use, the flippable design is sleek and eye-catching.

Tucked inside the Flip’s “lid” is the new adaptive flash, which is relatively large for an instant camera. As mentioned, it is the most powerful flash Polaroid has ever put in an instant camera. Although Polaroid does not deliver specific strength in terms of lumens, it does say that the flash can light up a subject as far as four meters (13.1 feet) away.

Close-up of a Polaroid instant camera with a red front and rainbow stripe on the top part. The camera lens is visible next to control buttons, and the flash is lit. The background is plain and light-colored.

As for the Polaroid Flip’s four-lens system, it is quite clever. The camera has four lenses on a rotary inside the camera. The Polaroid Flip automatically selects the appropriate lens based on the subject’s distance from the camera, including a close-up (sweet spot at 0.65 meters), near-field (0.85 meters), mid-field (1.2 meters), and far-field (2.5 meters). Polaroid says the four-lens system promises “better landscapes, better close-ups, more sharpness, and more depth of field for [a] wider variety of styles.”

Close-up of a red and white instant camera with a lens attachment floating in front of it. The attachment consists of four circular lenses arranged in a square pattern and a single clear lens floating beside it, all set against a plain background.

The camera’s autofocus system relies upon Polaroid’s tried-and-true sonar system. The camera has a speaker on its front that sends out sonar waves to determine the subject’s distance from the camera. Since sonar is not dependent upon ambient lighting conditions, the camera’s autofocus system works even in complete darkness — a good chance to test drive that powerful new flash.

A person with curly hair and glasses uses a vintage camera near a pool table. A man in a striped jacket stands in the background. The setting appears to be indoors, with various furniture and a painting on the wall.

On the back of the Polaroid Flip is a viewfinder LED. This is used for framing and also includes a small light that lights up red to alert the user when a shot is under or overexposed or when a subject is too close to the lens. “There’s nothing like a fair warning before taking a bad shot,” Polaroid says.

Other design features include an on-camera display that shows settings and shooting modes and wireless app connectivity that enables photographers to control the camera via their smartphone.

Close-up of a white electronic device with a digital display. The display shows several icons including a lightning bolt, battery, timer, and plus/minus symbols, along with a number eight. Below is a row of segmented colored bars in red, orange, yellow, and green.

“Polaroid Flip is more than just a camera — it’s an invitation to embrace real-life moments. In this hyper-digitized, constantly doomscrolling, high-anxiety age, the Polaroid Flip offers a way to connect with life’s best moments — the real, tangible, analog ones; with eight pictures in a pack that will connect to life far more than 800 digital ones,” Polaroid explains.

Two people interacting with a dog outdoors. One person, wearing an orange shirt, is taking a Polaroid photo of the dog. A hand reaches out to the dog, which is sniffing it. The scene is lively and casual.

Pricing and Availability: Polaroid Flip Arrives Later This Month

The Polaroid Flip is available to purchase now for Polaroid members. It is $199.99 in the United States, £199.99 in the United Kingdom, and €219 in Europe. It will ship on April 29 from Polaroid.com and will arrive to authorized retailers a few weeks later on May 13. The Polaroid Flip is compatible with Polaroid i-Type and 600 film, and the camera recharges via USB-C.

It is also worth noting that new Polaroid members can preorder the new Polaroid Flip for 10% off, bringing its price down to $179.99 in the U.S.

Image credits: Polaroid