22 The latest Polaroid camera and pocket printer
These two new gadgets are designed to give your photos the tactile lives they deserve. Deputy Editor TYSON JOPSON tested them out
‘Someday my prints will come (again),’ sang Snow White when she realised the days of celluloid film were over. She was right. Instant pics are back in fashion. This is the latest duo by Polaroid. First up is the Polaroid Snap Touch. Where its predecessor, the Polaroid Snap, printed every image you took, the addition of a large 89mm touchscreen lets you review and edit the images you want to print. Features include a massive 13-megapixel sensor, magnetic lens cap, autofocus, micro-SD card, a selfie mirror and in-camera oddities such as florid frames, filters and stickers. It’s quirky, stylish and easy to use, but that’s where my love for it ends. For all those mexapixels, the digital image quality is subpar, the menu is clunky and the ZINK (zero ink, it uses heat) prints are not just poor, they also lack the mitigating, lo-fi Polaroid feel. This one, I’m afraid, is best suited for the kids. Next is the Polaroid ZIP Instant Photoprinter, a mobile printer that fits in your pocket and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and an app. It’s a magnificent attempt at releasing your images from digital prison and because it relies on your phone camera, they don’t suffer the same fate as those from the Snap Touch. Print quality (ZINK too) is still underwhelming but with a good in-phone editing app (try Snapseed) you’ll get something worth pinning to your wall.
Snap Touch is R3 489. ZIP Instant Photoprinter is R2 089. cameraland.co.za