After ushering in a new era of instant film, Impossible has taken another step towards a full revival of instant imaging with the creation of the I-1 Instant Film Camera. The first new camera in years to accept Polaroid 600-type instant film, the I-1 is a fresh take on a classic, offering the legendary format with advanced features and capabilities.
For imaging, the camera relies on an 82-109mm lens with a 5-zone autofocus system. Depending on the zone, the focal length will fluctuate slightly. Of course, the changes are slight and composition is made easy with a removable pop-up optical viewfinder on the top of the camera. One of the signatures of classic Polaroid images is the flash, and the I-1 brings it to modern times with an advanced ring flash that offers twelve LEDs to illuminate your subject. For tactile control, the I-1 has physical lighten/darken and flash on/off controls to help dial in the appropriate exposures. For advanced techniques, the camera offers Bluetooth LE 4.0 connectivity for connecting to a smartphone or tablet.
Using an iOS or watchOS device, photographers can take full control over the camera, including full manual operation, remote triggering, and even a variety of creative modes. Additionally, the camera has a built-in USB-rechargeable lithium-ion battery that allows it to work with I-type film that does not have a battery pack and it has a 1/4"-20 tripod thread on the base.
- Remote Trigger: Use your phone as a wireless remote for the I-1, triggering it from a distance or for selfies and group pictures.
- Manual Mode: Take full control over aperture, shutter speed, flash strength, and focus distance.
- Self Timer: Set the I-1 to capture a photo after a 5, 10, or 20 second delay.
- Double Exposure: Superimpose two images on a single piece of instant film by exposing the single sheet twice.
- Noise Trigger: Trigger a photo by making a loud noise like a click or a clap.
- Light Paint: Use your phone's flashlight to draw lines and shapes with light on your photos or selectively illuminate areas of a darkened scene.
- Color Paint: Draw waves of colored light onto your images before they develop by picking a color from your phone's screen and moving it in front of the lens as the camera prepares the photo.
- Scanner: Allows you to take a digital photo of your instant photo, crop the frame, and then share it online.