Polaroid

The Polaroid Now Gen 3's biggest win is a redesigned light meter that finally stops blowing out your sunny-day shots. It's still a plastic fantastic toy with a build quality in the 17th percentile and zero video features. Buy it for the analog fun and USB-C convenience, but budget for the expensive film.

Performance here isn't about burst rates or sensor readout speeds. It's about how reliably the camera grabs a decent exposure without you thinking about it. The twin-lens autofocus system, which ranks in the 37th percentile for AF speed among all cameras, is simple but effective. It switches between a close-up and a distance lens automatically. In practice, it's snappy enough that you won't miss the moment, though it can hunt a bit in low light. The real star is the new light meter. Polaroid moved the sensor position, and it shows. Shots in bright sunlight are noticeably less washed out than on the Gen 2, with better detail in the highlights. Flash metering is also improved, making indoor portraits look less like a deer in headlights.

Where it falls apart is anything beyond a basic snapshot. Video is non-existent, scoring a 24th percentile, and there's zero stabilization. The fixed display is just a basic viewfinder, ranking in the 31st percentile. You're not chimping or reviewing shots on a screen. The sensor, whatever tiny thing is in there to meter light, is in the 30th percentile. This camera is a one-trick pony, but it does that trick with more polish than its predecessors.

Stacked against something like the DJI Osmo Action, the Polaroid is a completely different beast. The Osmo will run circles around it in video, stabilization, and build quality, but it won't print a physical photo. The LOUM VE418 and Gavonde W05 are cheap digital point-and-shoots that technically score higher in our database for features like video and connectivity, but their image quality is often abysmal. The Polaroid's appeal is its analog output. You're trading every modern convenience for a tangible print. Compared to Fujifilm's Instax line, the Polaroid's main rival, the Now Gen 3 shoots in a larger, square format that many prefer, but the film is pricier and the camera body is bulkier. It's a choice between a classic, imperfect aesthetic and a more consistent, budget-friendly mini print.

Pricing for the Polaroid Now Gen 3 is all over the map, with a wild spread from $85 to $24,122 across different vendors. That high end is clearly a pricing error or a scalper hoping for a miracle, but it highlights how important it is to shop around. At around $100 to $120, which is where most reputable stores list it, you're getting a fair deal for a brand-new instant camera with a rechargeable battery. The real cost isn't the camera, it's the film. Budget about $16 to $20 for a pack of 8 shots, and you'll quickly spend more on film than the camera itself if you use it regularly.

Let's get this out of the way: the Polaroid Now Gen 3 scores a 20.3 out of 100 for photography in our database. That lands it in the bottom third of cameras we've tested, but judging it by those metrics misses the point entirely. This is an analog instant camera, and its job is to spit out a physical photo in about 15 minutes, not to win a spec sheet war. The upgrades here are subtle but meaningful. A repositioned light meter and a sharper autofocus system mean you're less likely to blow out shots on a sunny day, which was a real pain point on older models. It's still made of plastic, still feels a bit like a toy, and still uses film that costs about $2 a shot. But it's also still a blast to use.

The battery is good for over 15 packs of film and charges via USB-C, which is a welcome change from hunting down obscure disposable batteries. At 449g, it's light enough to toss in a bag for a party or a day trip. The build quality sits at a lowly 17th percentile in our database, and yeah, it doesn't feel premium. But the 40% recycled materials are a nice touch. You're buying this for the experience, not the pixel count. The double-exposure and self-timer modes are genuinely fun creative tools that let you mess around without needing a phone.

Anyone looking for a practical, high-quality camera should run the other way. With a photography score of 20.3 out of 100 and a build quality in the 17th percentile, this is not a tool for capturing sharp memories or rugged adventures. If you want to shoot video, need weather sealing, or expect a digital backup of your photos, this camera will frustrate you. It's also a bad fit if you're on a tight budget, as the ongoing film cost is steep. This is purely a fun, nostalgic toy for people who can afford the consumables.

The Polaroid Now Gen 3 is a solid upgrade for anyone already invested in the Polaroid ecosystem or looking to start. The improved light meter and USB-C charging fix two of the biggest annoyances of the previous generation. It's not going to win any awards for sharpness or build quality, and our database scores reflect that. But if you want a simple, fun camera that delivers that iconic, unpredictable Polaroid look at your next gathering, this is the one to get. Just know that the film costs will add up fast.