Impossible made big waves when the company helped revive the Polaroid photo format, and now it wants to usher in a new era of instant film, with the release of the I-1 Instant Film Camera. Now in stock and ready to ship, the I-1 is the first brand-new camera system to use the classic Polaroid 600-type format in more than 20 years. The camera’s key difference from a classic model is that it manages to blend the simplicity and usability of the old-school system with the technology and capabilities of the modern age.
Designed from the ground up, the I-1 has a distinct, relatively compact design that squeezes in a number of unique features, one of the most surprising being Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy that allows you to connect to a device running a dedicated app on iOS or WatchOS. This app provides a number of modes, including the straightforward Remote Trigger, Manual Mode, and Self Timer options alongside much more involved Double Exposure, Noise Trigger, Light, Paint, and Color Paint settings for taking your instant photography to new dimensions.
In terms of basic operation, the I-1 offers an 82-109mm lens with a 5-zone autofocus system that ensures your subjects will be tack sharp. Depending on the zone needed, the focal length will fluctuate slightly, but the changes are slight and composition is made possible through a removable pop-up optical viewfinder at the top of the camera. One of the signatures of a Polaroid image has been the flash, which the I-1 upgrades to an advanced ring light with 12 LEDs that will light up your subject. And, to make things easy during everyday use, the camera offers physical lighten/darken and flash on/off controls for dialing-in the appropriate look and exposure.
Along with the camera, Impossible has developed a couple of unique accessories: the I-1 Neck Strap and I-1 Case that will help you flesh out your new instant camera kit.