The Polaroid Now+ Generation 3 ($139.99) is a slightly upgraded version of the first-edition Now+ that I reviewed a few years ago. Like its predecessor, the Now+ mixes a cheeky '90s-style exterior with simple one-button operation, and more creative features available via a Bluetooth-connected app. However, its color I-Type film isn't always predictable, must be shielded from light as it begins to develop, and is expensive to use. Casual snappers who want an instant camera that makes it easy to get good-looking pictures should instead opt for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 99, our Editors' Choice in the category. Artsy photogs and shutterbugs who want to use Polaroid film regardless should get the $200 Flip, which makes it easier to capture good photos, and is our Editors' Choice among I-Type instant cameras.

Design: Iconic Polaroid Silhouette

The third-generation Now+ maintains the same basic body style as earlier models. Its trapezoidal silhouette is both distinctive and common to cameras that use Polaroid film. The shape comes from mirrors inside the camera that direct light from the lens to the film cartridge. By the numbers, the Now+ measures 3.8 by 4.4 by 5.9 inches (HWD) and weighs 15.9 ounces. The Now+ is sold in four different colors: Arctic Blue, Black, Coral, and White.

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The Now+ uses a prime lens with two autofocus zones. It catches a moderately wide angle with either, about the same as a 35mm full-frame prime at distance (1m to infinity), and a slightly narrower 40mm angle for close-ups (0.4-1m), typical of a snapshot camera. For arm's-length selfies, you'll get one person in frame easily, and you'll have to squeeze in tight to get a photo with a friend.

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Polaroid also sells a Now Generation 3, which is physically identical on the outside, but does not include Bluetooth, so it does not offer any app-based manual control. The Now costs less, $119.99, and is available in a different set of colors: Arctic Blue, Coral, Pebble White, Purple, and Yellow. Since the Now is so close to the Now+ in price and concept, I don't plan on reviewing it separately.

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The camera has a built-in battery and charges via USB-C. The battery is rated for about 15 packs of film (120 photos) and does a good job of holding a charge between uses. I topped off the battery when I unboxed the Now+ for review, and still see a green light when I power it on, about six weeks and four packs of film later.

The first-gen Now+ shipped with a set of push-on creative filters to add a color cast or soft focus effect to pictures, but does not bundle them with the Gen 3. You can still use the same filters if you have them from an older camera, however, or purchase them separately for $19.99. Filters are useful for adding a color cast to a color picture or shifting the tonal balance when using black-and-white film.

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Controls: App Required for Exposure

Without the Polariod app (available for Android and iOS), the Now+ is a simple one-button camera, just like the Now. It has an optical viewfinder for composition, a bright red shutter button that focuses the lens and takes a picture, and a button to enable or disable the built-in flash. A plus sign button on the front glows blue when connected to a smartphone and is the only physical differentiator between the Now+ and Now cameras.

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Basic operation is about what you'd expect. Put the viewfinder to your eye to find your frame, half-press the shutter focus (the camera makes a sound when the lens shifts focus, but that's normal), and press it all the way in to take a picture. Turn it around for selfies; there's no mirror to help you guide the shot, but it's easy enough to center the lens on your face.

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If you're dissatisfied with basic operation, grab the Polaroid app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The Now+ connects to the app in an instant. The app adds exposure control, a set of creative modes: Aperture, Double Exposure, Light Painting, Portrait, Remote, Self-Timer, and Tripod, plus a full Manual mode and an EV compensation function. The app is rewarding if you take a slower approach to image making. Both the Now and Now+ work with tripods too, a positive when you remember that Fujifilm leaves a tripod socket out of its Instax Square SQ1 ($119.95).

Still, I can't help but wish that the camera itself had basic EV compensation control to handle backlit and other scenes it's likely to under- or overexpose. This limitation takes away from the spontaneous nature of instant photography. It's tough to get a candid snapshot if you have to change exposure settings with your smartphone. It makes it worthwhile to step up to the Flip, which costs a little more at $200, but includes on-body EV adjustment, and also supports manual control via the Polaroid app.

(Credit: Polaroid/PCMag)

For even more granular control over pictures, consider Polaroid's flagship camera, the I-2. It is now priced at $500, a $100 reduction compared with at market introduction. The I-2 includes an easily adjustable EV compensation dial, Lidar autofocus, and a world-class viewfinder.

Image Quality: I-Type Film Can Be Unpredictable

It may be a paradox, but Polaroid's large I-Type film is the reason to choose its camera versus a Fujifilm Instax Square, but at the same time, I-Type's finicky nature is reason enough to think twice about going with a Polaroid camera.

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First, the positives. I-Type is the same size as the SX-70 and 600 series film from yesteryear. Its 3.1-inch square image area and iconic white plastic border tickle your nostalgia bone even more readily than 2.4-inch pictures from the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ40. Plus, the larger Polaroid prints look better on your fridge or bulletin board.

On the negative side, the $2-per-image cost is the most obvious red flag, but understand that color Polaroid film requires some special handling. For one, it must be shielded from light as it develops, so you should wait a good 10 seconds before you remove it from the eject slot. The camera has a long, opaque plastic tongue that shields the film surface as it ejects, which makes things easier.

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The film also shows color shift in cold or hot weather. If you take your camera out on a chilly morning, you can expect to see a cyan tint in images, and on hot days it shifts toward red. Polaroid colors aren't as punchy or naturally saturated as Fujifilm Instax. Pictures seem a little browner on Polaroid film, whereas they come out with naturally vibrant colors when using Instax. Both Polaroid and Fuji materials capture scenes with limited exposure latitude, something that is inherent to instant film in general. You can expect to see dark shadows or washed-out highlights in high contrast lighting with most instant films.

Polaroid's black-and-white film is much better than color, however, and delivers excellent contrast and tones. Its exposure latitude is also narrow, but I prefer it to Fujifilm's lower-contrast Instax Monochrome. The I-Type B&W simply has more bite and works better for the monochrome scenes, based on my tastes, though you'll disagree if you prefer a monochrome image that stresses the mid-tones.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Additionally, Polaroid occasionally produces limited-run, artistic films. In years past, I've written about its Black and Green film, and it put out a neat Reclaimed Blue stock last year. While there are no experimental stocks available at press time, it's worth seeking them out when they're available.

For fun, I shot a decade-old pack of Black and Red film. The film was way expired, but I was happy to get a few fun snapshots, including one of my cat standing in a sunbeam, along with some that didn't turn out at all. Remember that because the developing chemicals are part of each instant film frame, its shelf life is only about a year. You can prolong it by storing it in a refrigerator, but you should never freeze instant film. Polaroid has some tips to help you get the best results from its film, and it's worth reading if you're not an instant film expert.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Film type is the primary factor in picture quality among instant cameras, but it is not the only one. The lens, autofocus, and metering system matter, too, and the Now+ is pretty basic on those fronts. The Flip is better. I used the two side-by-side and found the Flip's 4-zone sonar autofocus did a better job finding its target. Since the camera knows a precise distance to its subject, it is also better able to adjust flash power.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Flip gives up the ability to use lens filters, but otherwise is an all-around better version of the Now+, for about $60 more. That's not a huge difference when you consider film costs. You'll get more keepers with the Flip, so it should make up the difference in the long run. On the other hand, if you are truly devoted to Polaroid film in particular and want on-camera exposure control, the I-2 is there.