PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Polaroid Originals Brand Launches With OneStep 2 Camera

The recent marriage of Polaroid and Impossible brands nets a new moniker, camera, and film.

 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

The Impossible Project has been doing its best to keep old Polaroid cameras fed with film for several years, and has even released its own modern take on the instant camera, the I-1. At the same time, the Polaroid brand has been applied to all types of products that have nothing to do with photography, instant or otherwise—televisions, remote control quadcopters, headphones, you name it.

It looks like that's changing. In May, the Polaroid brand was acquired by Impossible's majority shareholder, Wiaceczlaw Smolokowski, and today it's merging with Impossible and returning to its instant, analog roots, under a new banner: Polaroid Originals. Smolokowski's son, Oskar, will serve as CEO, the same position he held at Impossible.

Polaroid Originals FilmTo coincide with Polaroid's 80th birthday, the company is announcing its first Polaroid Originals product, the OneStep 2 camera. It looks like a more simplified version of the I-1. It sports an internal rechargeable battery, so you won't have to rely on film packs for power, along with a built-in flash, an exposure compensation control switch, and one-button operation. It's housed in a sleek, retro exterior that makes it clear that it's a spiritual successor to the classic OneStep.

It's also much more affordable than the I-1. The OneStep 2 is debuting at just $99.99, broadening its appeal and making the cost of film a bit more palatable. It starts on Oct. 16.

Originals is also releasing newly formulated film. The new film, available in color or black-and-white, will sell in packs of eight exposures for the I-1 and OneStep 2 for $15.99. It can also be had in SX-70, 600, or Spetra formats, with a battery to power vintage cameras, for $18.99. It starts shipping today.

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

Read full bio