The Polaroid Now ($99.99) is the latest instant camera from the brand that invented the medium. It replaces the Polaroid Originals OneStep 2 and promises better close focus for selfies and portraits, the ease of one-button operation, and, of course, the iconic square photo format. But it's held back by film materials that are costly and tricky to use, and autofocus that doesn't always find its target. If you want a square format camera that's easy to use, get the Fujifilm Instax SQ6, and if you prefer one that's better for artsy shots, check out the Lomo'Instant Square.

Retro Looks, Fun Colors

Polaroid's designers have a lot of affection for the '70s aesthetic, and it shows here. The camera is bright, with a rainbow stripe accent and your choice of colors. We received one in blue for review, but you can also opt for green, red, or yellow. If you prefer less flash, you can get it in black or white too.

Its size is dictated, at least in part, by the instant film format. It works with I-Type and 600 format cartridges, and needs to be big enough to hold the film. The camera measures 4.4 by 3.7 by 5.9 inches (HWD) and weighs 15.3 ounces. There's no tripod socket, but you can connect a neck strap (included) via two loop attachments at the rear.

Film loads in the front—you get eight shots per pack—and ejects from the front. An opaque black plastic sheet covers the film as it exits the camera—a reminder that modern Polaroid film has to be shielded from light as it develops, at least if you want the best results.

Controls are as simple as it gets. The red button on the front sets focus and takes pictures, and there's a small self-timer control on the front as well—pressing it twice puts the camera into an artistic double exposure mode. Power and flash controls are on the rear, as is a small LED display that shows how many shots are left in your film pack.

The Now is a pure film camera, so there's no digital display, nor do you get the option to print only the shots you want, both offered by the hybrid Fujifilm SQ20. It also skips out on any sort of Bluetooth connectivity or smartphone control, something you get with the still-available Polaroid OneStep+. It still requires power—an internal battery charges via micro USB and is rated for 20 packs of film per charge.

An optical viewfinder is used to frame shots. It's a fixed finder, positioned next to the lens, without any sort of information overlay or other distractions. There's no selfie mirror, but it's easy enough to frame up a shot—hold the camera at arm's length and center the lens on your face. Still, a mirror would have been nice.

The angle of view is relatively wide, similar to a 35mm full-frame lens when focused far away, and slightly narrower (40mm) when focused close. Lens quality is okay—the f/11 design means you'll need to use the in-camera flash for most shots, and optical-grade plastics are still just that—photos aren't as sharp as you get with a glass lens.

Autofocus doesn't always get it right, though. I threw out a few shots because the camera focused on something far away instead of up close. Because the camera was focusing farther away, the flash also fired a bit more powerfully, giving the misfocused images a washed out look—a double whammy of bad.

These weren't difficult shots either—I'm talking large objects, prominently centered in frame. It's a shame, and made me miss the simplicity of the manual close-distant focus toggle used by the OneStep+.

Shade It Like a Polaroid Picture

Missing focus on a shot here and there wouldn't be as frustrating if it weren't for the price of materials. A pack of Polaroid I-Type costs $16—a dollar less if you go for a three pack—and includes just eight pictures.

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Do the math and you'll discover that each shutter press costs about $2; Fujifilm Instax Square film isn't quite as large, so you get a physically smaller image, but it's priced around $0.85 per image.

I'd be more forgiving of Polaroid's pricing if its film was fantastic. But it's not, at least when talking about color. Colors are muted, and sometimes show odd tints. I didn't work with the Now in cold weather, but you'll get a decided green shift when photographing on cold winter mornings.

The color film also has to be shielded from light as it develops. The Now has a long protective film that rolls out and covers the photo as it ejects from the camera. This frog tongue is a necessity if you want good colors out of the new film.

It's also a bit of a pain—leave film in too long and your print will curl—I try and leave the print covered for a good minute and then transfer it into a backpack. You don't get to shake your shots at parties anymore, now you've got to shade them.

You don't have to worry about it with black-and-white film, though. Polaroid's monochrome stock may be the reason to buy the camera—you don't have to block it from light as it develops, and it shows excellent contrast. Meanwhile, Fujifilm doesn't make square film in black and white, despite having it in Mini and Wide formats.

I'll also say that I miss some of the limited edition, experimental films that Polaroid made a few years ago, when it was still called the Impossible Project. I decided to use my last pack of Third Man Records film, a black-and-yellow duochrome with a black border, for this review. But today, special edition films are limited to different border colors—not nearly as compelling.

Autofocus Frustrations

The last few Polaroid cameras—the OneStep 2, OneStep+, and now the Now—have shared a lot in terms of function and aesthetics. The OneStep 2 kept things as simple as possible, but didn't focus that close, while the OneStep+ added a close-up focus mode, but made you switch to it manually.

The Polaroid Now adds autofocus, but it misses often enough to make it more of a downside than a positive, and doesn't include some of the more creative-friendly features, like Bluetooth control for long exposure and other manual shots, that you get with the OneStep+.

For $100, the Polaroid Now will entice some buyers. Nostalgia for happier times, the novelty of instant film, the colorful look and impulse-friendly price...it's all there. This isn't a great camera for casual snapshooters, though. If that's you, get a Fujifilm Instax model—the Mini series is very popular, and Instax Square is there if you must have square prints.

If you love the larger frame of a Polaroid shot, and don't mind the costs of film, I'd point you toward the OneStep+ instead. It costs a bit more—it's selling for $140—but that's not a huge gap when you take film costs into account.