In the world of instant cameras, no name comes close to carrying as much clout as Polaroid. Following on from the OneStep 2 and OneStep Plus — launched after the acquisition of the brand by Impossible Project — the photographic icon has recently announced that it will be going through a mild identity change, from Polaroid Originals back to simply Polaroid. To accompany this, a new camera, the Polaroid Now, has also been unveiled.

The biggest talking point for the Now is the new autofocus functionality. Polaroid has claimed that the new lens can automatically switch between distance and portrait formats. A more accurate flash is also offered, which adjusts its strength according to the available light in the environment. Fewer blown-out, overexposed images should result and because you’re not able to simply look at the image on the back of the camera, and just delete it if it hasn’t worked well as you would on a digital camera, this new focus system should dramatically cut down on film wastage, making for better shots, more of the time. Finally, the battery has also been upgraded to now last for up to 15 packs of the film. All this, combined with the double exposure and self-timer functions, make the Poloroid Now the new yardstick for fun, instant photography.

Aesthetically, this new model inherits the classic shape of the brand, albeit with rounder edges for a slightly more modern look. On top of the neutral black and white as the core colour options, the Polaroid Now will also be available in a wide range of vivid colours including red, orange, yellow, green, and blue for a limited time only.