Camera tricks like light trails and double exposures are typically complex processes that require understanding at least a bit of camera jargon. But Polaroid’s newest camera wants to make photography tricks almost as simple as turning a mode dial.
The Polaroid Mod, unveiled on September 29, is a fully analog instant camera designed around experimental photography. The Mod looks quite a bit like other recent full-sized Polaroids except for one big feature: a mode dial wrapped around the lens.
The mode dial has, of course, an automatic mode that gets the typical shots. But the other four spaces on the mode dial are dedicated to experimental photography, including double exposures and light painting.
A split shot mode uses a half lens cap to cover half the lens to get two photos into the same iconic Polaroid white frame.
A “motion freeze” mode mixes a long exposure with a rear-curtain sync flash – photography jargon that means it creates a light trail but uses flash so the subject is still sharp.
On a typical camera, those four camera tricks typically require leaving auto mode and entering full manual mode. The Polaroid Mod makes those tricks more accessible by treating long-standing camera tricks like scene modes.
There’s still some know-how required to use the Mod. For example, you need to know that the light painting mode requires a tripod (or a table, since the bottom of the camera is nice and flat) – and that’s all explained in the intro instructions that come with the camera. Similarly, the best double exposure shots come from understanding that high-contrast shots and textures work well.
I think the Polaroid Mod’s biggest trick is that both new and seasoned photographers alike are able to have some fun experimenting with the same camera. I’m a pro photographer, and while I did wish for manual mode to make the light painting exposures a bit longer and brighter, I still had a lot of fun with the Mod.
While the Mod doesn’t have manual modes, it does have an exposure compensation dial as well as the ability to turn the flash off. Like other modern Polaroid cameras, the battery is rechargeable via a simple USB-C.
The Mod is a refreshingly fun camera that rebels against pixel-peeping perfection. The Polaroid Mod is launching in the US on October 06, with additional countries to follow in early 2027. The Mod lists for $169.99 / £149.99 – which puts the camera between options like the Polaroid Now+ Gen 3 and the Polaroid Flip.
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Read the full Polaroid Mod review for more insight, or browse the best instant cameras.
