[EMBARGO 2PM BST 29 SEPT] Polaroid has announced Mod, a new instant analogue camera designed for photographers who want to do more than point and shoot. Rather than hiding creative options in menus or an app, Mod puts four shooting modes directly on a dial around the lens: Split Shot, Motion Freeze, Double Exposure and Light Painting.
It’s a clear pitch at the growing number of instant photographers who have outgrown the basic Polaroid Now but don’t want the full manual control of the Polaroid I-2. Polaroid describes Mod as a camera for “creative people who want to do more than point and shoot, without needing to be an expert behind the camera”.
Four creative modes
Split Shot uses a supplied Split Shot accessory to divide the frame into two halves, so two different scenes can be captured on a single print.
Motion Freeze records the movement in a scene first and then fires the flash at the end of the exposure – essentially rear-curtain flash sync – to combine a sharp subject with motion trails.
Double Exposure layers two exposures onto one photo, blending subjects, scenes or moments.
Light Painting sets a long exposure so moving light sources, such as sparklers or torches, draw trails and shapes across the frame.
“With Mod, we wanted the creative experience to be built into the physical design of the camera,” said Stine Bauer Dahlberg, Chief Product Officer at Polaroid. “That’s why the four shooting modes sit directly on the dial rather than behind menus or settings. You can see them, turn to them and start experimenting.”
Photographer Linus Johnson, one of the first to use the camera, singled out Motion Freeze as his favourite, noting that the camera’s automatic metering handled the exposure so he could concentrate on composition.
Our take
Double exposure and long exposure have been possible on Polaroid cameras before, but usually via the app or a button combination. Putting them on a physical dial should make them far more approachable, and rear-sync flash is one of the most effective creative tricks in instant photography. We’ll be interested to see how much control the camera leaves in the user’s hands once a mode is selected, and we’ve asked Polaroid for a sample to test.
Polaroid Mod key features
- Instant analogue camera
- Four creative modes on the lens dial: Split Shot, Motion Freeze, Double Exposure, Light Painting
- Split Shot accessory for two-part compositions
- Automatic metering
- Built-in flash with end-of-exposure firing in Motion Freeze mode
Polaroid Mod price and availability
Polaroid Mod is available exclusively from Polaroid.com from 29 September 2026, with selected US retailers following from 6 October.
