In recent years, instant cameras have experienced a true revival, with brands such as Fujifilm's Instax and Polaroid benefiting from the trend. On Tuesday, September 29, Polaroid unveiled the Polaroid Mod, an entirely analog instant camera designed to offer more creative control than previous models. Its standout feature is a ring around the lens that provides direct access to four creative shooting modes. Previously, effects such as double exposure and light painting were controlled through the Polaroid smartphone app. With the Mod, users can simply turn the ring and take a shot for the effect to be printed directly on the film. The Polaroid Mod sits between two other models in the Polaroid range: the fully automatic Now and the fully manual I-2. The Mod includes a classic automatic mode and four special effects. Double Exposure captures the same photo twice, overlapping the two images. Split Shot uses a mask to capture two halves of a scene without overlap. Motion Freeze combines a long exposure with a flash triggered at the end, creating a sharp subject against a blurred background. Light Painting records the trails of a flashlight or candle over a seven-second exposure, typically requiring a tripod for sharp backgrounds. The Polaroid Mod incorporates features from the Polaroid Now+ Gen 2, including a two-lens autofocus system. The device automatically selects between a lens for close-up shots (0.40 to 1.3 meters) and one for distant subjects (one meter to infinity). This is a two-zone focusing system, simpler than the autofocus of a digital camera. The Mod offers six apertures, from f/11 to f/64, and includes a brightness dial to adjust exposure. It uses Polaroid i-Type and 600 films in both color and black and white. Powered by a rechargeable USB-C battery, it can take 15 film loads or 120 photos. It measures 162 × 110 × 98 mm and weighs 520 grams without film, making it larger and heavier than the Now+ Gen 2. The Polaroid Mod enters a market currently dominated by Instax cameras, a range launched by Fujifilm in 1998. The Instax Mini 12, an entry-level model, costs around 80 to 90 euros in France and offers automatic exposure only. The Instax format produces smaller prints—46 × 62 mm for the Mini and larger sizes for the Square and Wide films. In contrast, the Polaroid i-Type film produces a square image of about 8 centimeters on each side. However, the larger format comes at a higher cost. In France, Instax Mini film costs less than one euro per photo, while Polaroid i-Type film costs about 2.25 euros per shot. The Polaroid Mod is available on Polaroid's American online store for $169.99 (approximately 150 euros HT) and will be sold by American retailers starting October 6. The brand has not yet announced plans to sell the Mod in France, though it intends to release it globally in early 2027, with no official date or price yet given.