How to Choose Between Polaroid 600, SX-70 and Other Vintage Instant Cameras
There is something about a Polaroid photograph that still feels different. You press the shutter, hear the camera work and a physical photograph appears in front of you. There is no screen to check and no batch of images waiting on a memory card. You get one photograph from one moment, and within minutes you can actually hold it.
That immediacy is a large part of the reason vintage Polaroid cameras remain so appealing. They work brilliantly at parties, on holidays and for everyday photographs with friends and family, but they also appeal to photographers who simply want something more physical and less predictable than taking another picture on a phone.
Buying an old Polaroid can be confusing, though. A Polaroid 600 camera, a Land Camera 1000 and an SX-70 may all produce the familiar square instant photograph, but they do not necessarily use the same film or work in the same way. Some have built-in flash, some do not. Some use simple fixed-focus lenses, while others offer close-focus settings or autofocus. Even the way the camera receives power may depend on the film you put into it.
That is why the best place to start is not with whichever model looks coolest. Start with the film system, then work backwards to the camera that suits how you actually want to take photographs. Browse Film Camera Store's Instant Film Cameras
Why Buy a Vintage Polaroid Camera?
A vintage Polaroid is not the cheapest way to take photographs, and it is not trying to compete with digital photography for sharpness, speed or technical perfection. That is not really the point.
Instant photography is appealing because the photograph becomes an object almost immediately. You can hand it to somebody, pin it to a wall, put it into an album or write a date and message on the border. It never has to disappear into a phone gallery or sit untouched on a hard drive.
That makes an instant film camera especially enjoyable for birthdays, weddings, holidays, nights out and ordinary moments with friends and family. There is a little unpredictability involved too. Lighting, temperature, exposure and the film itself can all influence the finished photograph, so two pictures taken only minutes apart may look slightly different.
Vintage Polaroids add another layer to the experience. A camera from the 1980s or 1990s looks, feels and sounds like a product from that period. The boxy body, flash charging, film cartridge and sound of the print being ejected are all part of using it. For many photographers, that is exactly the appeal.
Start With the Film: Polaroid 600, SX-70 and Other Formats
This is the most important part of buying an old Polaroid. Polaroid has produced numerous instant-film formats over the years, and they are not all interchangeable. Some older formats have now disappeared completely, which means an attractive vintage camera may be better suited to a shelf than to regular photography.
For most people looking for a usable vintage Polaroid today, the two important systems are Polaroid 600 film and SX-70 film. Both formats are still manufactured, while newer Polaroid systems also include i-Type and Go film.
i-Type is important to understand because it does not contain the battery needed to power most traditional vintage Polaroid cameras. Vintage 600 and SX-70 cameras were designed around film packs that include their own power source.
That is one of the unusual things about classic Polaroid photography. On many vintage cameras, loading a fresh film pack is also effectively installing a fresh battery.
Before buying any vintage Polaroid, check the exact model and the film it needs. Do not assume that every familiar-looking box camera takes 600 film.
Film Camera Store's Instant Film collection is the natural place to check compatible film alongside the camera.
Why Polaroid 600 Is Such a Good Starting Point
For somebody wanting a straightforward vintage Polaroid, the Polaroid 600 family is usually one of the easiest places to start.
The 600 system became hugely popular during the 1980s and 1990s and includes a wide variety of cameras, from simple box-style models to cameras with close-up controls and more sophisticated focusing systems.
The attraction is easy to understand. Most 600 cameras were designed around automatic exposure, uncomplicated focusing and built-in flash. You load the film, frame the photograph and press the shutter. The camera does most of the rest.
That makes them particularly well suited to someone buying their first vintage instant camera.
Film Camera Store regularly carries models such as the Spirit 600, Sun 600, Supercolour 600, 636 Close Up, ONE 600 and other cameras from the 600 family as stock changes.
If you want to look more closely at one model, FCS also has a dedicated guide to the Polaroid Spirit 600. The broader Polaroid collection is the better permanent destination if you want to compare different vintage Polaroid cameras rather than rely on individual product pages that may sell through.
The Battery Is in the Film Pack
One of the strangest things for somebody coming from 35mm cameras is that many classic Polaroids do not use a normal replaceable battery in the camera body.
Instead, the battery is built into the film cartridge. On a vintage 600 camera, that pack powers the electrical systems needed to operate the camera, which can include the shutter, exposure system, flash and film-ejection mechanism.
That matters when buying an old camera. A vintage Polaroid that appears completely dead with no film inserted is not necessarily faulty, because there may simply be nothing powering it. Equally, pressing a shutter button on an empty camera tells you very little about whether the flash, exposure system and ejection mechanism work correctly.
A proper functional test therefore needs a powered film pack or an appropriate test cartridge.
Modern i-Type film works differently. Newer i-Type cameras contain their own rechargeable battery, so the film pack itself does not need one. That is why i-Type film cannot simply be used to power a traditional vintage 600 or SX-70 camera.
Polaroid 600 or SX-70?
Although 600 and SX-70 photographs share the familiar Polaroid shape, the films are not identical. SX-70 film is substantially slower than 600 film, which means it needs considerably more light.
That difference affects how the cameras behave in real use. A classic folding SX-70 is a much more involved photographic tool than a typical 600 box camera. The original SX-70 was a folding single-lens reflex instant camera, and Polaroid produced both manual-focus and later autofocus versions.
Traditional SX-70 cameras also generally lack the built-in flash found on many 600 models, making good available light or a separate flash accessory more important.
A 600-series camera is usually easier for parties, indoor photography and casual snapshots because the faster film and built-in flash give it more flexibility when the light is poor.
That does not make 600 better. It simply means the two systems suit different photographers. If you want a straightforward vintage instant camera that anybody can pick up and use, 600 is usually the simpler choice. If you specifically want the folding design, SLR viewing and a more deliberate shooting experience, an SX-70 can be hugely rewarding.
What About the Polaroid Land Camera 1000?
The Polaroid Land Camera 1000 is a perfect example of why appearance alone cannot tell you which film a vintage Polaroid needs.
It has the familiar box-camera design, rainbow stripe and large front shutter button, but it is not a 600 camera. The Land Camera 1000 uses SX-70 film, has a fixed-focus 103mm lens and does not include a built-in flash.
That gives it a very different personality from a later 600 model. In good daylight, its simplicity is part of the charm. Indoors or in poor light, however, the slower SX-70 film and lack of built-in flash make it much less forgiving.
For somebody who loves the original OneStep-style appearance and expects to use the camera mainly outdoors, that may be exactly what they want. For somebody buying a camera for parties, birthdays or evenings indoors, a 600 model with flash is generally more practical.
Fixed Focus, Close-Up Modes and Autofocus
Many vintage Polaroids were designed specifically to avoid complicated focusing. A large number use fixed focus, meaning the lens is set up to keep subjects within a useful distance range acceptably sharp without the photographer having to focus manually.
For ordinary photographs of people, groups and everyday scenes, that works perfectly well. The important thing is learning the camera's usable distance range and avoiding subjects that are simply too close.
Some cameras add an extra close-up setting. The Polaroid 636 Close Up, for example, uses 600 film and gives the photographer a separate close-focus option alongside its normal range.
Other Polaroid models use autofocus systems, including selected Sonar-equipped cameras. If autofocus matters to you, check the actual specification rather than assuming every later 600 camera focuses automatically.
Built-In Flash Matters More Than You Might Expect
If you expect to use your Polaroid indoors, at parties or during evenings out, built-in flash is one of the most useful features to look for.
Many classic 600-series cameras include automatic flash because they were designed for exactly that sort of casual social photography. The direct flash also contributes to the familiar instant-camera look: a brightly lit subject, a darker background and a very immediate snapshot feel.
Earlier cameras such as the Land Camera 1000 do not include built-in flash, while traditional folding SX-70 cameras may require a separate accessory. That can be completely acceptable for daylight photography, but it becomes much more important if you plan to use the camera indoors.
This is one of those decisions that matters more in practice than the name on the front of the camera. A simpler 600 model with reliable flash may suit somebody's actual photography far better than a more collectible camera that is difficult to use in the situations they care about.
What Does the Lighten/Darken Control Do?
Many vintage Polaroids have a simple lighten/darken exposure control. It does not give you full manual exposure; it simply tells the automatic exposure system to make the photograph somewhat lighter or darker than its normal reading.
This can be useful in awkward light. A very bright background may cause the camera to make the person in front of it too dark, for example. Conversely, a scene with a lot of darkness may benefit from a slightly darker setting if the camera is trying to brighten everything excessively.
For a first pack of film, the sensible approach is to leave the control around its normal position and learn how the camera behaves before changing it. With only a limited number of photographs in each instant-film pack, there is little value in adjusting controls without a reason.
What Should You Check Before Buying a Vintage Polaroid?
Vintage Polaroids often look mechanically simple, but several systems still need to work together before the camera can expose and eject a usable photograph.
Start with the body. Folding sections, film doors and flash housings should open and close properly, and plastic catches should not be cracked or loose. Inspect the lens and viewfinder for obvious damage, haze or contamination.
The rollers are especially important. The instant photograph passes through them as it leaves the camera, and they help spread the developing chemistry across the image. Dirty or damaged rollers can contribute to uneven development and visible marks, so they should be clean and smooth.
If the camera has built-in flash, check that it charges and fires correctly when the camera is powered. The shutter, exposure system and film-ejection mechanism should also be tested rather than simply assuming that a clean-looking camera is functional.
Remember that vintage 600 and SX-70 cameras normally rely on the battery contained in the film pack. Testing one without an appropriate power source does not tell you very much.
This is where buying a tested vintage camera from a specialist can make a real difference. A Polaroid may appear extremely simple from the outside, but several ageing electrical and mechanical components still need to work together every time you press the shutter.
Do All Old Polaroid Cameras Still Have Film Available?
No. This is one of the most important things to check before buying a vintage Polaroid because the company produced many different film systems over the decades, and not all of them are still supported. Some older formats are now discontinued, which means a camera can look perfectly usable while compatible film is difficult, expensive or effectively impossible to find.
For most people who want to buy a vintage Polaroid and actually use it, 600 and SX-70 are the two formats that matter most. Both remain available, which is why cameras built around those systems are generally the safest choice for regular shooting. You can check currently available options in Film Camera Store's Instant Film collection, while the Polaroid camera collection is useful for comparing vintage models that use those supported formats.
That leads to one of the simplest but most useful buying rules in this guide: choose a camera whose film you can still buy. An unusual old Polaroid may look fantastic on a shelf, but if your aim is to take photographs rather than collect cameras, film availability should come before rarity or appearance.
Is Polaroid 600 Film Still Available?
Yes. Polaroid continues to produce 600 film for vintage 600-series cameras, and Film Camera Store also carries compatible film through its Instant Film collection.
Current 600 film packs contain eight exposures, and the cartridge includes the battery used by compatible vintage cameras.
Availability at any individual retailer naturally changes, so it is worth checking film at the same time as the camera rather than treating it as something to sort out afterwards.
Are Vintage Polaroid Cameras Good for Beginners?
A straightforward 600-series Polaroid can be one of the easiest introductions to analogue photography. There is no film to rewind and no need to wait for an entire roll to come back from processing. On many models there are very few controls to learn.
You load the film, frame the photograph and press the shutter. The camera ejects the print and, after a short wait, the image develops in front of you.
That simplicity makes a vintage Polaroid particularly accessible to somebody who likes the idea of analogue photography but has no immediate interest in learning aperture values, shutter speeds and manual focusing.
There is still a learning curve. Flash distance matters, very close subjects may fall outside the camera's focusing range, temperature can affect instant film and every press of the shutter has a very obvious cost attached to it. But those limitations are also part of what makes instant photography feel deliberate without becoming technically complicated.
Vintage Polaroid or a Modern Instant Camera?
There are good reasons to choose either.
A modern instant camera can provide newer electronics, its own rechargeable battery and additional creative controls. Modern Polaroid i-Type cameras, for example, do not need a battery inside every film pack because the camera itself supplies the power.
A vintage Polaroid offers something different: the original design and handling that many people actually associate with instant photography. For some buyers, they do not simply want an instant print; they want to use an original 600-series camera or an older SX-70-based model from the era that made Polaroid such a recognisable part of photographic culture.
There is no need to pretend the vintage option is technically superior. Its appeal is partly photographic, partly tactile and partly historical.
Which Vintage Polaroid Should You Buy?
For a first vintage instant camera, a 600-series model with built-in flash is usually the easiest recommendation. Models such as the Spirit 600, Sun 600, Supercolour 600, 636 Close Up and similar cameras are straightforward to understand, and they use a film format that is still manufactured.
If you expect to photograph people at closer distances, a model such as the 636 Close Up gives you an additional near-focus setting. If autofocus matters to you, look for an appropriate autofocus or Sonar-equipped model rather than assuming every later 600 camera focuses automatically.
If you prefer the earlier OneStep-style appearance and expect to shoot mainly outdoors, an SX-70-film camera such as the Land Camera 1000 provides a simpler, more daylight-dependent experience.
If you specifically want the famous folding SLR design, an SX-70 is another category again: more sophisticated, more collectible and more demanding, but also one of the most distinctive instant cameras ever made.
The important thing is not to buy simply because the camera says Polaroid on the front. Buy the Polaroid whose film, focusing system, flash and level of automation suit the photographs you actually want to take.
The Best Polaroid Is the One You Can Keep Shooting
It is easy to become distracted by unusual colours, collector appeal and individual model names. Those things can be part of the fun, particularly if you enjoy collecting cameras.
For somebody who actually wants to use the camera, though, three things matter more: the film needs to be available, the camera needs to work properly, and its features need to suit the situations in which you plan to use it.
A straightforward Polaroid 600 with a reliable flash may give somebody far more enjoyment than a rarer camera whose film is unavailable or whose features do not suit the way they photograph.
That is particularly true with instant photography because the film is not simply an accessory to the camera. The camera and film are one system.
Final Thoughts
Vintage Polaroid cameras remain popular because they offer something digital photography does not quite reproduce. The photograph does not stay hidden on a screen. It comes out of the camera, develops in front of you and becomes something you can physically keep or give away.
For somebody buying their first vintage Polaroid, the simplest route is usually a Polaroid 600 camera with built-in flash and currently available 600 film. Those cameras were designed from the outset to make instant photography accessible, and that simplicity still works decades later.
SX-70-based cameras offer a different experience, but they require more consideration around light, flash and film compatibility. They can be extremely rewarding, but they are not automatically the best starting point simply because some models are more collectible.
Whichever route you take, check the film format before buying, choose a camera that has been properly tested and think about where you realistically expect to use it. Those things matter far more than choosing whichever vintage Polaroid happens to be fashionable at the moment.
Browse Film Camera Store's Vintage Polaroid & Instant Film Cameras
(FCS-B-107)
