Last Updated on 03/15/2024 by Chris Gampat
Today, Polaroid is announcing their new collab with Basquiat. This yields us a new Now Gen 2 camera, type-i color film, and a new camera strap all uniquely illustrated with 10 different frames of Basquiat’s distinctive artwork, according to the press communcations. It’s also an ode to their past and the artists who loved them: like Keith Haring and David Bowie. This is obviously an ode to Jean-Michel Basquiat. Like most collabs, there isn’t anything different about the insides of the camera or how it operates. Instead, it’s just a new skin.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York – Partnership done in collaboration with Artestar, a global licensing agency and creative consultancy representing high-profile artists.
The special Now Gen 2 camera retains the really cool features of the original. The lens was still designed by former Olympus engineers. It also still boasts LiDAR autofocus. You can also charge it via USB-C. And while I was lukewarm about it in my camera review, I can fully admit that the images I gave people put massive smiles on their faces. You can use the Polaroid x Basquiat Now Gen 2 to shoot images with manual control and also make multiple exposures. By all means, it’s a pretty revolutionary camera even if I wish the brand went further with it.
Honestly, I love special edition cameras that don’t hold back on the designs. The Leica collab with Lenny Kravitz is something that I still sometimes lust over. And Lomography tends to do fascinating collabs, such as what they’ve done with William Klein. These are better than what Fujifilm has done recently with the X100Vi. And this new Polaroid collab is a reimagining of the camera’s exterior instead of a little tiny stamp and serial number. They’re also making special film and a strap. All of this is for under $200 — how can you go wrong?
Still, there isn’t a lot to complain about unless you truly plan on taking this camera everywhere with you. The new camera will retail for around $130 while the new film will cost photographers around $20 for 8 shot cassettes. The special edition strap costs around $25. Those prices are insanely friendly to anyone that’s into instant film. And if you think that 8 shots for $20 is expensive, consider the fact that you’re not going to waste the photos and instead be very careful about how you shoot. You’re also not using it to replace your phone or other cameras. Instead, it works complimentary to them. So essentially, it just requires discipline.
You can check it out on Polaroids Website.