Pokémon 30th Anniversary x Polaroid: Poké Ball Shutter Button Steals the Spotlight on Three Cameras
Polaroid is celebrating the Pokémon franchise's 30th anniversary with three collab cameras, each themed around Pikachu, Sylveon, and the Poké Ball. Pre-orders open August 25, with official release on October 5.
If there's only one detail worth remembering, it's the Poké Ball-shaped shutter button. The Polaroid Now Camera Generation 3 – Pokémon Edition comes in a red, white, and black color scheme—the same as the most basic and recognizable ball in the Pokémon franchise—and even the shutter button you press to take a photo is shaped just like it. This collab is essentially a repaint of an existing model, but where they chose to make changes is what determines whether it's actually charming.
This collaboration celebrates the Pokémon franchise's 30th anniversary, with Polaroid launching three cameras alongside film and accessories. Pre-orders open August 25 through Polaroid's official website or the Pokémon Center, with official release following on October 5.
The two cameras based on the compact Polaroid Go model are the ones most likely to catch a second glance. The Polaroid Go Camera Generation 3 – Pokémon Sylveon Edition features a white-and-pink body with a strap designed to mimic the colorful ribbons and bows on Sylveon; the Pikachu Edition comes in yellow with a strap shaped directly after Pikachu's tail. Both cameras retain the enhanced flash and closer-focusing lens already found on the third-generation Go model, and both are priced at $100.
For those who want full-size instant photos, there's the Polaroid Now Camera Generation 3 – Pokémon Edition, priced at $140. This camera carries over the third-generation Now's dual-lens autofocus rangefinder system and repositioned light meter, which Polaroid says results in more accurate exposure.
On the accessories side, Polaroid is also releasing a Polaroid Go Color Film double pack featuring Pikachu and Sylveon frame designs, priced at $25; the more varied Polaroid Color i-Type Film includes characters like Togepi, Mew, and Snorlax, priced at $23. For those who want to collect the full set, there's also a Poké Ball-shaped Polaroid Go camera case, a themed photo album, and a camera strap—even the dark slide on the back of the film packs feature Pokémon designs. Polaroid has also set up a webpage so fans can track which items they've collected.
