Go Gen 2vs A1
Polaroid
Go Gen 2 (2022)
Starting from £85 new
Best for On-the-go shooting & Polaroid fans who want compact
View Go Gen 2
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
On-The-Go Shooting & Polaroid Fans Who Want Compact — Go Gen 2 (2022): The most pocketable Polaroid ever — genuinely fits in a jacket pocket and produces beautiful prints with that classic white border.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
Go Gen 2 (2022)
- Polaroid fans who want classic square prints in the most pocketable body
- Travellers who want an instant camera that genuinely fits in a jacket pocket
- Anyone who finds standard Polaroid cameras too large to carry daily
- A great gift for someone who loves Polaroid but wants something compact
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The go gen 2 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Go Gen 2 (2022) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £85 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | Polaroid Go film (66.6 × 53.9mm / image area 46.4 × 34.7mm) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.55m–∞) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | N/A | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~20 double packs) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~211g | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 104.9 × 83.9 × 56.3mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Polaroid Go film (16 shots per double pack) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (charging) | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Go Gen 2 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Go Gen 2
Camera family history