Go Gen 2vs Sony A9 III
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
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
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.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
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
Sony A9 III (2023)
- Professional sports photographers who need zero blackout and 120fps burst
- Wildlife photographers who demand the most advanced Sony AF available
- Photojournalists who need flash sync at any shutter speed
- A9 II owners upgrading to the world's first full-frame global shutter
Quick take: The go gen 2 is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Go Gen 2 (2022) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £85 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | Polaroid Go film (66.6 × 53.9mm / image area 46.4 × 34.7mm) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | — | 24.6MP |
| Video | N/A — instant film camera | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (0.55m–∞) | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | N/A | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~20 double packs) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~211g | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 104.9 × 83.9 × 56.3mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Real-image optical viewfinder | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | N/A | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Polaroid Go film (16 shots per double pack) | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A — instant film only | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (charging) | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Go Gen 2 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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