The Instagram app is many ways a mobile imitation of old-school Polaroid instant cameras (you know, the ones that took real photos). The Instagram Socialmatic Camera brings these two worlds into an instant film camera that would integrate Instagram’s social sharing and photo-altering features.
The integration of cameras into smartphones was a hard blow to the digital camera. Why buy a dedicated camera when there’s one integrated into your smartphone? Every year the quality increases enough to satisfy the mainstream consumer anyway. But also, apps like Instagram, and the ease of posting and sharing your files seamlessly on Twitter and Facebook keep users coming back to their integrated smartphone cameras. The Instagram Socialmatic Camera, though still very much a concept, offers something new; a hip, recognizable design with all the sharing features you care about.
Creative company ADR imagines this instant camera would allow you to not only upload photos to Instagram and Facebook, but also physically print out a shot directly via a built-in ink-jet. This concept isn’t far from the available today Polaroids, like the Z340, it just has an iconic exterior that younger consumers would be drawn to and more features gauged toward that audience. The included paper would also have a post it adhesive, so you can quite literally post your photos and share them in the real world.
If anyone were to invest in such a project and sell it, Instagram/Facebook could. But would such a niche product sell, or are the camera-toting days of everyday consumers gone? Would you consider purchasing this product if it made its way to store shelves, or would you stick to your Instagram app? Leave your comments below.
