Polaroid x Pokémon Cameras: Which One to Buy Before Pre-Orders Open
By Dexhaul Team · August 23, 2026
Pick the format before you pick the character.
That is the only way to make the right call on the Polaroid x Pokémon camera collection. Three cameras are available, but only two camera platforms: the Polaroid Now Gen 3 and the smaller Go Gen 3.
The Pokémon designs (Poké Ball, Pikachu, Sylveon) are applied on top. The platform is the decision that determines print size, film compatibility, portability, and long-term running cost.
Pre-orders open August 25 at Pokémon Center (US, UK, Canada) and Polaroid.com. Full release is October 5, 2026. Here's how to decide before that window opens.
Format is the real decision
The Polaroid Now Gen 3 is a standard-sized instant camera. It shoots square images on i-Type or 600 film, with prints measuring 3.1 x 3.1 inches. It's larger, heavier, and more of a sit-on-the-shelf-when-not-in-use camera.
The Polaroid Go Gen 3 is a different product entirely. It's the world's smallest analog instant camera, according to Polaroid's press materials. The body fits in a front jeans pocket.
Prints measure 1.9 x 1.8 inches, roughly the size of a standard Pokémon card with the white border included. The Go takes Go-specific film only.
Both formats use Xenon flash. Both have Pokémon-branded shutter buttons. The functional fork is size, print output, and film ecosystem.
The case for the Now Gen 3 ($139.99, Poké Ball)
The Now Gen 3 Poké Ball Edition is the only option in the collection on the larger camera platform. The red, white, and black Poké Ball body design runs across the full camera body, and the shutter button is shaped as a Poké Ball, a detail shared across all three cameras in the collection.
The 3.1 x 3.1 inch print is genuinely displayable. It fits the Pokémon-themed photo album in the collection, and it reads as a real photograph rather than a novelty. If you plan to shoot portraits, event photos, or anything you actually want to look at later, the Now's larger output is the right call.
The film compatibility is the other key advantage. The Now Gen 3 accepts both i-Type and 600 film. The collection's i-Type pack ($22.99 for eight shots) features character borders with Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Gengar, Umbreon, and Mimikyu.
But standard 600 film, widely available at general retailers, also works. That flexibility matters over time.
Buy the Now Gen 3 if: you want displayable prints, you want access to the widest film sourcing options, or you're giving it to someone who will actually use it as a camera rather than carry it as an accessory.
The case for the Go Gen 3 ($99.99, Pikachu or Sylveon)
The Go Gen 3 is the portability pick. It disappears into a pocket without thinking about it, and that changes how often you actually reach for it.
The Pikachu Edition ($99.99) is yellow with Pikachu line art across the body and a tail charm on the strap. The Sylveon Edition ($99.99) is pink and white with bow motifs and a Sylveon ribbon strap.
Both use the identical Go Gen 3 camera underneath. The character choice between them is purely visual.
The Go is also $40 cheaper than the Now. That gap matters less if you factor in ongoing film costs, but it lowers the entry point for a gift purchase.
Buy the Go Gen 3 if: portability is the primary use case, you're buying it for a younger collector who will carry it to events and school, or the character design (Pikachu vs Sylveon) is the main pull and you want it at your side more than on a shelf.
Film compatibility: the part most buyers overlook
This is the section worth reading before you commit.
Go cameras use Go film. That's a Polaroid-proprietary format sold through Polaroid's own channels and specialty retailers that stock it. The Pokémon collection includes two Go film double packs at $24.99 each (16 shots per double pack): a Pikachu Edition and a Sylveon Edition.
If you run out and need more Go film locally, your options are narrower than with standard Polaroid formats. It is not sold at general retailers the way 600 film is.
The Now Gen 3 is different. It accepts both i-Type and 600 film. Standard 600 film is sold at pharmacies, electronics stores, and department stores in most cities.
You are not dependent on a specialty retailer when a pack runs out.
The Pokémon film borders are only on the branded packs. A print from standard 600 film in the Now Gen 3 will not have Bulbasaur on the border. But it will cost you less per shot at general retail, and it will be easier to find.
This distinction does not make the Go worse. The double pack pricing is reasonable, and if you're buying the camera primarily as a collectible that you shoot occasionally, film sourcing isn't a daily concern. But if you plan to shoot regularly, or you are buying the Go as a gift for a kid who will shoot through packs quickly, Go film availability is worth knowing upfront.
Accessories: what to add, what to skip
Three accessories complete the nine-piece collection: a Poké Ball camera case ($24.99), a universal camera strap ($14.99), and a Pokémon-themed photo album ($24.99).
The camera case fits the Go Gen 3 models only. If you order the Now Gen 3, skip it.
The camera strap works with both the Go and Now formats. It's the most versatile add-on in the collection, and at $14.99 it's the lowest-cost item. If the Pokémon-branded aesthetic matters to you, this is the one to bundle.
The photo album ($24.99) holds prints from both cameras. It's sized to fit Go's smaller 1.9 x 1.8 inch output and the Now's larger 3.1 x 3.1 inch square.
If you're buying the collection as a gift and want a complete package, the album rounds it out. If you're just after the camera, skip it on day one.
Pre-order timing and what to expect
Pre-orders open August 25, 2026 at Pokémon Center in the US, UK, and Canada, and directly at Polaroid.com. Full release is October 5, 2026.
The collection is described as a limited-quantity global release. Availability outside the US, UK, and Canada through other retailers has not been confirmed. Independent sellers may list the cameras as the October date approaches.
DexHaul is independent and not affiliated with Pokémon or Polaroid. Search DexHaul for Pokémon collectibles from independent shops while you wait, and check back after August 25 as listings from independent sellers may begin to appear.