Polaroid Spectra (1986)

An instant film camera system introduced by Polaroid in 1986, using a proprietary wide-format integral film and featuring a built-in metal lens cover.

Overview

The Polaroid Spectra is an instant film camera system launched by Polaroid in 1986. Polaroid designed a whole new line of cameras around the Spectra film format, which gives a rectangular image. The camera folds up small, and a built-in metal lens cover slides over the lens on its own when it folds. Some models have a fixed focal length with autofocus. A few variants also offer optional manual focusing.

Specifications

Format	Instant Film
Film type	Type 1200 integral film
Image area	2.9 × 3.6 in (73 × 91 mm)
Total area	4.05 × 4.0 in (103 × 102 mm)
Lens	125mm Quintic lens
Dimensions (closed)	13.6 x 7.8 x 17.4 cm
Dimensions (folded)	160 x 137 x 65 mm
Weight (Spectra Pro, without film pack)	1 lb, 12 1/2 oz
Weight	891g
Type	Rangefinder
Focus	Fixed focal length with autofocus
Key feature	Built-in metal lens cover automatically slides over the lens when folded

Context

Polaroid introduced the Spectra system in the mid-1980s, and 1986 is cited as the launch year. It was a new direction for the company, with an all-new camera and film system built for higher image quality, and

Market

Reported sale prices include $38 and $77 for units in Condition B, and $80 for a used Spectra SE listing. A receipt cited a price of $329.00, estimated to be over $800 when adjusted for inflation.

Market Value

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POLAROID SPECTRA                                                Nov 2026 │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ High      $68                                     Latest             $40 │
│ Median    $26                                     Trend                — │
│ Low       $10                                     Volume          ~41/mo │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   $100 ┤                                                                 │
│        │                                                                 │
│        │                                                                 │
│    $57 ┤                ...  .        .            .  .                  │
│        │         .   .      . .     .  .      .                .      .  │
│        │... .... ..  .. ....  ..     ... . . . .... .....       ... . . .│
│        │. .... . ......  ......... ...... ...    ......         .. ......│
│     $0 ┤              ..        .   .    ...    .               .      . │
│        ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│    vol │▃▁▂▂▅▃▂▂ ▅▂▁▄█▄▁▂▃▃▂▂▂▄▅▃▁ ▃█▃▃▃▁▃▄▅▃▂▁▂▂▃▂▃▃▆▄▁▁      ▁▅▄▁▃▄▁▃▃▂│
│        └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│         2026-04                      2026-06                      2026-08│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘