Article updated on 20.05.2026: added more examples and tips, as well as the user manual
My childhood was in the ’90s. Some of my friends’ families had Polaroid cameras. To me, they seemed like something out of a dream, because my parents couldn’t afford such a camera - or simply didn’t see the point, since regular point-and-shoot cameras were much more common and popular. So, in my memory, Polaroid became forever associated with something cool and desirable.
Then suddenly, a couple of years ago, in adulthood, my mom’s friend gave me her old Polaroid 636 Close-Up camera, with no guarantee that it still worked. And what do you think? It was functional. I bought some film - you can’t test this camera without a film pack because the pack actually contains the batteries that power the camera - and it worked.
In this article, I’ll describe the Polaroid 636 Close-Up, share my experience testing it, and offer tips I’ve found valuable, even essential. At the end you will also find the scan of the user manual.
Enjoy!
- Camera box front view
- Camera box back view
- Closed camera
Polaroid 636 Close-up story and description
First of all, Polaroid started making cameras long before the '90s. The company was founded in 1937, and they have been making instant cameras since 1940s. Over the years, Polaroid released several famous camera series like SX-70, Spectra, Type 600, and many others.
The Polaroid 636 CloseUp was introduced in 1996 as a part of Polaroid 600 family (more information here). The most important thing for the modern users to know is that it uses 600 film type, which is still produced today.
The model is very similar to other 600-type cameras, but it has some cool features as well.
Overall, it:
- Uses 600 Film format (still widely available, although not very cheap)
- Has close-up lenses for close-up pictures, such as portraits
- Has a built-in flash
- Offers exposure correction
Tips and My Results
I recently finished a large 5x8 pack of Polaroid 600 film. In total, I took 40-50 shots. I can't show some of them because they're private, but I'll share both successful and unsuccessful shots, along with what I learned while shooting.
I'll also include scans from the user manual, highlighting the most important tips from my perspective. So, let's go.
Tip 1. Unfortunately, you really need to clean the rollers every ~2 films
I was not very good at following this rule, which is why the majority of my shots were affected by these light streaks in the corners of the picture or right in the middle.
Unless you want to use them intentionally as an artistic effect, clean the rollers!
Tip 2. Use close-up lens as much as possible
With the close-up lens, it is possible to achieve a level of sharpness and focus that surpasses many comparable models, such as the Fuji Instax Mini. Of course, it is not comparable to the sharpness of 35mm film, but it is impressive for instant photography.
I like to use it not only for portraits but also for other pictures with interesting foregrounds. The disadvantage is that the focus area is somewhere between 0.6 m and 1.2 m, and sometimes I fail to estimate the distance precisely.
Tip 3. Carefully consider the lighting, use exposure correction
Polaroid film performs best in specific light and scenes. It usually works well with subjects in the foreground that are close enough to be reached by the flash. Landscapes can sometimes turn out beautifully, but it is hit-or-miss.
You’ll usually get better results with bright, colorful backgrounds near your subject: cafe portraits, people in the city, or portraits indoors next to a window. On cloudy days, even outside, try adding +1 stop with the exposure slider (see picture).
Tip 4. Aim slightly up and left to compensate for the viewfinder mismatch
I did a small test and found that the Polaroid viewfinder shifts the image slightly. It seems to add about 10% to the bottom and 5% to the right. So the trick is to adjust the camera while taking the picture: aim a little higher and slightly to the left.
Complete user manual
PDF is comming
Final thoughts
That's it for today. Overall, I found the price of the film too high for the pictures I get. My next intention is to invest into SX70, or modern more reliable Polaroid/Fuji camera.
See you next time. I am going to review a lot of other strange and interesting devices. Cheers!
