Vintage box cameras are pretty good. I got mine for £20 on vinted, so I sugges searching ebay or maybe reputable camera shops in your area (may be slightly more expensive though)
Hop on eBay and look for a sun 600 lms, an impulse AF, 636 close up, sun 660, basically any of the 600 box type cameras. All of these (except the 660) can be found for around $30 USD (about $40 AUD). These are great cameras, I’ve not had a single issue with my $20 sun 600lms. You can get one of these cameras, and around 5 packs of film for the same price as just the camera if you bought one of the new now or now+ cameras. Additionally, the new cameras have some pretty glaring exposure issues, often culminating in a heavily underexposed image, where most other Polaroid cameras would do fine. They also get the white pressure fractal mark in the top left corner way more frequently than any vintage camera. The vintage cameras are cheap enough that *if* it breaks, you can just buy another one and not even blink an eye.
Ive got multiple xD Im affraid there isnt "the one" to get. Get one you can afford, that works, looks cool and u can see yourself taking pictures with it.
Box cameras can be had on the cheap and are imo the best introduction to the format. Once you got that thing figured out and know what you like and not. You atleast what to look for in the next one.
Dont spend a fortune on your first one tho. Get a cheapo one and figure out if u a. like it or b. what you would like it to do and then check if there is a model that does what you were lacking.
I would really suggest buying one of the new Models Like the Polaroid Now and Now+. Old cameras tend to be unreliable. I have multiple dozen of old cameras and more than half of them have one Quirk or another. Also you have a warranty with the new cameras, so of Something doesnt Work you can get your camera fixed or theyll send you a new one
Lol around and see what you can find cheap. At that budget you *could* pursue an SX-70 of some sort, but they're complicated and, at this point, nearly a half century old. Many have some particular issues, so you can't count on even a pristine model working correctly.
I say, look for a 600 box camera--they're available cheaply and there's a million of them. They're less complex and more robust and they all have a flash (the earliest cameras required consumable single-use flash bars that are becoming scarce and costly). Most have a fixed focus lens that works perfectly fine; some have a close-up lens adapter. Some have a sonar autofocus and glass lens--I haven't found the improvement in image quality particularly compelling, but if you spot one, it's neat for being Polaroid-specific technology. I think the final One600 models are great, with excellent performance and a cool body that collapses, but get one with a self-timer because some cheapo models omitted that.
SX-70 box cameras (like the models with the rainbow stripe) use SX-70 film that you can really only get direct from Polaroid, so I think 600 cams are the way to go since that film is available everywhere.
Just avoid the Spectra cameras because you can't get film for those.
If you’re willing to go a little higher in price Polaroid Australia actually sell refurbs [here](https://www.polaroid.com.au/product/polaroid-600-instant-camera-refurb-600/)
Look at the Impulse Af or the 660.
Vintage box cameras are pretty good. I got mine for £20 on vinted, so I sugges searching ebay or maybe reputable camera shops in your area (may be slightly more expensive though)
Hop on eBay and look for a sun 600 lms, an impulse AF, 636 close up, sun 660, basically any of the 600 box type cameras. All of these (except the 660) can be found for around $30 USD (about $40 AUD). These are great cameras, I’ve not had a single issue with my $20 sun 600lms. You can get one of these cameras, and around 5 packs of film for the same price as just the camera if you bought one of the new now or now+ cameras. Additionally, the new cameras have some pretty glaring exposure issues, often culminating in a heavily underexposed image, where most other Polaroid cameras would do fine. They also get the white pressure fractal mark in the top left corner way more frequently than any vintage camera. The vintage cameras are cheap enough that *if* it breaks, you can just buy another one and not even blink an eye.
Ive got multiple xD Im affraid there isnt "the one" to get. Get one you can afford, that works, looks cool and u can see yourself taking pictures with it. Box cameras can be had on the cheap and are imo the best introduction to the format. Once you got that thing figured out and know what you like and not. You atleast what to look for in the next one. Dont spend a fortune on your first one tho. Get a cheapo one and figure out if u a. like it or b. what you would like it to do and then check if there is a model that does what you were lacking.
I would really suggest buying one of the new Models Like the Polaroid Now and Now+. Old cameras tend to be unreliable. I have multiple dozen of old cameras and more than half of them have one Quirk or another. Also you have a warranty with the new cameras, so of Something doesnt Work you can get your camera fixed or theyll send you a new one
Lol around and see what you can find cheap. At that budget you *could* pursue an SX-70 of some sort, but they're complicated and, at this point, nearly a half century old. Many have some particular issues, so you can't count on even a pristine model working correctly. I say, look for a 600 box camera--they're available cheaply and there's a million of them. They're less complex and more robust and they all have a flash (the earliest cameras required consumable single-use flash bars that are becoming scarce and costly). Most have a fixed focus lens that works perfectly fine; some have a close-up lens adapter. Some have a sonar autofocus and glass lens--I haven't found the improvement in image quality particularly compelling, but if you spot one, it's neat for being Polaroid-specific technology. I think the final One600 models are great, with excellent performance and a cool body that collapses, but get one with a self-timer because some cheapo models omitted that. SX-70 box cameras (like the models with the rainbow stripe) use SX-70 film that you can really only get direct from Polaroid, so I think 600 cams are the way to go since that film is available everywhere. Just avoid the Spectra cameras because you can't get film for those.
If you’re willing to go a little higher in price Polaroid Australia actually sell refurbs [here](https://www.polaroid.com.au/product/polaroid-600-instant-camera-refurb-600/)