LEGO Ideas is a website that allows users to submit ideas for LEGO sets. If an idea gets enough support, it can become an official LEGO set, with the original designer receiving a small portion of the royalties. Minibrick Productions has submitted a design for a Polaroid OneStep SX-80 instant camera, complete with a working viewfinder and ‘film’ slot. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a camera pop up on LEGO Ideas. Last summer, we highlighted a LEGO design for a 1914 Ur-Leica camera submitted by a user named Pandis Pandus.
The LEGO Polaroid OneStep nails the overall look of the real thing. It’s made using 538 pieces and includes bricks for the camera itself and a box of SX-70 film. A cloth strap would also be included, should LEGO select the design. The design includes accurate branding and manufacturing stickers, including on the inside of the camera.
Credit: Minibrick Productions
The LEGO camera would make a great collector’s item for photography enthusiasts. Minibrick Productions writes, ‘This LEGO set is designed for avid and casual fans of photography alike, any fan of iconic pieces of technology and memorabilia, and any LEGO collector who would love to display this beautiful model on their shelf!’ The camera includes a spinning gear to ‘develop’ film. You can spin it the other way to put the film back into the camera. You can quickly swap between ‘photos,’ too.
YouTube channel Yanko Design published a short video showing the LEGO Polaroid in action.
LEGO has officially commented on the design, congratulating Minibrick Productions for achieving the required support from 10,000 users. This means that the LEGO Polaroid has entered the ‘review’ stage on LEGO Ideas. The LEGO team will review the design, which could take several months, and determine if it can be made into an official set that you can purchase. The review begins this May.
Credit: Minibrick Productions
If the project is greenlit, it will then enter an even longer stage of the project, the Development phase. During this time, LEGO model designers refine the proposed product for release. This includes creating packaging materials, marketing and more. Additional follow-ups from LEGO will be available on the LEGO Ideas page.