Polaroid 636 Talking Camera, flash raised, black body with red accent, Polaroid 600 film, front view on white background.

Polaroid 636 Talking Camera

  • Brand Polaroid
  • Type Instant camera
  • Type of Film Typ 600
  • Focal Length 116 mm
  • Max Aperture f/11
  • Focus Fixed focus

The Polaroid 636 Talking Camera is an instant camera. It is a very unusual Polaroid 600 camera. When you press the shutter button, it can play sounds and music. For this purpose, the camera has a built-in speaker. It also has a microphone that you can use to record your own sounds. You can choose between three of your own sounds and three predefined sounds.

The other functions are comparable to the Polaroid 636 Closeup. It was introduced in the mid-1990s. The body of the camera is made of plastic.

Back view of a Polaroid 636 Talking Camera with control buttons, speaker grille, and red photo slot on white background
The panel for playing and recording sounds
Side profile of a black Polaroid 636 Talking Camera with viewfinder, strap, and plastic body on a white background
The opened instant camera from the side
Front view of a black Polaroid 636 instant camera with viewfinder and strap on white background, vintage film photography equipment
The back of the camera

The Polaroid 636 Talking Camera comes with a built-in flash and a close-up lens. The focus of the fixed focal length is fixed. The exposure time and aperture cannot be set by the user either.

Films for the camera

Polaroid 600 films are needed to take pictures. In the meantime, The Impossible Project has taken the place of Polaroid and is again producing instant films for this format. Since 2020, they are also sold with the original logo again.

Currently, the Polaroid Color Film for 600* and the Polaroid B&W Film for 600* are the current films for color and black and white photography. In both packs there is a film cassette with eight images.

Previously, there were ten images in one pack. The counter is also designed for this number of images. Therefore, with the new films, the film must already be replaced at "2".

Power for the built-in flash, camera and speaker comes from a battery in the film pack. An external battery is not needed for the camera.

Other editions

  • Polaroid 636 Polatalk (Black and Red)
  • Polaroid OneStep Talking Camera (Gray)(Gray and Black)
  • Polaroid OneStep Talking Camera (Blue) (Blue and Black)
  • Polaroid OneStep Talking Camera QPS (Gray and Black)

Notes

The Polaroid OneStep Talking Camera was introduced in 1995 and cost around $40 USD at the time. It was advertised by the comedian "Sinbad."

Vintage Polaroid 636 Instant Talking Camera packaging with orange-purple gradient and Smile speech bubble.
The original box
Black Polaroid talking camera next to a box of Impossible Color Instant Film 600 Hot Pink Edition on a wooden surface
The instant camera with the matching film from Impossible

Technical Specifications

camera_spec
Property Specification
Film format Typ 600
Picture Format 79 mm x 79 mm
Lens type Fixed lens
Focal Length 116 mm
Maximum Aperture f/11
Minimum Focus Distance 60 cm / 1.97 ft
Shutter Speeds 1/200 – 1/4 second
Adjustable aperture No
Adjustable shutter speed No
Auto exposure Yes
Light Meter Yes
Exposure Modes Program Auto
Manual Exposure Settings No
Flash Built-in flash
Date Imprinting No
Tripod Mount No
Cable Release Thread No
Self-timer No
Strap Lugs Yes
Power Supply 1x Filmpack battery
Brand Polaroid

Used Prices

The current average price for this camera is 56,64 € based on 3 offers, as of 21.9.2026.

Average Price per Year

  • 2026: 56,05 €
  • 2024: 81,94 €
  • 2023: 83,74 €

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ about the Polaroid 636 Talking Camera

How does the Polaroid 636 Talking Camera make sounds?

What kind of film does this instant camera use?

Does the camera need a separate battery?

What are the camera's focusing capabilities?

Can I control settings like shutter speed or aperture on this instant camera?

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