witalit Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 If you don't already know Polaroid decided to cease production of all instant film products completely in 2008. On December 18, 2008, the post-reorganization Polaroid Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota. So basically it was the end of the line for Instant Polaroid photography, the last film off the production line expired end of last year/start of this year. After that it looked like it was no more until a team of enthusiasts and former Polaroid employees got together to create 'The Impossible Project'. Quote from wiki: Austrian photographer Florian Kaps, the owner of the largest online vendor for SX-70 films and organizer of the web-based instant photo gallery Polanoid.net, had bought the approximately 500,000 film packages that were on stock. He teamed with Andr? Bosman, a former head of film production in the large Polaroid film factory at Enschede, designed a plan to redesign the SX-70/600 film system in collaboration with Ilford Photo, and convinced the Polaroid owners to participate. Plans for a relaunch under the Impossible label were announced in January 2009[29]. Buildings in the Enschede plant, which had produced 30 million film packs in 2007 and 24 million in the first half of 2008, were leased to the company created by Kaps, who by May 2009 had raised $2.6 million from friends and family[30] for what he had named The Impossible Project[31] http://www.the-impossible-project.com/ Im posting this to see if there is any other Polaroid fans on these forums? I have only just purchased myself 2 second hand polaroid cameras with some impossible film from eBay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Cool and all, but what is the point really. If only to satisfy those few collectors and fanatics? Regular folk won't jump on the instant print photography wagon any more. And if there's no mass demand, how do they plan to keep production. It could last a year and then be dead again. Everybody shoots digital nowadays and if you need something printed then it costs pretty much nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanLeto Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Digital for me, see what you take photos of straight away and less waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver_Guy Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I love polaroids, dont get me wrong its Digital all the way but I have a Polariod 300 instant camera and I just love the photo's it can take. Just wish the Impossible project had its film in production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eON Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 If you're a Polaroid fan check out http://polamour.com/ its a cool Polaroid a day for a year project mostly shot on expired stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Polaroids do have their uses, however I could see a digital camera with a built in printer doing that job :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted August 17, 2010 Subscriber² Share Posted August 17, 2010 I like polaroids, they are distinct and personal, but they are limited in that respect, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witalit Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 Cool and all, but what is the point really. If only to satisfy those few collectors and fanatics? Regular folk won't jump on the instant print photography wagon any more. And if there's no mass demand, how do they plan to keep production. It could last a year and then be dead again. Everybody shoots digital nowadays and if you need something printed then it costs pretty much nothing. Very true. Normal people probably wont want to purchase a polaroid but there are a lot of fanatics out there to keep this project going. I can put money down this project will not be dead in a year. If you're a Polaroid fan check out http://polamour.com/ its a cool Polaroid a day for a year project mostly shot on expired stock. Thanks dude will defo check that out! I like polaroids, they are distinct and personal, but they are limited in that respect, too. That is one big point for me, they are distinct. They are also very custom, yeah everyone can load up photoshop and manipulate and image but nothing can beat 'physically' manipulating an image. Like another Polaroid fan said, 'For anyone who says why use Polaroid its expensive and old. For you people, don't you have any romance?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theh0g Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I own a Polaroid Image camera I got like 15 or 20 years ago. I head about this, but found some films on eBay last week. Yes, they are expired, but after researching a bit, I found out those films can still product nice photos, depends on where the seller has been keeping them. I ordered 2 films and expecting them today or tomorrow. I can let you know about how good photos will be. I know this is the end of this era, but if nothing else, I want to make at least few last shots (and save on film in fridge for...I dunno, hehe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witalit Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 I own a Polaroid Image camera I got like 15 or 20 years ago. I head about this, but found some films on eBay last week. Yes, they are expired, but after researching a bit, I found out those films can still product nice photos, depends on where the seller has been keeping them. I ordered 2 films and expecting them today or tomorrow. I can let you know about how good photos will be. I know this is the end of this era, but if nothing else, I want to make at least few last shots (and save on film in fridge for...I dunno, hehe). Nice man good to hear a fellow Polaroid fan on the forums! :). I myself haven't owned a polaroid until recently but I have always been interested.. to be honest before I thought it was dead until now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theh0g Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 As promissed, here is my report... got my films today and stuff WORKS! :) My camera is alive again, so amazing. I didn't have much time, so I took a photo of my cat (Cuba, if anyone wonders). Photo looks fine, it's a tiny bit bright, but I really can't remember how my photos were before, but as far as I care: good enough (I have Canon EOS for serious stuff anyway). Here is the link on eBay from the film I bought (great seller): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260650042662&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_918wt_1139 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kondrath Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 I love the whole "This pictures was taken in the 70's" feel to their quality :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witalit Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share Posted August 23, 2010 As promissed, here is my report... got my films today and stuff WORKS! :) My camera is alive again, so amazing. I didn't have much time, so I took a photo of my cat (Cuba, if anyone wonders). Photo looks fine, it's a tiny bit bright, but I really can't remember how my photos were before, but as far as I care: good enough (I have Canon EOS for serious stuff anyway). Here is the link on eBay from the film I bought (great seller): http://cgi.ebay.co.u...T#ht_918wt_1139 Ah man I bought some of this the other day and its worked perfectly!! Im so suprised it works so well as it expired 10/08. I also purchased a Polaroid Image 2. Bit bulker and older looking than the 600 but I prefer the photo size! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witalit Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 I forgot about this thread, I'm suprised there isn't more Polaroid fans on the forums like me! I have been using my Spectra camera quite a lot and just bought some film for my Polaroid 600. I use my DSLR as main camera but the Polaroid cameras are great to drop in the top of my bag for some instant snaps! http://shop.the-impossible-project.com I have just ordered: 1 x PZ600 Silver Shade UV+ Black Frame film 1 x PX680 Color Shade First Flush film 3 x Film Battery Return Envelope The films are new releases so I am excited to see the results. The film are expensive but I think its totally worth investing in this project as it is so interesting! The newsletters from Impossible Project are a treat to read and they are always doing promotions. I love the film for my Spectra as they are wider than the normal 600 film. The Film Battery Return envelopes are new as well and saves me throwing them in the bin, I do keep some as spares to recycle my cameras if needed but will be returning most of them now once used. I went to Amsterdam at the start of the year and used about 4 films well worth the money got some great snaps. I will post some soon, my scanner is a bit lame though and dont scan some of the photos properly. I am looking for an SX-70 still, purchased one off eBay which was untested.. bad move as it only partially worked and I got about 1 really crappy photo out of it and wasted a whole load of film. This time I am looking for a working version which has the auto-focus sonar attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Polaroids do have their uses, however I could see a digital camera with a built in printer doing that job :) Polaroid made a modern polaroid camera with a built in photo printer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witalit Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Polaroid made a modern polaroid camera with a built in photo printer. Just ain't the same.. the thing with the Impossible Project is they are exploring more realms to instant photography. They describe a ton of techniques of mods you can do to your photos and give you so much more than just printing a photo. Lady Gaga promoted that printer which I think is a cool idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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