POLAROID EXPLOSION: Instant Film in 2010…so far

With the re-emerging Instant Films in stores this year via Polaroid / Fujifilm and The Impossible Project, amateur and professional photographers alike have raised their eyebrows after initially thinking that instant photography was going the way of the dinosaur when the end of instant film was announced by Polaroid in 2009.


ABC-TV New York report on the end of Polaroid instant film

In 2010, instant photography is alive and well with continued commitment by Fujifilm in Japan and grassroots movements like http://www.savepolaroid.com/ and The Impossible Project getting more attention this year than in the last two decades combined.

The Fujifilm commitment aside, most instant film excitement has been coming from an old Polaroid factory in Enschede (pronounced En-Ska-Day), Netherlands, where The Impossible Project purchased equipment from Polaroid and promised to make new films for the millions of existing Polaroid SX-70 and 600 cameras in the world.


CBS-TV USA report on the end of Polaroid and beginning of The Impossible Project

For those of you who don’t eat, sleep and breath Polaroid photography (like me!), instant film by definition “is a type of photographic film first introduced by Polaroid that is designed to be used in an instant camera (and, with accessory hardware, with many professional film cameras). The film contains the chemicals needed for developing and fixing the photo, and the instant camera exposes and initiates the developing process after a photograph has been taken.


1963 Polaroid instant camera TV ad

In earlier Polaroid instant cameras the film is pulled through rollers which breaks open a pod containing a reagent that is spread between the exposed negative and receiving positive sheet. This film sandwich develops for a predetermined time, depending on film type and ambient temperature, after which the positive sheet is peeled away from the negative to reveal the developed photo.

In 1972, Polaroid introduced integral film, which incorporated timing and receiving layers to automatically develop and fix the photo without any intervention from the photographer.”*

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_film

Most folks are familiar with integral instant film with cameras like the Polaroid One-Step. Polaroid cameras were heavily, heavily advertised in the 1960s through the 1980s.


Polaroid One Step TV Ad 1981

The Impossible Project has made good on their promise and in March 2010, introduced monochrome SX-70 and 600 films. On July 29th, Impossible introduced their “First Flush” edition of color film for SX-70 cameras and plan on releasing color film for 600 cameras later this year.

Earlier in 2010 Polaroid Corporation announced a new, re-envisioned One-Step camera called the One Step pic-1000 to be available in December 2010.


The Polaroid Pic-1000 announced January 2010 at the CES show in Las Vegas, Nevada USA

Then, two months later under the direction of Lady Ga Ga (Polaroid’s new Creative Director), Polaroid surprisingly released the Polaroid 300 camera.


Lady GaGa discusses her creative partnership with Polaroid

The camera uses business card sized color film and was released to the US market in April 2010. Many on-line bloggers have noted that the release of the 300 camera solidifies the Polaroid-Fuji relationship since the 300 camera and film is manufactured by Fujifilm Japan re-branded Polaroid here in the United States.



Elsewhere in the world, the camera is known as the Fuji Instax Mini. It should be noted that Fujifilm attempted to release their Instax Mini cameras and film here in the US in 1999 but instead made an arrangement with Polaroid and partnered on the short-lived Polaroid Mio camera.

It is suggested that Polaroid will continue the relationship with Fujifilm and introduce the Pic-1000 camera with new 600 film manufactured by Fuji late in 2010.

Additional links:
http://www.polaroid.com/

Previous Posts:

Glorious Days with Impossible PX Film
http://michaelraso.blogspot.com/2010/05/glorious-days-with-impossible-px-film.html

Writing a new chapter in the history of photography – IMPOSSIBLE FILM
http://michaelraso.blogspot.com/2010/03/writing-new-chapter-in-history-of.html

Get Happy (with Polaroid 300)
http://michaelraso.blogspot.com/2010/06/get-happy-with-polaroid.html

Instant Gratification by Ellen Jo Roberts
http://theoutswithellenjo.blogspot.com/2010/06/instant-gratification-momma-don_23.html

Polaroid 300 and it’s cousins Mio and Instax
http://michaelraso.blogspot.com/2010/07/polaroid-300s-older-brother-mio-and.html

Additional videos on Impossible here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2POZU7YAihw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMebmxKQfkc

Images © 2010 Michael Raso

The Film Photography Internet Radio Show
http://www.filmphotographypodcast.com/

Film Photography Podcast Flickr Group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/filmphotographypodcast/

Impossible’s PX film for Polaroid cameras

When Polaroid announced that they were discontinuing production of their film for SX-70 and 600 cameras, a group of independent entrepreneurs calling themselves The Impossible Project purchased the defunct Polaroid factory in The Netherlands and started producing new monochrome film for the millions of Polaroid cameras still in the world. The first film PX 100 (for SX-70 cameras) and PX 600 (for Polaroid 600 cameras) was released earlier this year.


Self-Portrait
Polaroid SX-70 Alpha camera / Impossible Project PX 100 Silver Shade (First Flush)

Today I received a Flickr-Mail from Ryan, a Film Photography Podcast listener in St. Charles, Missouri USA asking about the PX film.

“Yesterday I got a couple of Polaroid OneSteps from a thrift store, and I'm looking at PX-600 film from Impossible. I'm trying to decide which version of the film to buy, since the First Flush is super cheap. However, the Internet says that First Flush (and even later editions) are ridiculously unstable, and I wanted to know what your experience with it has been. Obviously they look great coming out of the camera, but I'm interested in displaying the actual prints. Have your PX-600 shots been devoured by these crystals that come with humidity? Have they completely faded away like some people are talking about?

The Internet is filled with so much hyperbole in general that I wanted to get a more level-headed assessment from someone I can trust. Thanks!”

Yours in analog,
Ryan Croson


pictured: James Jankiewicz
Polaroid SX-70 Alpha camera / Impossible Project PX 100 Silver Shade (First Flush)


pictured: Joe Kolbek
Polaroid One600 camera / Impossible Project PX 600 Silver Shade (First Flush)


Ryan,

I've boxed most of my PX 100 and PX 600 shots from earlier this year so I'm not sure if there are any fading issues (I guess I should take a look at them)

I consider the Impossible film to be experimental and therefore, any quirks with the emulsion is part of the charm (killer crystals and all).


pictured: B-Movie star Ruby LaRocca
Polaroid One Step 1000 camera / Impossible Project PX 100 Silver Shade (First Flush)

My experience has been a real mixed bag but I have always achieved an image and have always been pleased with the results.

Sometimes I feel that all the whiney Impossible complainers on-line should just go buy a digital camera (laugh)! The Impossible Project has always been very upfront about the nature of their films. The PX film is an artist's medium, period.

If you're looking to save a few bucks, go with the First Flush. I’ve had nothing but fun shooting with it.

Here are some images from my limited experience:


Thanks for writing and listening to the show. Hope to hear from you soon.

Michael Raso

Links:

The Film Photography Podcast
http://www.filmphotographypodcast.com/

Ryan’s Flickr Photostream
http://www.filmphotographypodcast.com/

The Impossible Project
http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

Ruby LaRocca
http://rubylarocca.net/

Note back from Ryan:

"Hey man,

Thanks for the quick insight. I think I'll roll the dice on first flush. I love the way the material looks and I'm on board with the unpredictability of it. I'll probably hang my prints in front of my dehumidifier to dry them out and hope for the best. Regardless, I'm super stoked to try it out. I've dabbled with instant stuff in the past, but I haven't been particularly taken with it until I saw the stuff that Impossible was doing. Now I can't wait to get my hands on it!

RE: Impossible/new Polaroid haters: I tend to take internet whining with a grain of salt; the people with an axe to grind are always more vocal and visible than satisfied customers, so it can be impossible to tell how many people are legitimately having problems with something."

Rocking and rolling,
Ryan

IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT Grand Opening Party! New York, USA

IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT OPENS STORE IN NYC ON APRIL 30


425 Broadway, NY, NY
Polaroid 600 Image © Michael Raso

The spectacular venture that recently started production of a new instant film for old Polaroid cameras - The Impossible Project - is opening a unique retail and exhibition space in New York City on April 30.


Image used with permission from The Impossible Project / Image © 2010 Ben Syverson
Ben on Flickr! - http://www.flickr.com/people/bensyverson/

This will be the first Impossible Project Store in the USA, exclusively dedicated to special products and unique artworks of analog instant photography. Further Impossible Project Stores are located in Vienna (Austria) and Berlin (Germany).

In the spacious 5th floor loft of a SoHo landmark building, Impossible will not only offer the last stock of original Polaroid films and cameras, but also the brand new Impossible film materials: PX 100 and PX 600 Silver Shade.


pictured: Florian Kaps
Image used with permission from The Impossible Project / Image © 2010 The Impossible Project

These totally new, monochrome instant films are for use in Polaroid SX-70 and 600 cameras. Furthermore the Impossible Project Store is hosting the first exhibition of The Impossible Collection (March 22 – August 22).


Image © 2010 Michael Raso

The Impossible Collection follows in the footsteps of the world-famous Polaroid Collection and features work created on Impossible's new film materials from an eclectic mix of international artists.

The current exhibition features works from artists like Grant Hamilton, Jake Chessum, Laura Watt, Heather Champ, and more than 20 others. To celebrate the opening of the Impossible's Broadway Space and the magic of instant photography we will be offering weekly in-store-only specials through the end of May.

Also, guests at the Grand Opening Party will enjoy free wine from City Winery, have the chance to have their photos taken with our new PX100 and PX600 films - and be entered to win a fantastic prize package with 5 packs of PX600 film, a Polaroid One600 camera kit and a limited Freitag bag!

Impossible Project Space 425 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, NY 10013

Grand Opening Party: April 30, 3 - 8 pm

Regular Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am – 7pm / Sat: 2noon – 5pm Phone:

(+1) 212.219.3254 or (+1) 888.250.6020

E-Mail: usa@the-impossible-project.com

The Impossible Project was featured on the April 15th edition of The Film Photography Podcast.

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