Polaroid Instant Film -- R.I.P.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Been a while since I've used it, but it was the hot technology once upon a time.

The link provides a good history and archive of old commercials, lots of James Garner and Mariette Hartley. But I wish there were examples of the artwork that came out of smearing and manipulating the chemicals before it set.

http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/006464.html

[Gary Sisco]

So many people have gone digital that we don't even have a local film-developing drop off place anymore.

[Pete C]

I recently saw some young, hip types taking Polaroids of each other in Union Square and was rather surprised.

[Gary Sisco]

Seems like when something looks like it's on the way out, it becomes a kind of fashion. The minor (but significant) trend toward making more new vinyl releases is like that, to an extent.

[Monte Smith]

Ah man. I bought a Poloroid camera at a garage sale two years ago for 50 cents. Gungadar loves it! It's given him the enthusiasm to become a young photographer. He just made an autobiographical poster for his preschool using all Poloroid snaps. Now I'm going to have to massively stock up on the film cartridges. At about a dollar a photo, they aren't cheap. But I guess that was cheaper than "not available at any price."

[Ron Thorne]

We've taken some wonderful Polaroid photos over the years. We began with a simple-minded entry level B&W model, but also owned and loved a Polaroid SLR which took phenomenal images. The color was breathtaking and the resolution was as sharp as a 35mm camera. And it offered very close focusing, too. Great instrument!



Polaroid SLR680

I wonder what will happen to all of those professionals who have expensive, often-used Polaroid camera backs on their very expensive 35mm and larger format cameras? In fact, they're still being sold in lots of camera shops, including B&H online.

Damn, I'm sorry to see this technology fade away.

[Paul B]

Don't you think somebody will buy the rights to the technology and continue to offer it, even if the cost to users goes up? When the last American manufacturer of reel-to-reel tape went bust, I scooped up some blank reels just in the nick of time, but about two years later, another company was up and running, producing tape again. Seems like Polaroid technology could undergo a similar fate; even a niche market can do well when managed properly.

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by Paul B

... even a niche market can do well when managed properly.

That's straight out of one of my old marketing textbooks: Being in a dying industry sucks...unless you're the last one in it. Then, lo and behold, you own a monopoly. Like Sylvania and vacuum tubes (That is, until vacuum tubes became boutique items...)

[Paul B]

The point is that for a large corporation a niche business can a drag on the bottom line, but for a small entrepreneur with different financials it could be a good business. There are still people who use reel-to-reel tape, vacuum tubes, and black and white film, and there's likely still enough Polaroid users to make it a solid business for the right owner. I think we're in the era of niches, something that might not have been the case even fifty years ago.

[Ron Thorne]

There are enough Polaroid film backs on 35mm, medium format and large format cameras to keep a company busy for quite some time, I'd think. They're an indispensable tool for major photo shoots, in spite of the undeniable shift toward digital photography.

I suspect that a Japanese or European company may pick up the ball and run with it.

Here's an interesting forum discussing this very topic.

Polaroid film backs discussion

[Hudson Boy]

I bought a Polaroid 103, which went out of productin 40 years old, at a garage sale about fifteen or so years ago. It's in excellent condition, with original instruction book, flash, carrying case and other accessories. If anybody comes out with aftermarket (?) film for it, I'll use it again.