The impossible made possible!

sNarah

***does little happy dance***


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/polaroid-film-reinvented-and-ready-to-sell-1925677.html

A group of engineers and enthusiasts who leased an old Polaroid film factory in the Netherlands announced Monday that they had successfully reinvented instant film and will start selling packs this week.

The news gives new life to some old Polaroid cameras. The company, called The Impossible Project, will sell film for SX-70 cameras made in the '70s as well as more recent cameras that take 600-series film.

Hooray!

Each film pack will cost $21 (£14) and produce eight black-and-white images. The company plans to introduce colour film this summer, and expects to make 1 million packs in the first year. The film will be sold online initially, but the company expects to make it available in some stores as well.

And not too much of a rip-off neither!

***still doing little happy dance***

Tallon

*joins in happy dance*

Slidinginfinity

I believe it goes on sale on thursday. Well, at least according to Engadget.

Effects

It's already on sale. I was told by someone that what's on sale now is just old stock repackaged and that no new stock is available yet.

http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/shop/

Slidinginfinity

Effects wrote: »

It's already on sale. I was told by someone that what's on sale now is just old stock repackaged and that no new stock is available yet.

http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/shop/

The old stock has been on sale for a long time now. This is about the newly produced Black & White film that is being produced and is supposed to be going on sale this week.

Effects

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

The old stock has been on sale for a long time now. This is about the newly produced Black & White film that is being produced and is supposed to be going on sale this week.

Ah yeah, just found that out.

charybdis

For those interested in such things, the packaging is also pretty great.

Thecageyone

So because they've 're-invented' something that was possible decades ago, they think they can charge whatever the hell they want for it? I mean, sounds great, but £14 for 8 prints!? They better be very good quality, unlike old polaroid snaps!

dazftw

Something tells me Fajitas is going to love this?

charybdis

Thecageyone wrote: »

So because they've 're-invented' something that was possible decades ago, they think they can charge whatever the hell they want for it? I mean, sounds great, but £14 for 8 prints!? They better be very good quality, unlike old polaroid snaps!

The point is that that Polaroid ceased production of their films and a bunch of enthusiasts are trying to re-engineer compatible film stocks. I think that's worth paying a little extra for and, having seen Tarkovsky's Polaroids, I very much doubt the quality of the film was the problem with your "old snaps".

dazftw

charybdis wrote: »

The point is that that Polaroid ceased production of their films and a bunch of enthusiasts are trying to re-engineer compatible film stocks. I think that's worth paying a little extra for and, having seen Tarkovsky's Polaroids, I very much doubt the quality of the film was the problem with your "old snaps".

http://www.1854.eu/2010/03/handson_with_impossible_px100.html

DaireQuinlan

I've been warming up my SX-70 for the last while waiting for this, I was 'listening' to the press conference live yesterday on twitter. I gotta say though, it really doesn't look as though they've made it. What results I've seen from most people (not the carefully selected demo shots) has been pretty poor. At the very least old 600 film came out a peach no matter how you shot it, so long as you were reasonably spot on with the exposure. This looks really hit and miss. And I aint paying €18 for the privilege. It's disappointing. I'll wait for the colour in summer and see if they've come good I think.

sNarah

Thecageyone wrote: »

So because they've 're-invented' something that was possible decades ago, they think they can charge whatever the hell they want for it? I mean, sounds great, but £14 for 8 prints!? They better be very good quality, unlike old polaroid snaps!

Well. That's cheaper than what I'm paying for them at the moment.

The last produced batch of film expired Sept09. Some very clever entrepreneurs bought out the lot from wholesalers and camerashops. In 2009 I paid an average of €25/pack of 10 (excl. P+P) for EXPIRED film, so no guarantee if the film was leaky or broken.

Once I a while I am lucky and find an unaware Ebayer who thinks the films are useless, selling them cheaply. Very rarely It will have 1 or 2 bids (when the seller is selling a camera+film for instance and didnt mention the film in the items title), normally within the 1st hour of going for sale it's at 15 quid minimum. So, a lot of searching, and a lot to pay.

2010, the prices went up to nearly €32/pack of 10, again for expired film. So I'm delighted with these prices and think it's "cheap", expecially considering the company must be aware of these mad pricings.

dazftw wrote: »

Something tells me Fajitas is going to love this?

I very kindly informed him

sNarah

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

I've been warming up my SX-70 for the last while waiting for this, I was 'listening' to the press conference live yesterday on twitter. I gotta say though, it really doesn't look as though they've made it. What results I've seen from most people (not the carefully selected demo shots) has been pretty poor. At the very least old 600 film came out a peach no matter how you shot it, so long as you were reasonably spot on with the exposure. This looks really hit and miss. And I aint paying €18 for the privilege. It's disappointing. I'll wait for the colour in summer and see if they've come good I think.

Apparently the chemicals are EXTREMELY sensitive to light, temperature etc etc... which means you actually have to be very carefull where you keep it for those 5mins developping. Tad dissapointed also - for that matter - but still doing little happy dancing because they made it work. Which is fabulous.

And hopefully, they'll get "the recipe" right in a while! (fingers crossed!)

DaireQuinlan

sNarah wrote: »

Apparently the chemicals are EXTREMELY sensitive to light, temperature etc etc... which means you actually have to be very carefull where you keep it for those 5mins developping. Tad dissapointed also - for that matter - but still doing little happy dancing because they made it work. Which is fabulous.

And hopefully, they'll get "the recipe" right in a while! (fingers crossed!)

Yeah hopefully, I'm not paying that early adopters tax though
I shelved my SX-70 in 2009 because the film prices were going through the roof. You -do- realise that these are the very same clever entrepreneurs that bought the market out from underneath you back in 2009, right ? Same old polapremium/unsaleable/LOMOgraphic crowd (although they're very sensitive about being linked to the last lot).

greeneyedspirit

Definitely interesting. Although I might try my hands on that fade-to-black film they're selling first! Because it's colour.

Thecageyone

charybdis wrote: »

The point is that that Polaroid ceased production of their films and a bunch of enthusiasts are trying to re-engineer compatible film stocks. I think that's worth paying a little extra for and, having seen Tarkovsky's Polaroids, I very much doubt the quality of the film was the problem with your "old snaps".

Might be the fact I was about 7 when I had one then?

sNarah

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Yeah hopefully, I'm not paying that early adopters tax though
I shelved my SX-70 in 2009 because the film prices were going through the roof. You -do- realise that these are the very same clever entrepreneurs that bought the market out from underneath you back in 2009, right ? Same old polapremium/unsaleable/LOMOgraphic crowd (although they're very sensitive about being linked to the last lot).

Mjah. I do realise. I just don't want to admit it . No fair enough, sure they are in it for business profits, but a small part inside me would like to believe it's also to do with a greater cause of rescueing the Polaroid! I know, t is silly.


I might secretly also like to Lomocrowd, despite them wanting every last single penny in your pockets selling products at 500% of their price. But don't tell anyone!

sprinkles

review of an early set of prints here: 1854

Conclusions: This hands-on preview is based on only one cartridge of the new PX100, and considering instant film's particularities, a positive or negative judgment should be based on more than eight shots. But my initial impressions are that PX100 behaves like a expired pack of 669 or Time-Zero. You're never sure of what you will get. To be fair, Impossible did warn us about this during its press conference yesterday. A slight change in temperature or pressure can ruin or enhance your image. One thing is sure, do NOT use this film outside in the winter or early spring, when there is still a cold breeze. Also, in some situations, you will need to keep your ND filter on.
Apart from some disappointing results (especially when shooting outside), it feels good to load a SX-70 with some new film. And, I can expect that, with more time and cartridges, it will be easier to get better results, especially with the summer coming. Now, I'm looking forward to testing the PX600 for the One series of Polaroid camera. Impossible says that it has a better black-and-white feel, and this could prove very popular. Stay tuned.

Sleepy

My god the quality of those test shots is awful...

Fajitas!

I'm grumpy over this.

Incredibly unreliable - Moreso than 8 year old Polaroid blends, and fcuking expensive to boot. I can buy 2 year old Polaroid 600 stock (With TEN 'roids, not 8!) for £17 that'll come out peachy, thank you very much.

DaireQuinlan

Fajitas! wrote: »

I'm grumpy over this.

Incredibly unreliable - Moreso than 8 year old Polaroid blends, and fcuking expensive to boot. I can buy 2 year old Polaroid 600 stock (With TEN 'roids, not 8!) for £17 that'll come out peachy, thank you very much.

Yeah. The wierd thing is that in August or September (I think) of last year they said they had a working integral material, that it was really low contrast and sepia and wasn't very stable, but that it was the first step in producing a workable film. It actually sounds as though they haven't made any progress since. It's a pity, I really wanted them to succeed. I'm not really big on the lomo crowd, but actually buying an entire factory and re-tooling to start producing polaroid film again really was a completely mad genius idea, definately not the notion of someone who's only interest is making cash. There are easier ways I'm sure.

Fajitas!

I don't have the link at hand at the moment, but it actually was the notion of someone just wanting to make cash from the Lomographic Society business plan - He was either going to take on 8mm or Polaroid, but went for the 'roids, because 8mm would involve projectors, film and cameras, instant film just needs the film, people already have the cameras.

DaireQuinlan

Fajitas! wrote: »

I don't have the link at hand at the moment, but it actually was the notion of someone just wanting to make cash from the Lomographic Society business plan - He was either going to take on 8mm or Polaroid, but went for the 'roids, because 8mm would involve projectors, film and cameras, instant film just needs the film, people already have the cameras.

Hmm. I dunno, the original unsaleable and polapremium without a doubt were predicated on the lomo model. I reckon there are too many unknowns in the whole impossible project thing to really make it a sure thing. On the other hand, maybe they had all these things sorted out before hand and just strung the whole thing along by implying it might never happen, that would be the sort of inspired marketing I've come to expect from them.
Wasn't there some effort on the 8mm front ? I remember some place linked from unsaleable for a while that was re-spooling velvia. The same old familiar marketing over substance spiel on-site and sure enough they were connected with unsaleable/polapremium.
Anyhow, looks like they've dropped the ball anyway. I think I'll sell my sx-70 and get a 195 or something and load up on fuji peel-apart instead

Fajitas!

I'll murder you and loot your body if you buy a 195.

Placebo

dissapointed

Fionn

hmmm i have a thing called (i kid you not) a Joycam it's a polaroid sorta thing but i can't remember when it was last used, apparently sometime in the last century. I dont think i'll be using it anyway the film is a bit spendy eh?

i suppose i could use Poladroid instead

DaireQuinlan

Fionn wrote: »

i suppose i could use -SNIPPED- instead

Ah now. There's no call being rude.

Ghost Train

Some more photos here
http://www.the-impossible-project.com/projects/collection#px100

Fajitas!

Fionn wrote: »

hmmm i have a thing called (i kid you not) a Joycam it's a polaroid sorta thing but i can't remember when it was last used, apparently sometime in the last century. I dont think i'll be using it anyway the film is a bit spendy eh?

i suppose i could use Poladroid instead

I have one too. With 5 photos left in. The film turns rather pink in its old age.

Sleepy

How is it so difficult to replicate the old polaroid film?

Surely there's a patent sitting in a patent office somewhere that details the exact properties of the film?

Fajitas!

It's difficult to replicate, difficult to manufacture en masse, and there's lots of fiddly bits on. The patents are part of the problem too... you can't really make Polaroid film unless you are Polaroid... hence bringing in Ilford to see what they could do. But tbh, I think there was too much influence saying "Oh, great, that's WAAAAAAAY overexposed, LET's MARKET IT!!!!". Or indeed, film that doesn't stop exposing...


/sour and bitter.

charybdis

I think they probably just needed to get something out the door, lest the momentum and enthusiasm behind the project died. I doubt this release is what anyone had in mind for a mature product, but it shows commitment and progress on the part of the manufacturers and gives the faithful a way of making a (small) financial commitment and show of support. It's a bit unfair to lump them in with the Lomography guys just yet.

DaireQuinlan

Fajitas! wrote: »

It's difficult to replicate, difficult to manufacture en masse, and there's lots of fiddly bits on. The patents are part of the problem too... you can't really make Polaroid film unless you are Polaroid... hence bringing in Ilford to see what they could do. But tbh, I think there was too much influence saying "Oh, great, that's WAAAAAAAY overexposed, LET's MARKET IT!!!!". Or indeed, film that doesn't stop exposing...

I was pretty amazed when they released that fade to black. I thought they'd hit rock bottom when they did Artistic TZ, which was obviously some failed batch of 600. Then they released a film that actually GOES BLACK IN 24 HOURS. And they STILL managed to sell a bucketload of it. People, people, people

I think there was some chemicals needed in the original integral films aswell that's either not manufactured any more or is banned by environmental regulations or something.

khc

sNarah wrote: »

2010, the prices went up to nearly €32/pack of 10, again for expired film. So I'm delighted with these prices and think it's "cheap", expecially considering the company must be aware of these mad pricings.

From 2009 - 2010 I bought a few hundred packs of film.

In 2009 it was unexpired and €25 for a double pack of 20.

2010 it was expired and €10 for a double pack of 20.

I would never spend €64 on 20 expired Polaroids, and I worry that the Impossible Project is just going to make Polaroid too expensive to be accessible. Weren't they responsible for selling 600 Classic cameras for €150 in Urban Outfitters? Shocking

sineadw

And 15 quid shipping too. Hmmm....

sNarah

Enthusiasm very slowly but steadily fading away

*doing a not so happy dance*

pointshootrpt

khc wrote: »

From 2009 - 2010 I bought a few hundred packs of film.

In 2009 it was unexpired and €25 for a double pack of 20.

2010 it was expired and €10 for a double pack of 20.

I would never spend €64 on 20 expired Polaroids, and I worry that the Impossible Project is just going to make Polaroid too expensive to be accessible. Weren't they responsible for selling 600 Classic cameras for €150 in Urban Outfitters? Shocking

While disappointed with the new film, I must say that I have a new found appreciation for the 15 shots of 2006 600 film I have left. Other than that Im down to 36 shots of film that expired in October 2009 which is def the newest stock left and is holding its own. Ive been putting up the the last polaroids I have on a blog but as a newbie I shall refrain from advertising.:rolleyes:

DaireQuinlan

pointshootrpt wrote: »

Ive been putting up the the last polaroids I have on a blog but as a newbie I shall refrain from advertising.:rolleyes:

Oh go on

pointshootrpt

ok

www.pointshootrepeat.com

trying to put together a blurb book of them at the moment.anyone got any blurb tips or in particular scanning tips. The scans so far are not doing justice to the polaroids. How can I bring out the white border. Does anyone else have any polaroids to display.

DaireQuinlan

pointshootrpt wrote: »

ok

www.pointshootrepeat.com

trying to put together a blurb book of them at the moment.anyone got any blurb tips or in particular scanning tips. The scans so far are not doing justice to the polaroids. How can I bring out the white border. Does anyone else have any polaroids to display.

I have a few up on my stream. I found my miss to hit ratio with polaroids was quite high. Actually it's probably quite high in general, but with a roll of 36 you've more room for screwups.

punchdrunk

Shake it photo on my iphone is better in every possible way than that.

this has just turned into hipster marketing bull**** (yes I know spot the irony of the guy with the iphone saying that)

but thats kinda my point,they're gonna flog this to kids who look like the cast of skins who don't know any better

I always said if they can get it down to even just a little more than the average price of an instant digital 6x4 (say roughly 70 cent,i'd be willing to pay max 1.40 a shot) they'd have a winner

€18 for 8 shots ,that back in the day you'd have to nearly refund somebody for they're so bad??

get the boat!

punkindrublic

Has anyone bought/used the new film? I would love to see how it turns out.

I have one 10 pack of original film left (and 2 shots in my camera atm) and really want an alternative when this is all used up, but at €18/8 shots it really would have to produce amazing results to convince me to buy it.

Also re the shipping costs if you sign up to a site called polanoid you get €5 off the impossible store. It helps a little. I'm just glad our shipping is only €15..Aussies have to pay $50!

ED E

Bump:

Anyone actually use the stuff? I have access to at least 4 Polaroids and am planning on ordering a few packs.

DaireQuinlan

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Bump:

Anyone actually use the stuff? I have access to at least 4 Polaroids and am planning on ordering a few packs.

I wouldn't waste your money. All of the objections above are mostly still true. They're still producing a crappy practically unusable product at inflated prices. It needs to be shielded from light when it comes out of the camera for example, and deteriorates if it gets moist (although not to worry, they sell the 'dryage' kit to counteract that, which is, ahem, overpriced packets of silica gel, but it's special HIPSTER silica gel).

What are the polaroids ? If they're the pack film models then chances are you can use Fuji peel apart film in them (which is going cheap in 7dayshop at the moment). If they're spectra or 600 then just shelve them. If you're still interested in shooting instant integral then look into Fuji's Instax. It's just a pity the cameras look like complete pants.