Polaroids - help needed

Mellor

I'm looking at picking up a polaroid instant camera as an xmas present. It's not a technology I'm familiar with, In fact I've fell out of habit with my DSLR and photography in general - which annoys me. So any help or advice in regards to options at the moment would be a big help.

IIRC, Polaroid stopped producing instant cameras and film a few years ago, switching to digital instant. But reversed that decision. Others still made the film and the technology. Correct?

I don't really want a digital instant, I don't really see the point. But I know nothing about them. To be its a 10MP point and shoot, with a mini photo printer. I think I'd rather have something like this in that case.
It doesn't have to be a Polaroid model either. From looking at their website, they only make one type. It looks a bit "childish". The film size is small, but I understand that's related to compact nature, which is important for handbags are such.

Impress me, in an instant.

DaireQuinlan

Polaroid don't make instant film cameras anymore. Their one camera is a re-badged (and typically more expensive) fuji instax. Film for the older 600 polaroids is being re-made by the 'impossible project', but isn't worth your while IMO if you want something dependable, it's still a little bit ... idiosyncratic ...
If you want a new film instant the best bet is and actual fuji instax. There are a couple of different types, do a google for them. They're popular enough that a couple of the camera shops in town stock them, or you can get them online. Yes they're a bit odd looking.

Mellor

Yeah I seem the fujifilm range after i posted and noticed one was a identical to the Polaroid on offer.
I think there's two other fujifilm. One that uses mini film and one that uses larger (but not square) film.

Are there any others?

Effects

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/film_camera/instant/

amdgilmore

I don't know anything about the fuji range, but if you haven't already checked there's a bunch of Polaroid cameras available for half nothing on adverts.ie.

But, as Daire mentioned, the film from Impossible Project is quite expensive and is very much still a work in progress - and they still don't have the full range of films available. That's the only reason I haven't bought one.

Effects

Cheap Polaroid cameras are no good when the film is expensive and not very good.
Maybe it's time I picked up a HD-DVD player, they seem to sell for pretty cheap these days.

amdgilmore

Effects wrote: »

Cheap Polaroid cameras are no good when the film is expensive and not very good.
Maybe it's time I picked up a HD-DVD player, they seem to sell for pretty cheap these days.

Like I said, that's the reason I haven't bought one.

It's an ongoing process though. Hopefully they'll get the film right eventually. But for now it just seems like a bit of a lottery.

Effects

Where's the incentive to improve the product when suckers buy it anyway?

amdgilmore

Well that's what they're trying to do. If you want to know their motives for doing it, you'll have to ask them yourself.

Effects

Sorry, I'm just a bit cynical. I've only seen results from early enough product from them. I prefer the Fuji stuff myself as it's better quality in all aspects.

DaireQuinlan

hasn't really changed much.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/polapremium/

Still wonky and unpredictable and sensitive to light. Although not as much now, but the compromise is an opacity layer that clears completely only after 40 minutes. Hardly instant, I could shoot a roll of film, develop it, AND scan a bunch of frames in that time

Also its survivability is a bit crap by all accounts. Colour shifts, fading, weird crystal growth ...

Mellor

Effects wrote: »

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/film_camera/instant/

Those are the ones I mentioned earlier.
Looking at the Mini 50 S so far

amdgilmore wrote: »

I don't know anything about the fuji range, but if you haven't already checked there's a bunch of Polaroid cameras available for half nothing on adverts.ie.

I live in Australia. So not an option. i think I'd rather a new camera as its a present.