BW Polaroid Film Controversy
In 2008, Polaroid stopped manufacturing new film for its instant cameras. This news upset a lot of Polaroid fans, some of whom launched the Impossible Project to start up making fresh batches of film for the pop-up cameras. They leased an old Polaroid film factory in Enschede, Netherlands, and they plan to sell a million packs during the first year.
Their first product is the $21 pack of PX 100 film, which yields eight BW images. Press packs went out this week. Here’s one shown by 1854, the blog of the British Journal of Photography:
Looks like a serious, archival photo album already!
The minimal aesthetic leaves a lot of room for a photographer’s imagination. Impossible seems like the kind of company that respects creativity.
The film looks natural posed right next to a 30 year old camera. The blogger says the film looks and feels like Polaroid’s own. There’s also a collectible Darkslide at the top of the pack. Not sure what it means to have a mustache on your nose. Probably a translated European expression. Sounds sophisticated.
At this point, the anticipation must have been serious. Will the photos measure up to the experience of consuming this film?
How well does this image capture its subject? How does it capture the experience of shooting with Polaroid?
Impossible tells ppl not to shoot when it’s too cold, and the blog’s photos were done when it was outside the recommended temperature range. The photographer got a better shot with a filter and a longer exposure:
The writer compares the PX100 to an “expired pack of 779 or Time-Zero” because it’s so unpredictable. Still, that statement doesn’t seem like a harsh critique in the context of excusing these results with the chilly weather and wanting to test more packs and other Impossible products, especially during the warm summer/Polaroid season.
Maybe it’s a brilliant move to release summer film when it’s cold out. At the press release, Impossible’s rep told people to watch out for chilly temps. Experimentation under bad conditions is part of the authentic Polaroid experience. Like bicycling and organic food shopping, it’s another way for people to show that they can tame the elements.
Impossible Project successfully tackled the threat of seeming too opportunistic or commercial. The film seems as impractical as the originals sold on eBay. The packaging and branding feel at home with vintage cameras and accessories. Polariod isn’t just for photos. Polaroid is a way to consume the photography experience.
Film for both the SX-70 cameras and models that use 600-series type film will be out on March 25. The Impossible Project plans to launch color film this summer.
Till then, you can get a Phillipe Roucou Polaroid scarf:
Via 1854
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