It's back...instant Polaroid photos

Polaroid instant film [and camera are back] for consumer appreciation. Actually it was never gone for the film was still made for professional purposes in 8 X 10 format. Nevertheless, relive the old days [like the revival of vinyl records] and add to the instant porn of a new generation.

"Polaroid Lives! New Camera Uses Real Instant Film"

by

Charlie Sorrel

April 29th, 2010

Wired

Like a phoenix rising from the flames and gently fading back into view as you pointlessly flap it in the air, Polaroid has returned. And this time, with real instant film, not that awful camera/printer — the Pogo — we saw last year.

The PIC-300 has the familiar snap-and-wait action, spitting a photo from a slot in its top whereupon the internal chemical pack goes to work to develop the image. The camera itself has four exposure settings and an automatic flash built into its ugly, bulbous and toylike exterior, and runs on four AA batteries or a rechargeable li-ion (all included).

The crying shame is that the photos are smaller than the originals, although they do have that classic shape with the fat (chemical-containing) bottom-border. Similar in size to a business card, the print is 2.1 x 3.4 inches (with a 1.8 x 2.4-inch image) versus the old 3.5 x 4.25 (3 x 3.1 image size).

That isn’t a big problem if the colors and feel of the photos is right: The Polaroid print is more of an object in itself than any other kind of photo. The trouble might be the price. The camera is just $90, but the film costs $10 for a 10-exposure pack (ISO 800). A dollar a print was standard for old Polaroids, but this “fun” design camera is clearly aimed at cellphone-toting kids, who get their pictures free. Still, I’m in. I love Polaroid, and I’m sure that the cost-per-print will keep me from wasting too many frames like I do with digital.

Welcome back, Polaroid! Good to see you again, old friend.