Instant Photography

[DFigueira]

Hi guy's,

There is something I wanted to ask, since this was common some years ago.
Many people used Instant Photography as a main of earning money or only used instant photography as a manner of having memories of everything, instead of worrying about developing rolls of film and other stuff.

Are there people who do this nowadays? Or does the demise of Polaroid and the rise of digital killed this role of instant photography by complete and now it's only a niche, something to use sometimes with friends etc?

Thanks!

 

[HHPhoto]

Well, it is much more than a niche today. It is currently one of the most successful products in the whole photo market.
Fujifilm alone sold more than 16 million Instax cameras in the last three years.
Impossible Project as the successor of Polaroid has also strong increasing demand.

The ways instant photography is used today are so manifold as the photographers:
It is used in professional photography (fashion industry, insurance companies, weddings), in art photography, in households for snapshots, at parties and lots of many other ways.

Cheers, Jan

 

[zuiko85]

Fuji's Instax line is doing very well with steady, increasing sales. Enough that they are introducing a square format with a 62X62mm image area and have introduced a monochrome in the Mini line.
RFF's own Godfrey DeG shoots Polaroid IP film. So yes, there is still interest in instant photography.
In fact right now there is a Kickstarter project for a cardboard camera using Instax Mini film, goes by the name 'Jollylook Camera'. They have about 6 days left and already have 5.5K backers.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Fuji and -to a lesser extent the Impossible Project, have revitalized interest in 'instant photography'. A few years back, I hogged a load of Fuji Instax film from amazon.de and I'm having a lot of fun using it.

 

[goamules]

Wetplate has had a huge increase the past 8 years. It's the original "instant" photography, you can have a finished plate in less than 5 minutes.

 

[DFigueira]

I sincerely never noticed Instant photography being used as a way of earning money, right now. Hence the whole post.
Are there examples of people that I could check?

And yes, that cardboard camera was a hit! Counting the day's to get my hand on one!

 

[Mackinaw]

I always take along my SX-70 and a few packs of IP B&W film whenever I shoot a wedding. People love that camera. Older folks recall the SX-70 from their youth, while younger folks, who grew up with digital, are amazed to see a print pop out of the camera. I always have folks lined up to have their pic taken.

Jim B.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Seven or so years ago I was volunteering at Haunted House charity with donations going to local hospital. At the end of the tour it was me and one of the dressed volunteers. I was taking picture on Fuji instant of visitors with dressed up person, giving them print and getting money for it. It was first and last time I ever did something serious with instant film.

 

[zuiko85]

Also forgot to mention. Even Leica has put their brand on an instant camera. For whatever that's worth. And a Kickstarter 'universal' modular camera concept has backs for both Instax Mini and Wide formats. That will allow a more useful lens than the 60mm f12.7 'Automatik-Hektor' on the Leica branded instant camera.

 

[DFigueira]

Also forgot to mention. Even Leica has put their brand on an instant camera. For whatever that's worth. And a Kickstarter 'universal' modular camera concept has backs for both Instax Mini and Wide formats. That will allow a more useful lens than the 60mm f12.7 'Automatik-Hektor' on the Leica branded instant camera.

They only put their name in order to enter a rather "limited" market by the easiest way possible. Don't blame them and I hope they take this opportunity to take other rivers.

 

[zuiko85]

They only put their name in order to enter a rather "limited" market by the easiest way possible. Don't blame them and I hope they take this opportunity to take other rivers.

No blame. As I said, "For whatever that's worth." Worth to Leica that is. I begrudge Leica nothing for expanding their brand. I think they are still managing to make a profit in a cutthroat market. I imagine Nikon, Olympus, and many others would like to be able to turn a profit on photographic equipment.

 

[DFigueira]

Besides the CatsLab mistery of packfilm, instax square, the jolly cardboard camera and the new polaroid pop (which I don't like their tech ), is there anything more new in the market?

 

[dmr]

I seem to recall a few years ago hearing that some semi-famous portrait photographer was getting four figures or so for a Polaroid portrait.

 

[shawn]

I seem to recall a few years ago hearing that some semi-famous portrait photographer was getting four figures or so for a Polaroid portrait.

Not your average Polaroid though..

http://www.20x24studio.com/

Shawn

 

[Dwig]

...Or does the demise of Polaroid and the rise of digital killed this role of instant photography by complete and now it's only a niche, something to use sometimes with friends etc?

Thanks!

No and Yes.

The demise of Polaroid is an effect, not a cause.

Instant photography was "put on the critical list" by Kodak's push for faster and easier to manage processes for color neg processing and print processing. This, plus the buy-in from several Japanese companies making equipment to take advantage of this, all but ended amateur use of instant film.

The death knell came from digital, which eliminated the need for instant films for testing/proofing. Digital also did one better than the 1-hour photo mini labs, adding its nail to the coffin.

Today, absolutely none of the original uses for instant photography survive, all being replaced by digital in one form or another. Instant, like conventional film, lives only as a craft/art form in much the same way as photography "replaced" drawing and painting in the every day commercial world, though digital graphics replicating drawing and painting survives well.

 

[zuiko85]

Besides the CatsLab mistery of packfilm, instax square, the jolly cardboard camera and the new polaroid pop (which I don't like their tech ), is there anything more new in the market?

If you mean cameras, then not new but they just came out with a new version, the Mint TL70 v2. It's a TLR with a 61mm f5.6 triplet, user adjustable f stops and shutter speeds and focusing to 19 inches. Sounds nice but $400, ouch!
Uses Instax Mini.

 

[DFigueira]

If you mean cameras, then not new but they just came out with a new version, the Mint TL70 v2. It's a TLR with a 61mm f5.6 triplet, user adjustable f stops and shutter speeds and focusing to 19 inches. Sounds nice but $400, ouch!
Uses Instax Mini.

Forgot about that one. Amazing idea and design. But too much money. 200 to 250€ and I would go for it.

 

[HHPhoto]

Today, absolutely none of the original uses for instant photography survive, all being replaced by digital in one form or another.

That is wrong in such a generalisation.
It is used today also in professional photography (fashion industry, insurance companies, weddings).
And of course also in one of its original uses with amateurs / enthusiasts: To capture unique moments and preserve them in a physical form for the future.

Cheers, Jan