Polaroid comeback ?!?! tease

[brbo]

Polaroid Originals vs Impossible vs Polaroid 600: it's in French but the pictures show the performance.

The improvement of the new film over the older Impossible film is actually bigger than I hoped for.

 

[Mackinaw]

I’ll be curious if they changed the new color film from the beta-version I tested back in the spring. I liked what I saw then, though I thought the beta-version was a bit too yellow. I passed that info, and the image, along to IP for their consideration.

I just ordered five boxes of the new color film that I plan on using at an upcoming wedding. People love Polaroids at these sort of events.

Jim B.

 

[aizan]

is sx-70 film similarly improved? they're not clear about that on their website and other public statements, though brooklyn film cameras' instagram post made it seem like all were new generation.

 

[Mackinaw]

I don't believe it was. Best I can tell, only the 600-series color film was improved, the rest are all carryover IP films with the new Polaroid packaging.

BTW, I'm using 600-series film in my SX-70 with a ND filter.

Jim B.

 

[Godfrey]

Polaroid Originals vs Impossible vs Polaroid 600: it's in French but the pictures show the performance. SX-70 film is 600 film with an ND filter on the film pack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wniAs_dMYWI

The improvement of the new film over the older Impossible film is actually bigger than I hoped for.

It looks good! Processing speed is reasonable, and the final color and such seems much cleaner. Nice!

I presume they've concentrated first on the 600 emulsion, since that's the biggest seller (and the emulsion required for the new camera), and the others will follow along soon.

G

 

[Eric T]

Interesting little camera but there is no way it will compete with Fujifilm's Instax line.
The Polaroid film is too expensive and their camera doesn't appear to be better than the Instax wide cameras.

 

[robert blu]

...their camera doesn't appear to be better than the Instax wide cameras.

Yes, but it depends on definition of what better is...if you look for a realistic look, high definition and vivid color for sure the Fuji options are better, if you look for a tool to express a dreamy vision or use alternative techniques like emulsion shifting the Pola/Impossible options are the way to go...

Yes, the cost is higher but aren't the photo larger?

It's so nice to have options, to each his own 🙂

robert

 

[brbo]

Interesting little camera but there is no way it will compete with Fujifilm's Instax line.
The Polaroid film is too expensive and their camera doesn't appear to be better than the Instax wide cameras.

True, but there are still many better (though old) cameras around for Polaroid film. And Polaroid BW film is infinitely better than Instax Wide BW film 😉

I would've liked at least scale focusing on the new Polaroid OneStep2, but I can understand how as simple as possible, great looking camera riding on the nostalgia wave and "cool" factor could work best for them at this time. I can't see the I-1 camera for sale anymore on the new site. I wonder if they decided that the more advanced cameras are simply not in demand or they are working on something new...?

Let's just hope they can continue to improve their films. If they can still make leaps as big as this for like three more generations they will have a very nice film (again).

 

[Mackinaw]

I’ve suggested more than once that only the 600-series Polaroid Original color film is all new. I’m happy to say I was wrong. I asked Polaroid directly about the new films, and ALL of the just-released Polaroid Original color films are new. This includes SX-70 and Spectra. I'm happy to be wrong on this one.

Jim B.

 

[robert blu]

This is an interesting news thanks Jim! I received the i-1 films and I'll try them next week
robert

 

[Godfrey]

I’ve suggested more than once that only the 600-series Polaroid Original color film is all new. I’m happy to say I was wrong. I asked Polaroid directly about the new films, and ALL of the just-released Polaroid Original color films are new. This includes SX-70 and Spectra. I'm happy to be wrong on this one.

Jim B.

Excellent news, thank you Jim!

I need an entirely new stock of film. All my older film has deteriorated, in various inconsistent ways. I'll still shoot it—never know what you can get out of it and it is about 25 packs that I hate to just dump—but I need film for all the different cameras. I'm glad I can use 600 film in three out of four... 🙂 ... although SX-70 film works better for long exposures in the 66/6 Instant Film Pinhole camera.

G

 

[FujiLove]

What do you do then when you buy your Fuji 90 Neo for £120 when the same camera can be bought for $110 in US? You bring your best raincoat for some Fuji-style-Love?

Ever heard of VAT?

So you're saying the difference in price is all down to sales tax? I don't know what other countries pay, but I can't see the difference adding up to almost a third extra.

 

[brbo]

So you're saying the difference in price is all down to sales tax? I don't know what other countries pay, but I can't see the difference adding up to almost a third extra.

No, I’m saying a large part of price difference is down to tax. I don’t know the explanation why Europeans pay more (even after taking the taxes into consideration) for virtually every device. But if I refused to buy every product that is cheaper in the US I would have very little to choose from. Yes, it would be nice if the new Polaroid camera was 99 EUR, but they are hardly the only company to charge more in Europe.

Since their film is priced “fairly” on both sides of the pond, there might even be a valid reason (beyond their control)? Import duties (cameras are probably made in China), more regulation regarding minimum warranty period...? You care to write an email to Polaroid and let us know if they respond?

 

[Godfrey]

VAT in the UK is about 17%, IIRC.

It's not unusual to see a 10-20% pre-tax/pre-VAT variation in the prices of goods around the world. This is why it's traditionally been less expensive for me to buy Billingham camera bags directly from UK stockists even though I have to also pay for shipping. For example: My Billingham L2 when I bought it was a $320 purchase from New York, not counting shipping and sales tax, where buying direct from the UK cost me less than $180 including the shipping and any customs duty/fees.

There's rarely any rhyme or reason to these price variations. They're what the companies think is 'fair market value' in the geographic domain, I imagine. Or there's regulatory and other burden that drives the prices up and down depending on the domain.

 

[Mackinaw]

Today I received my five boxes of the new 600-series Polaroid Original color film. I stuck a pack in my SX-70 (with ND filter) and took a few test shots. The film is very colorful and warm, more so than the beta-stuff I tested earlier in the spring.

Here are three pics. The first is a right out off the camera and scanned with my ancient Epson 4490. Outside of adjusting the histogram for shadows/highlights, nothing was done to the print. What you see here is a true to what the new film looks like.

Pic#2 is slightly modified in Photoshop Elements. I drew a line around the actual picture and hit the “auto color correction button.” This removed some of the warmness and gave a print with colors that are very true to life.

The last pic I ran through Photoshop Elements again and hit the “convert to B&W button.” I’m very impressed by the B&W tonal range and just may use this new color film for all of my B&W work.

Jim B.

 

[Mackinaw]

Another pic using the new Polaroid Originals color film. In my SX-70.

Jim B.

 

[raid]

These are nice looking Polaroid images, Jim.

 

[Mackinaw]

Raid, this new Polaroid Originals film is pretty good. Much better than previous generation stuff. I like it.

Jim B.

 

[robert blu]

Thanks Jim for sharing your experience.
robert

 

[Prest_400]

It looks gorgeous. They finally hit it! I guess that they had the idea to rebrand when the film got decent and t was wih this year beta.
Good to know it might keep on improving too.

I still have a couple 2015 packs that I don't know what to shoot in. The expense factor makes me too thoughtful.