Polaroid film: 'Gentlemen, start your engines'

[sooner]

B.M. makes a good point, but so too does Venchka. Perhaps this is more about recovering real estate gains than a commentary on the cost-effectiveness of making Polaroid films. My point is that some smaller company might buy the licenses and relocate production to a cheaper venue, i.e. China or Vietnam, and turn the line profitable again. We can probably only speculate wildly without seeing the hard numbers in terms of sales and cost of production. Personally, I doubt the sales numbers have dropped so far so fast. I see Polaroid film at Walgreens, unlike slide film, for example. Maybe it's naive or romantic, but it just seems like someone on this planet could make a profit selling this product, even if the modalities of that production need to change.

 

[Dektol Dan]

The Polaroid 550 holder takes the Fujifilm 4x5 color & B&W products. Polaroid stopped making those products a long time ago. I have a Polaroid 550 holder. Any offers? 😱 😎 🙂 😀

Venchka: What do you want for it? I'm game. Write me an email.

 

[venchka]

Yikes. Ok.

 

[rich815]

I was not so worried about this at first, but then I remembered my X-ray Mummy project and I freaked out. So much for that...

 

[jan normandale]

I was not so worried about this at first, but then I remembered my X-ray Mummy project and I freaked out. So much for that...

Rich, that sounds interesting and worth chasing some polaroid film down. The flip side of this development is you would have one of the final projects using polaroids!

 

[bmattock]

I was not so worried about this at first, but then I remembered my X-ray Mummy project and I freaked out. So much for that...

You x-ray one mummy, and you've x-rayed them all. I mean really.

 

[venchka]

If you snooze, you loose

If you snooze, you loose

The Polaroid online shop has no Type 55 P/N for sale. 😱 🙁 :bang:

 

[venchka]

Update: Polaroid says the availability of Type 55 P/N is 10 days. It's not all gone yet. However, they sold almost 1,000 boxes in less than 4 days. I wonder how quickly the next 1,000 boxes will sell.

 

[David Goldfarb]

I was thinking of picking up one last box of 809 from B&H today, and it's sold out. I've got six sheets left.

 

[shadowfox]

Ok, I retract my position, there's a marketing genius working at Polaroid...

"hmm, Bob, we need to get the inventory moving faster ....
... y'know... let's announce that we're closing our factories, that should get those wallet-hugger film-stasher out there worked out..."

😀

 

[bmattock]

Ok, I retract my position, there's a marketing genius working at Polaroid...

"hmm, Bob, we need to get the inventory moving faster ....
... y'know... let's announce that we're closing our factories, that should get those wallet-hugger film-stasher out there worked out..."

😀

I'd go for that argument if it were the end of the fiscal quarter...

 

[venchka]

It's gone. All gone.

It's gone. All gone.

Type 55 P/N is gone from the Polaroid company inventory. Almost 1,000 boxes in less than 4 days. Contrary to their announcement, they are NOT producing any more instant film of any kind. The folks at Fujifilm must be grinning. 😱

So I was thinking about the 10 day notice tag and it occurred to me that Polaroid's web ordering system might automatically throw up a 10 day restock tag when any product is sold out. When they were running at full tilt--that was probably a reasonable estimate to restock. I called Polaroid's corporate headquarters to ask about the 10 day restock and they told me that's it--they've completely stopped manufacturing of all instant films and there is no more stock. There will be no more film when the packs in the retail supply system run out. So the end came fast for Type 55. Almost every major retailer is out of stock, so this is everyone's last chance to say goodbye. As much as I want to believe some company will pick up the manufacturing of Type 55, I think it's a long shot. 🙁

 

[Gumby]

Oh, don't worry... they aren't really out... they are probably just thawing out some that they have in frozen storage. 😉

 

[bmattock]

Item number: 290206812453

 

[Gumby]

Waste of money. Not worth the risk that it's still good. There will be lots of these "opportunities" in the near future.

 

[bmattock]

I have no doubt you're right. It's going to be like the Great Rodinal Panic of 2006.

 

[Gumby]

Here's a laugh for you... from a ebay auction for 1980's-era Polaroid film.

"Polaroid film is known for it's longevity and should be fine, but I can not say for sure. "

The only good news is that the auction if for a box of Tungsten-balance Pro Chrome, not any of the instant films. I just wonder how often this phrase will be repeated!

 

[shadowfox]

I'd go for that argument if it were the end of the fiscal quarter...

Aah, but there lies the genius! 🙂

Come to think of it, I bet there are a lot of Tax refunds with Polaroid name on it. genius.. I say 😀