For those of us who already have a certain age, Polaroid are part of our general culture. If we didn't have one for communion, it was our cousin, our neighbor or our best friend. We were the kings of the selfie with her some years ago, or did you think you created it, young man? Only, as it cost us much of our weekly pay, we made a selfie a month and walk. Then the first digital ones appeared, something almost impossible to dream but that came true, and when the first mobile phones with camera appeared we all became photographers, in the kings of the self-portrait, in unstoppable creators of visual content for social networks, blogs , websites, etc. In full digital boom, the analog format in general suffered dangerously in some cases disappearing (although many reels resist, there are also those that sadly will never return). A mark in suffering these terrible consequences was Polaroid, that simply had to stop manufacturing reels, and for a time it seemed that we should say goodbye forever.
WHAT IS POLAROID?
Polaroid is synonymous with instant photography on paper . His first instant photographs date from 1947, where they got a development of only 60 seconds and their applications since then have been multiple and varied (especially for the general public but also used in military photography, etc.) until 2008, in the one that the brand decided to close the factories that produced its reels. Luckily someone took care of picking up the glove and, under the name of The Impossible Project , bought the only factory that still worked to create these instant films. Thanks to them, all those who had a Polaroid were able to dust them off and use them again. I would even dare to say that people who had not heard of them, after the announcement of the closure, felt interest and desire to try aHOW DOES IT WORK?
The main attraction of Polaroid cameras is their ability to combine instantaneity with analog physical support . If you are a reel user or you have been, you know how tedious the whole process can be until you get a paper copy. If, on the other hand, you are one of those who take a turn for the immediate result of digital cameras, it may be a sad thing that they disappear when you disconnect the computer The grace of Polaroid is mainly in their reels, which are both reel and paper; that is, on the same positive support and reveals.WHAT WHAT?
Well, when you buy a reel and put it in a Polaroid you are faced with nothing more or less than a small portable laboratory . It is the same reel that carries all the chemicals needed to reveal and fix the image that are activated at the moment you press the button and the camera ejects it through the slot. Step 1: The photosensitive paper is exposed to light by pressing the shutter and capturing the image. Step 2: The camera ejects the paper through the front opening. Step 3: Before leaving, go through rollers that spread the chemicals (located in the wide part of the characteristic white margin) through the photosensitive paper. Step 4 : Voilà! Here is your photo on paper only a few seconds after pressing the shutter. Not bad to be technology almost 70 years ago, right?IDEAL USER TYPE
Well, if you are the king of technology, quality and minimalism, if you do not like to accumulate things or hang photos on the walls or in photo albums, surely this camera will not be for you. If, on the other hand, the photos with vintage aroma make you crazy, save memories, wallpaper walls, if you are from books in physical format and you pass the Kindle ;-), if you value the uniqueness that gives you an unrepeatable moment, a unique image that you will not be able to play ... Well, then you will love this kind of cameras. Those old tones in the color of the photo, that characteristic frame, that unrepeatable moment in which you press the shutter, those seconds of intrigue in which you expect to see the image appear ... You follow me, right?PROS AND CONS
This type of cameras has almost as many advantages as inconveniences. In your hand is deciding which side of the scale you like bestCONS
- The price . When you invest in a digital camera you will surely spend a lot more money than buying a Polaroid (unless you go to a cheap compact), but then you don't have to spend anything else. On the other hand, the Polaroids are very well priced but the reels are a fixed expense for a lifetime. And they are not excessively cheap, at least if you shoot at the rate of a digital camera (Prices per photo move between 1 Euro and 2 Euros).
- Logistics . You have to go buy them, either to a store, or wait to receive them online. So you have to spend some time getting the reels every time you run out.
- Degradation . All the old analog photography users know that the time also passes through the images. Go through the negatives and the photos. Even more so in the case of Polaroid in which there are no negatives to turn to to obtain a copy of the image.
- Size . I guess you've already seen Polaroids and you've noticed that pocket cameras are not
- And if the camera is large, the photos are usually very small, especially in new models ( The Impossible Project reels are the same as the old ones but the new ones have other formats).
- Little control in the result of the image : In some you can decide whether to fire the flash or not, or regulate something similar to the aperture, but little else, unless you jump to the new digital-analog models that we will see later.
- Instantaneity: Press the button and have it
- Physical support: You can frame them, hang them on the wall, on a rope with tweezers ...
- Uniqueness : Or the value of the uniqueness of each image for the one who knows how to value it.
- Very easy : Aim and shoot
- Styling: Obviously you have to like input support, color tones, size, etc.
- Resistant: The simplicity of the elements that make up the camera itself, makes it difficult for it to break down. I rescued one from the loft with almost 20 years of life and it worked the first without problems.
- And for me, because they know and smell like memories, because at the same moment that you hold it revealed in your hands, you are aware of the past state of things, because it knows at a special, unique and unrepeatable moment. Because I know friends and loved ones, which is mainly for the one we use, to portray anyone or one who visits us at home
SOME POLAROID MODELS OR SIMILAR
After the good reception that Polaroid lovers had the new consignment of reels that the Impossible Project gave us , the Polaroid world was resurrected, and with it the purchase and sale of these second-hand analog cameras online. And not only the Polaroid brand itself saw a boom in its sales, but other brands got into the car of this commercial push. Here I leave you a few models to quench your curiosity Basically the market is divided between Fujifilm and the resurrected Polaroid: Polaroid Socialmatic : Finally, Polaroid seems to have found the way to return to the market by combining the digital format with the physical one that has characterized it throughout its trajectory. Of 14 MP (with a second 2MP camera for selfies ;-)), touch screen, GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth, and allows 6x9cm prints. It is not cheap but if you take the polaroids is an interesting option to consider. You have it for about 350 Euros on Amazon . By the way, does the design sound like you? If you are an Instagram user you will know what I am talking about Polaroid Snap : 10MP camera that allows you to save the images in addition to printing them, even allows you to choose whether or not we want an edge, automatic shooting mode, and available in different colors on Amazon for about 120 Euros . Polaroid Z2300 : Another Polaroid model, with a 10MP sensor, 3 ”LCD screen, 5.1 × 7.6 cm size prints, color or black and white printing, different shooting modes, and so on. An entire digital compact with the possibility to print images instantly. You have it on Amazon for 200 Euros . Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 :Fujifilm analog camera with built-in flash, photo brightness control, and few more controls. The grace of this camera is that it mimics the previous Polaroid; There is nothing digital here and everything is done with the usual analog process that always characterized Polaroid cameras. It also has many add-ons available and good opinion from users. You have it on Amazon for about 80 Euros depending on the color. I also know that both cameras and reels are easily available both in physical stores and online. Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 : With somewhat more advanced options than the previous one, it allows to obtain long exposures and double exposures, adds an LCD screen and different modes (macro, landscape, etc.). The design is classic style (I think it's beautiful) You have them on Amazon for about 135 Euros . Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 : In case the size of the Instax Mini images does not convince you, this camera allows you to take twice as large photographs. You have it on Amazon for about 115 Euros . To these must be added the old classic Polaroid models that you can find second-hand on the internet, for example on ebay or in portals as a second hand, and so on. In short, Polaroid and similar cameras are very attractive design cameras, great for fun, to give free rein to creativity, for situations where light is very easy, and for those who enjoy the charms of instant analog photography . In my view, it would never be a first camera for someone who is very interested in photography, but it could be a second or third camera for special occasions, to have fun, in order to decorate with the photos, put them in a album, use them as gifts, etc. I hope you found the information useful. If so, please share it with who you think may be interested. Thank you very much and see you next time