So I’ve known about this for a few weeks, but I haven’t been posting recently, so better late than never. Anyway, I am beyond excited about The Impossible Project. Ever since last year’s announcement that Polaroid was ceasing production of all instant films, I’ve been a bit panicked as to what the plan was from here on out.
I have quite a few Polaroid cameras of various types, and I absolutely love shooting them. I use both the integral film type (the well-known polaroid format popularized by the SX-70 of the ’70s) and the older peel-apart packfilm type (ask your grandparents). I haven’t been terribly concerned about the packfilm cameras, as Fuji makes a readily available packfilm that will fit in these cameras with no trouble. I haven’t purchased any yet as I’m still finishing off my existing stock of expired Polaroid 669, but I intend to buy some soon. Furthermore, Polaroid announced a few months ago that they have partnered with someone (I suspect Fuji) to resume production of these film stocks. So I’ve stopped sweating that.
As for the integral cameras (SX-70 and 600), though, I thought they were going to be relegated to very stylish bookshelf decor, which is a bit depressing. Fuji (gotta love Fuji) makes an integral camera of their own called the Instax, which has been a gray market product here in the US for a few years, but is slated to become readily available. The pictures differ significantly from the standard polaroid (they have a wider frame and a developer pod on each end), but I figure that they would make a suitable replacement. There is also an Instax Mini, that uses identical film to the Polaroid Mio (I think polaroid was actually packaging Instax Mini for the Polaroid Mio at one point), so that is another option as well.
But then… I learn of The Impossible Project. Apparently Austrian artist/Polaroid enthusiast Florian Kaps (also leading manager of the Lomographic Society) bought the Polaroid factory in the Netherlands, with the manufacturing equipment, and hired Polaroid engineers with the aim of formulating a new brand of integral film compatible with both the 600 and SX-70 cameras. They intend to begin production next year, and I (along with the legions of Polaroid fans worldwide) cannot wait. Hopefully, I can calm down now.