Jon Wahl Photography: The Polaroid Wonder

"It was a wonder in its time: A camera that spat out photos that developed themselves in a few minutes as you watched. You got to see them where and when you took them, not a week later when the prints came back from the drugstore." - NY Times

I am a lover of photography - and all things vintage - so naturally I love old Polaroid cameras. As I type I continue to look over at my shelf where 2 old models sit. I love the colors (or lack there of) a Polaroid camera captures, and how magical is it to have your print in only seconds. I'll admit, however, that I have never taken a Polaroid picture. My interest in Polaroid cameras came in about 2009, a year after Polaroid closed its doors.

My 2 Polaroid Cameras

To learn about the loss of Polaroid read NY Times' article from 2008

Even thought Polaroid is gone there is no need to despair -- there is hope for us yet.

1 - In 2010 The Impossible Project was born! The Impossible Project was started by a small team of 10 former Polaroid employees who shared a passion as well as the belief in Polaroid. Together they had more than 500 years of accumulated experience and knowledge in the field of instant film production.

Today the Impossible project is producing Polaroid film in a factory in Enschede, Netherlands. At $23.49 a pack the price is steep, but at least it is a possiblity. I am hoping that as more people buy their film the prices will drop.

2 - Fujifilm now makes a new version of Polaroid! The camera can be bought from Amazon for $59.99. Film for the camera is about $1.00 per picture.

3 - Fujifilm also makes their own instant camera called the Instax MINI. This camera can be bought
from Amazon for 62.90. Film for the camera is a bit cheaper at $0.75 per picture.