Comments on: Saying Goodbye to the Polaroid

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:29:00 +0000

At my wedding only a couple years ago, in lieu of a traditional guest book, we had each guest take a polaroid pic of themselves, stick it in a book we had there and write on the page. The reception also served as a kind of gonig-away party, as we moved two months later.

We love looking through that book – such great memories of little snapshots of time.

A friend of ours who is an artist drew feet below the picture of him and his girlfriend with a ball and chain on his leg. Quite prophetic – they were engaged just a few months later!

By: coffeegirl

coffeegirl — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Wow, I had a mamiya-sekor (?) the same time and it was stolen too. My dad said it was a real popular camera. It took awesome pictures. I still have a film one now, but the digital is sooo easy…

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Casey, I’m with you. My digital Canon rocks and I love it, but I learned on film and I still want a B&W lab in my house one day. The good thing about the digital revolution is that it’ll be easy to get great projectors, etc, cheap.

There’s something about watching that photo develop in front of your eyes, whether on a Polaroid or in a pan of developer that digital can’t touch.

By: brovox

brovox — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:33:00 +0000

I bought a Mamiya Film Camera which I had as a kid (about 35years ago) but was stolen, I came across a similar camera in a used camera store and am shooting film only. I don’t want to switch as long as I can hold out with the 120 film. Love Film and it’s colours.

By: EV

EV — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:31:00 +0000

I remember that ‘kid in the yard by the house’ pic from a M_F contest of some sort many months ago. It still sorta freaks me out. Probably partially because the kid is a dead ringer for me at that age.

By: Casey S.

Casey S. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:16:00 +0000

@Dave:

You’re not alone. :)

At my college, we have a photography teacher that refuses to use digital cameras. He teaches film only.

I absolutely fell in love.

Love my Nikon D40x, but film has my heart!

By: BassMan

BassMan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:07:00 +0000

I’m going to assume you meant NOT ashamed, Dave. Cuz I don’t think you should be.

By: VM

VM — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:49:00 +0000

I remember once seeing an art exhibit of Polaroid pictures that had been manipulated while “drying”. Really amazing stuff, astonishing colors. A pixel’s just a pixel, but good chemicals…ah!

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:04:00 +0000

The unfortunate thing about the Polaroid cameras becoming more funky on the antique store shelves is that they can’t be used. Anything using roll-type Polaroid film has been obsolete for years. 600 is still available, and SX-70 has been gone for a little while. I’m not sure when Captiva or Spectra went, but they’re gone. Oddly enough, the peel-apart kind is still made by Fuji, so most of the ones from the middle 60’s to middle 70’s will be the last ones that can be used. I think that the pictures from the peel-apart kind were always better anyway. Fuji also makes an instant film for its home market that can be used in the old Kodak instant cameras with some adaptation.

One of my current favorite film cameras was also a Warhol favorite-the 35mm Minox. I gave one to my brother for Christmas, and ended up buying one for myself. I found while testing his that I had badly missed shooting film pictures, and the Minox is a wonderful and perfect little machine. When it works. They’re known to be somewhat unreliable.

Barring some adaptation to use sheet film or 120, a Polaroid camera can’t be as fun as other old cameras. With a little work, anything that uses 620, 828 and some others can still be used. The very common 35mm and 120 are still easy. I’ve bought several cheap 35mm cameras off eBay and thrift stores lately that are top quality. All have returned excellent pictures, but I wouldn’t have to be upset if they were to be lost or destroyed. I’ve often thought that these excellent but cheap cameras would be perfect for small children-good pictures without the worry about cost. There are digital cameras for kids, but they just aren’t up to the quality of even a disposable 35mm. Nothing but a phone camera in a stand-alone shell. I think that kids today are deprived without cameras and tape recorders. Those were two of my creative favorites as a child. I may have to hoard for my future kids.

I am a nerd, and I’m ashamed.

By: Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:08:00 +0000

@Tricia –

That’s my grandmother!