Polaroid instant cameras are a series of instant film cameras created by the Polaroid Corporation, founded by Edwin Land in 1937. The philosophy behind these cameras was to make photography easy and fun, and produce an instant result that would allow people to see the photographs they’ve created in seconds, not days later after the development process.
Polaroid instant cameras used three types of film over the years, including roll film, which used two rolls of film that performed different parts of the development process, pack film, which involved physically removing the film after each shot and removing a layer of the film by hand to complete the development process, and integral film, which is the iconic white bordered, ‘hands off’ self developing film most people associate with a Polaroid camera.
Polaroid Instant cameras have experienced a resurgence in popularity of late, alongside the growth in popularity of vintage or retro style photography. These cameras are quirky devices that produce an interesting and very unique style of print, and can be found in very good condition at very cheap prices.
The one downfall of owning a Polaroid is getting film for the camera, as it can be quite expensive and hard to track down. This is changing however, with groups such as The Impossible Project creating new instant film for Polaroid cameras for the new generation of Polaroid fans. They are hoping to have products available very soon, but in the meantime you can keep an eye out on eBay or Amazon for cheap bulk packs of film, or inquire at specialist camera and film shops.
Polaroid instant cameras are a unique and fun form of photography that is recommended for any photographer or photography enthusiast, or even anyone who just likes the idea of an instant, quirky and unique physical memento of a special moment, in a world that seems dominated by the non-physicality of digital photography.