Calling All Vintage Enthusiasts

  By Lottie | August 25, 2009 - 1:27 pm | Photography, The Culch

Polaroid

Just saw this over on An Cathach.

I have two Polaroid cameras sitting film-less on the shelf at home.

In early 2008 they announced that film for the iconic cameras would no longer be manufactured.

Enthusiasts were saddened at the fate of their beloved film and as a result started to stockpile any supplies they could find. Prices got higher as supplies dwindled and many vocalized their opinion on the decision to stop production. However an Austrian artist, businessman and Polaroid obsessive called Florian Kaps has made a move to save the format. Kaps is the founder of Polanoid.net, which is the largest Polaroid gallery online and Polanoir, the first ever Polaroid-only art gallery in Vienna.

Does this make anyone else super excited?

7 Responses to Calling All Vintage Enthusiasts

  1. hugo fitzpatrick says:
    August 25, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    It’s sickening that they would get rid of such an iconic format! Surely there is a market to make the now RARE roll’s of film!

    Poloroid’s are an important part of film and photography history.

    Do people really want to explain what that strange bit of paper is in Momento to their children when the movie is confusing as it is!

    Son you see it’s a photograph on paper that is produced instantly, he’s using it to help him remember things. Ah those were the days, instant hard copy photo’s in their own unique style. These days we just have digital picture frames and online web albums…… (hell by then photo’s will be stamped in our brains!)

    It’s a real shame that poloroid is going to die. Even if they have a replacement similar product it wouldn’t be the same.

    Poloroids shouldn’t go the way of Betamax!

  2. Sharon says:
    August 25, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    I like the camera. The colours are WONDerful. So Buck Rodgers!

    I love old cameras and old poloroids do have such a kitch charm. It would be great if they didn’t kill off the format completly.

    Check out my SX70 poloroid, it snaps shut into it’s own case. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to ;)

  3. Sharon says:
    August 25, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    I hear what your saying Hugo. Although.
    There are various types of photography that are just not done anymore, BUT, have become somewhat of an artform. Poloroids will probably go the same way.

  4. hugo fitzpatrick says:
    August 25, 2009 at 3:33 pm

    Yeah Auto-Chrome and other earlier types of Photography are beautiful but they’re extinct now. It would be amazing for them to come back or restored, even if just as art.

    As for Poloroid’s, even if i’ve never used one, i would still love to have the choice to, even if it was expense for a very specific niche market. Vinyl never died, why does Self-Developing film.

  5. Lottie says:
    August 25, 2009 at 6:56 pm

    @Sharon - That camera is beautiful. I hope it’s on proud display.

    There’s just something about Polaroid photos that set them apart from all others. They have a special quality to them.

    It’s such a shame the film is so expensive. I really hope the factory re-opens.

  6. Sharon says:
    August 25, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    @lottie thanks. for the mo’ it is stored away with some of my other pride and joys. I’ve gathered quite a few and it takes an age to take each one out in turn for walkies. At the moment I’m back on my holga but you’d love the little 1930′s fold away welta I have. it’s metal and flips out when you push the button. still takes perfect pictures! :)

  7. obe says:
    October 25, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    where do i get this camera?