Polaroid Cameras

[TomCooper]

It's my girlfriends birthday in just over a week and she hinted that she wants a Polaroid camera. I have no idea what's good or bad when it comes to these. I'm spending around £60 if I can buy maybe a little more if it's perfect! Was looking at them last night and came across this: http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=1...

Does that seem like a good buy? What would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance
Tom

[Nick Grant]

I don't know if you are aware but polaroid stopped making film and shut down the factory a few years ago. It was bought up and taken over by a group called the Impossible Project. They have slowly been reinventing the manufacturing process and are now producing two types of film, it's pretty expensive though...

http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

[K12beano]

Nick Grant said:

http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

Interesting.


Polaroid. The New Hipstamatic?

[TomCooper]

Thanks for the reply I wasnt aware of that I'm afraid. Just been looking on the website and none of the cameras are in stock which is a pain. Was polaroid a brand then rather than a type of camera?
If thats the case I'm really just after something like a Polaroid that prints the small photos from the camera the same way a Polaroid camera does. Is that's going to be hard to find or is the link I posted something similar?

Tom

[Nick Grant]

Hipstamatic is much cheaper though

Those are over £2 a shot. I have a polaroid app on my phone, and a wireless printer at home, I could take a shot that looks like a polaroid and have it printed in the same time for about 5p

[Nick Grant]

TomCooper said:

Thanks for the reply I wasnt aware of that I'm afraid. Just been looking on the website and none of the cameras are in stock which is a pain. Was polaroid a brand then rather than a type of camera?
If thats the case I'm really just after something like a Polaroid that prints the small photos from the camera the same way a Polaroid camera does. Is that's going to be hard to find or is the link I posted something similar?

Tom

Polaroid was a brand but like Hoover is to Vacuum it was the name for instant photos. That brand still exists and they produce digital cameras with tiny printers in them.

The Fuji you linked to follows the same principle as the old film polaroids but the pictures are tiny.

It all depends what she wants really.

[K12beano]

"Polaroid", in addition to the brand and the hardware and film, is also a mindset - has always been.

Nick Grant said:

Hipstamatic is much cheaper though

Those are over £2 a shot. I have a polaroid app on my phone, and a wireless printer at home, I could take a shot that looks like a polaroid and have it printed in the same time for about 5p

And then you also post process (which I often mean to ask you about your techniques) for some very striking looks that match your subjects superbly well.

There have been quite a few "fashions" coming and going with the advent of, and in counter-revolution to, digital imaging - and if your GF really wants to get into this, that looks as good a route (ongoing cost considering) as you'll find.

[TomCooper]

Nick Grant said:

Polaroid was a brand but like Hoover is to Vacuum it was the name for instant photos. That brand still exists and they produce digital cameras with tiny printers in them.

The Fuji you linked to follows the same principle as the old film polaroids but the pictures are tiny.

It all depends what she wants really.

Thanks much appreciated! I feel enlightened now! Aha
I see what you mean about the image size. Do you think I could any bigger pictures for my budget?

[Nick Grant]

As K12Beano says film Polaroids are definatly for hipsters so if that's what she wants great. You can still buy the old cameras like the 600 series secondhand and there are still some packs of film around that are long past there sell by date but should be fine or will produce some arty effects. Then once the film runs out she can buy some from the Impossible Project.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_tr...

Edited by Nick Grant on Tuesday 21st February 10:02

[andy-xr]

Or an Instax as another option

[TomCooper]

Thanks everyone! Been a real help
Looking at it I think I might buy her a second hand 600 cause it looks like I can get a good one for about half my budget and then spend the rest of the money on some film. Seems like a sensible idea considering how much the film costs!

Thanks again everyone!