Update September 2021: Got a broken camera that can’t be fixed by the tips below? Check out Retrospekt’s repair services. I haven’t used them myself, but they seem like a great company. Updated April 2020 Troubleshooting vintage Polaroid cameras is often a rather expensive proposition, and it can be especially frustrating when a camera has […]
Read More...What kind of film does my Polaroid camera use?
Update April 2020 – Polaroid Originals is now just Polaroid after rebranding. I’ve updated the article to reflect the change. There are many different kinds of vintage Polaroid cameras floating around out there, all of them spanning decades of production and millions of units. When you dust off an old instant camera in an attic, […]
Read More...How to Shoot Large Format 8×10 Polaroid Instant Film
Updated April 2020 Way back in the day, I started this website as a place I could keep always-accessible notes for myself about Polaroid cameras. In that grand tradition, this guide is primarily a reminder for myself, as I shoot large format once every few months and I always need a reminder. As a result, […]
Read More...The Ultimate Polaroid Instant Film Shootout
Update April 2020: Polaroid Originals has rebranded to just ‘Polaroid.’ The film and cameras are still essentially the same, just with a slightly different name. Also Polaroid is no longer producing Spectra film or selling refurbished Spectra cameras. Believe it or not, a whole lot has changed in the world of instant film in the […]
Read More...Polaroid Spectra System Instant Film Camera Guide
Update October 2019: Polaroid Originals has discontinued producing new film for Spectra, so this poor camera’s days are numbered. If you act fast, you might be able to snag some of the last film before it sells out completely. The Polaroid Spectra series of cameras are some of the best low-cost plastic rangefinders that Polaroid […]
Read More...What to do if you have a dead battery in a Polaroid film cartridge
Chances are, if you picked up a cartridge of expired Polaroid film, when you put it in the camera, nothing happened. But you spent way too much on that little cartridge to just let it sit there dead!
Read More...Polaroid Impulse AF Camera Guide
Update Summer 2021: I have a new video guide that goes along with this text guide! The Impulse AF was my first Polaroid camera, and even after all these years, it’s still one of my favorites. It’s a durable, sharp, no-nonsense 600 type camera that is delightfully simple to use. Once you know the controls, […]
Read More...Polaroid 680 and 690 Camera Guide
Update April 2020: Polaroid Originals has rebranded as Polaroid, but remains the same company despite the slight name change. It’s no secret that the Polaroid SLR 680 is my favorite instant film camera. Heck, it’s one of my favorite cameras, period. Based on Edwin Land’s groundbreaking original design, then updated over the decades to […]
Read More...How to use the Fuji Instax Mini 8 or 9 Instant Film Camera – A Beginner’s Guide
The Fuji Instax Mini 8 and 9 are fantastic cameras to get started with the instant film world. They’re fun and easy to use, and there are only a few easy steps between you and your first picture. The Fuji Instax Mini 8 and 9 are essentially the same camera, so I’ll be using their […]
Read More...How to Create the Polaroid ‘Look’ – A Glossary and Guide to Instant Film Defects and Manipulation
Update September 2017: The Impossible Project has renamed itself ‘Polaroid Originals’ as part of a major rebranding effort. The film itself is still the same, so for our purposes in this article the Impossible Project and Polaroid Originals are the same. Just to clarify, ‘Polaroid Originals’ are the films and cameras developed by the Impossible […]
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