Instant film

Different stages of instant film.

2 photographs recorded on instant films.

Instant film is a type of photographic film first introduced by Polaroid that is designed to be used in an instant camera (and, with accessory hardware, with many professional film cameras). The film contains the chemicals needed for developing and fixing the photo, and the instant camera exposes and initiates the developing process after a photograph has been taken.

In earlier Polaroid instant cameras the film is pulled through rollers which breaks open a pod containing a reagent that is spread between the exposed negative and receiving positive sheet. This film sandwich develops for a predetermined time, depending on film type and ambient temperature, after which the positive sheet is peeled away from the negative to reveal the developed photo.

In 1972, Polaroid introduced integral film, which incorporated timing and receiving layers to automatically develop and fix the photo without any intervention from the photographer.

Instant film is available in sizes from 24 mm × 36 mm (similar to 135 film) up to 20" × 24" size, with the most popular film sizes for consumer snapshots being approximately 3¼" × 4¼" (the image itself is smaller as it is surrounded by a border). Early instant film was distributed on rolls, but later and current films are supplied in packs of 8 or 10 sheets, and single sheet films for use in large format cameras with a compatible back.

Integral film packs may contain a flat Polapulse electrical battery to operate exposure and focusing mechanisms, an electronic flash, and a film ejection motor in the camera. The inclusion of the battery within the film pack ensures that a fresh battery with suitable characteristics is available with each new pack of film.

Though the quality of integral instant film is not as good as conventional film, peel apart black and white film, and to a lesser extent colour film approached the quality of traditional film types. Instant film was used where it was undesirable to have to wait for a roll of conventional film to be finished and processed, e.g., documenting evidence in law enforcement, in health care and scientific applications, and producing photographs for passports and other identity documents, and simply for snapshots to be seen immediately. Some photographers use instant film for test shots, to see how a subject or setup looks before using conventional film for the final exposure. Instant film is also used by artists to achieve effects that are impossible to accomplish with traditional photography, by manipulating the emulsion during the developing process, or separating the image emulsion from the film base. Instant film has been supplanted for most purposes by digital photography, which allows the result to be viewed immediately on a display screen or printed with dye sublimation, inkjet, or laser home or professional printers.

Instant film is notable for having had a wider range of film speeds available than other negative films of the same era: instant film has been produced with ISO 4 to ISO 20,000. Current instant film formats typically have an ISO between 80 and 3000.

As of 2009 two companies manufacture instant film: Fuji, and The Impossible Project (see notes below), a group of people who took control of old Polaroid manufacturing equipment to continue making Polaroid compatible instant films after falling in love with the Polaroid artwork of Stefanie Schneider.

How it works

Instant positive film (which produced a print) uses diffusion transfer to move the dyes from the negative to the positive via a reagent. The process varies according to the film type.

Black and white roll/pack film

A negative sheet is exposed inside the camera, then lined up with a positive sheet and squeezed through a set of rollers which spread a reagent between the two layers, creating a developing film sandwich. The negative develops quickly, after which some of the unexposed silver halide grains (and the latent image it contains) are solubilized by the reagent and transferred by diffusion from the negative to the positive. After a minute, the negative is peeled away to reveal the photo which was transferred to the positive receiving sheet.

Subtractive Colour film

Colour film is much more complex because of the multiple layers of emulsion and dye layers. The negative consists of three emulsion layers sensitive to the primary colours (red, green, and blue) each with a layer of developing dye beneath it of the complimentary colour (cyan, magenta, and yellow). Once light exposed the negative, the reagent was spread between the negative and positive and the developing dye layer would migrate to the positive surface where it would form the photo. Emulsion layers which were exposed to their respective colour blocked the complimentary dye below it, reproducing the original colour. For example, a photo of a blue sky would expose the blue emulsion, blocking all the yellow dye beneath it and allowing the magenta and cyan dye layers to migrate to the positive to form blue.

Integral film

This process is similar to subtractive color instant film with added timing and receiving layers. The film itself integrates all the layers to expose, develop, and fix the photo into a plastic envelope commonly associated with a Polaroid photo.

Additive Colour Film

Additive film (such as Polavision and Polachrome slide film) used a colour mask of microscopically thin transparent red, green, and blue lines (3000 lines per inch) and a black and white emulsion layer to reproduce colour images in transparency film. The resulting dye developers (unexposed emulsion) would block the colours not needed and project the colour or combination of colours which would form in the resulting image. Since the lines were so close to each other, the human eye easily blended the primary colours together to form the correct colour, much like an LCD display or television. For instance, a photo of a yellow flower would expose the emulsion beneath the red and green masks and not the blue mask. The developing process removed the exposed emulsion (under the red and green masks) and diffused the unexposed dye developer (under the blue mask) to its receiving layer, blocking light from coming through. This resulted in the projected light shining through the red and green masks but not the blue mask, creating the colour yellow. Because of the film density, film speeds were necessarily slow. High precision was required for the production of this film .

Film brands

Polaroid

Film types

Polaroid film can be divided into 6 basic types:

Roll film: was distributed in two separate negative and positive rolls and developed inside the camera. It was introduced in 1948 and was manufactured until 1992.

Sheet film: was introduced in 1958 for 4x5" film holder #500. Each sheet contains a reagent pod, negative and receiving positive and was loaded separate and developed outside the film holder. In 1973 Polaroid introduced 8x10" Instant film.

Pack film: was distributed in a film pack which contained both negative and positive sheets and developed outside the camera. It was introduced in 1963.

Integral film: is also distributed in a film pack, but each film envelope contains all the chemical layers to expose, develop, and fix the photo. It was introduced in 1972.

Polavision: An instant motion picture film, Polavision, was introduced by Polaroid in 1978, with an image format similar to Super 8 mm film, and based on an additive color process. Polavision required a specific camera and tabletop viewer, and was not a commercial success, but did lead to the development of an instant 35-mm. color slide film. Polavision film has been taken off the market.

Polachrome: An easy to develop 35mm film, available in colour, monochrome and 'blue' formats (the latter intended for making title cards). Each roll of film came with a cartridge containing developing chemicals which were pressed between the film and a developing strip by a hand-cranked machine called the AutoProcessor. The AutoProcessor was very cheap and did not require a darkroom; the results were somewhat variable, the resolution was not as good as conventional film due to the matrix of tiny red, green and blue filters required to make the monochrome emulsion work in colour, and the sensitivity was low, even for slide film; in tungsten light, Polachrome CS is rated at ISO 40. It was introduced in 1983.

Preservation

Polaroids have the same storage standards under ISO 18920:2000 as any other photograph. Regular storage conditions should be less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit and between 50% and 30% relative humidity (RH). Cold storage (0 degrees Fahrenheit optimum) is not helpful unless RH can be controlled and cold storage RH is generally drier than required. RH below 30% will create an environment that is too dry and may cause the photograph to curl.

End of production

In February 2008, Polaroid (under the control of Thomas J. Petters of Petters Group Worldwide) announced it would cease production of all instant film; the company will shut down three factories and lay off 450 workers. Sales of chemical film by all makers have dropped by at least 25% per year since 2000, but a new birth of interest around Fujifilm and in particular The Impossible Project's new films is seeing a rise in its popularity amongst creative artists.

Integral film

A sample shot of Polaroid Type 600, ISO 640, color film

SX-70 cameras (integral film, develops automatically, 3.1 × 3.1 inch)

• Type SX-70, ISO 150, color (replaced with Time-Zero film around 1980)
• Type Time-Zero, ISO 150, color
• Type 708, ISO 160, color, designed for Face Place (did not contain battery)
• Type 778, ISO 160, color, professional color, high definition
• Type SX-70 Blend, ISO 640 (reduced to 150), color (modified film based on improved type 600 chemistry with built-in ND filter)
• Type Artistic TZ, ISO 100, color (experimental film made from expired Time-Zero chemicals)
• Type Fade to Black, ISO 100, color (experimental film; photo gradually fades to black within 24hrs)

600 cameras (integral film, develops automatically, 3.1 × 3.1 inch)

• Type 600, ISO 640, color (consumer cameras)
• Type 600 AlterImage, ISO 640 color (matte finish, drawable image)
• Type 600 Barbie film, ISO 640, color (matte finish, features a pre-exposed graphics)
• Type 600 Black & White, ISO 640, black and white
• Type 600 Copy & Fax, ISO 640, black and white
• Type 600 Extreme Monochrome, ISO 640, black and white
• Type 600 Matte, ISO 600, color (matte finish, drawable image)
• Type 600 Plus, ISO 640 color
• Type 600 TAZ film, ISO 640, color (features a pre-exposed Looney Tunes graphic)
• Type 700, ISO 640, color (Asian / Latin-American market name for 600)
• Type 779, ISO 640, color (professional color, high definition)
• Type 780 Turbo, ISO 640, color (special market name for 600)
• Type 788, ISO 640, color (special market name for 600)

Spectra / Image / 1200 cameras (integral film, develops automatically, 3.6 × 2.9 inch)

• ColorShot, ISO 640, color (designed for use with ColorShot Printer, did not contain a battery)
• GridFilm, ISO 640, color (has a grid for technical use)
• Image, ISO 640, color (International-market name for spectra)
• Image Softtone, ISO 640, color (made from expired chemicals)
• Spectra, ISO 640, color (consumer cameras)
• Type 700, ISO 640, color
• Type 909, ISO 640, color (precursor to Type 990)
• Type 990, ISO 640, color (professional color, high definition)
• Type 1200, ISO 640, color (contains 12 exposures per cartridge)

Captiva/Vision (integral film, for Captiva and Joycam, 4.4 × 2.5 inch, 11.1 × 6.4 cm)

• Captiva95, ISO 640, color (replaced by Type 500)
• Vision95, ISO 640, color
• Type 500, ISO 640, color

i-Zone (integral film, for i-Zone, Tomy Xiao, 1.5 × 1 inch, 3.6 cm × 2.4 cm)

• Pocket Film, ISO 640, color
• i-Zone Sticker Film, ISO 640, color, adhesive back
• i-Zone Fortune Film, ISO 640, color, adhesive back

i-Zone200 (integral film, for i-Zone200 only, 1.5 × 1 inch, 3.6 cm × 2.4 cm)

• iZone 200, ISO 640, color, adhesive back

mio (integral film, develops automatically, 2.13 × 3.4 inch, 4.6 × 6.2 cm)

• mio, ISO 800, color (comparable to FujiFilm Instax Mini)

Type 330 series AutoFilm (integral film for use Polaroid CB-33 backs, 3¼ × 4¼ inch)

• Type 331, ISO 400, black and white (no self-contained battery)
• Type 337, ISO 3200, black and white (no self-contained battery)
• Type 339, ISO 640, color (no self-contained battery)
• Type 339 Plus, ISO 640, color (has self-contained battery)

Packfilm

Type 100 series packfilm for Land cameras (timed peel-apart development, sometimes called type 660, 10.8 × 8.3 cm; 4.25 × 3.25 inch)

Type 667

• Type 64T, ISO 64, color, tungsten lighting
• Type 084, ISO 3000, black and white (professional version of type 107)
• Type 100 Chocolate Film, ISO 80, Chocolate/brownish tone film
• Type 100 Sepia Film, ISO 1600, sepia-tone
• Type 100 Blue Film Silk, ISO 80, blue & white tone (matte finish)
• Type 105, ISO 75 print, ISO 32 negative, black and white with negative
• Type 107, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 107C, ISO 3000, black and white (coaterless)
• Type 108, ISO 75, color (replaced by 669 in 2001)
• Type 125i, ISO 125, color (passport and document)
• Type 125i Silk, ISO 125, color (passport and document, matte finish)
• Type 606, ISO 200, sepia tone
• Type 611, ISO 200, black and white, low contrast for photographing video displays
• Type 612, ISO 20000, black and white, high-speed (high contrast for photographing oscilloscope traces)
• Type 661, ISO 80, color (special program film not for retail sale)
• Type 663, ISO 800, black and white
• Type 664, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 665, ISO 80 print, ISO 32 negative, black and white (reusable negative)
• Type 667, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 668, ISO 75, color (professional version of type 108)
• Type 668H, ISO 80, color (professional version of type 108)
• Type 669, ISO 80, color (consumer grade, but used for art purposes such as image transfer and emulsion lifts)
• Type 669 Silk, ISO 80, color (matte finish)
• Type 672, ISO 400, black and white
• Type 679, ISO 100, color (replace by 690)
• Type 679 Silk, ISO 100, color (matte finish)
• Type 681, ISO 80, color, plastic base print
• Type 689, ISO 100, color (also known as ProVivid, possibly made by FujiFilm)
• Type 690, ISO 125, color (replaced by new 690 ISO 100)
• Type 690, ISO 100, color (professional grade)
• Type 691, ISO 80, color, (transparent film)
• ID-UV 100, ISO 100, color, ultra violet security imprint (passport, documents)
• ID-UV, ISO 80, color, ultra violet security imprint (passport, documents)
• Studio Polaroid, ISO 125, color (passport and document, replaced by 125i)

Type 550 series packfilm, 4 × 5 inch, for Polaroid 550 film backs. Introduced in 1981.

• Type 552, ISO 400, black and white
• Type 553, ISO 800, black and white
• Type 554, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 559, ISO 80, color
• Type 559 Silk, ISO 80, color (matte finish)
• Type 572, ISO 400, black and white
• Type 579, ISO 100, color

Type 80 series packfilm, 8.3 × 8.6 cm, (3¼ × 3⅜ inch) Introduced in 1971 (re-introduced in 2003).

• Type 84, ISO 100, black and white, medium contrast film
• Type 85 P/N, ISO 80 print, ISO 32 negative, black and white with reusable negative
• Type 87, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 88 PolaColor 2, ISO 75, color (replaced by 88 ER)
• Type 88 ER, ISO 80, color (extended range)
• Type 89, ISO 100, color
• Viva, ISO 80, color
• Viva Color, ISO 125, color
• Viva 3000, ISO 3000, black and white
• Chocolate, ISO 100, Chocolate/brownish tone

Rollfilm

Type 20 series roll film, for "The Swinger" (2½" × 3¼")

• Type 20, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 20c, ISO 3000, black and white (coaterless)

Type 30 series roll film (2½" × 3¼")

• Type 31, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 32, ISO 200, black and white
• Type 37, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 38, ISO 75, color

Type 40 series roll film (3¼" × 4¼") 8 exposures per roll

• Type 40, ISO 100, sepia tone
• Type 41, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 42, ISO 200, black and white
• Type 43, ISO 200, black and white, acetate nagative
• Type 44, ISO 400, black and white
• Type 46, ISO 800, black and white slide film
• Type 46-L, ISO 800, black and white large slide film
• Type 146-L DiaLine, ISO 120, black and white slide film; orthochromatic
• Type 47, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 48, ISO 75, colour (6 prints per roll)
• Type 410 PolaScope, ISO 10000, black and white
• Type 413, ISO not rated, infrared film, black and white

Sheet film

Type 50 series sheetfilm for 4x5 inch large format (time peel-apart development, all professional grade)

• Type 510, ISO 10000 black and white, high contrast for oscillography use
• Type 51, ISO 640 print, ISO 80 negative, black and white (very high contrast print, reusable negative)
• Type 52, ISO 400, black and white (wide tonal range)
• Type 53, ISO 200, black and white, acetate negative
• Type 53, ISO 800, black and white
• Type 54, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 55, ISO 50 print, ISO 25 negative, black and white (extremely high resolution, reusable negative)
• Type Sepia 56, ISO 200, Sepia tone
• Type 56, ISO 400, Sepia tone
• Type 57, ISO 3000, black and white
• Type 58, ISO 75, color
• Type 59, ISO 80, color (consumer grade, used for art, such as image transfer and emulsion lifts)
• Type 64, ISO 64, color (tungsten lighting)
• Type 72, ISO 400, black and white (medium tonal range)
• Type 79, ISO 100, color, high color fidelity
• Type 79 PolaColor Pro 100, ISO 100, color, precursor to Type 79 which it replaces

Type 800 series sheetfilm for 8x10 inch cameras, processors, Daylabs and other purposes

• Type 803, ISO 800, black and white
• Type 804, ISO 100, black and white
• Type 808, ISO 75, color
• Type 809, ISO 80, color, for art purposes
• Type 811, ISO 200, black and white
• Type 879, ISO 100, color
• Type 891, ISO 80, color, transparent film
• Type TPX, ISO not rated, black and white, translucent prints; designed for radiography use

Polavision

• Polavision Phototape Type 608, ISO 40, color, Super 8 motion picture; Length: 38.5 feet
• Polavision Phototape Type 617, ISO 125, black and white, Super 8 motion picture; Length: 38.5 feet
• Polavision Phototape Type 618, ISO 40, color, Super 8 motion picture; Length: 38.5 feet

PolaChrome

• PolaBlue CN, ISO 8, white-on-blue, 35mm instant negative slide film
• PolaChrome CS, ISO 40, color, 35mm instant slide film
• PolaChrome HCP, ISO 40, color, 35mm instant slide film
• PolaGraph HC, ISO 400, black and white, 35mm instant slide film
• PolaPan CT, ISO 125, black and white, 35mm instant slide film

20x24

• 20x24 P3 PolaColor ER, ISO 80, color
• 20x24 P7 PolaColor, ISO 100, color
• 20x24 PolaPan 400, ISO 400, black and white

40x80

• 40x80 PolaColor ER, ISO 80, color

Misc film

• Polaroid IJT-100 transparency film
• Type 1001 radiography film, 10 × 12 in, 60 sec development.
• Type 3000X radiography film, 10 × 12 in, 10 sec development.

Fujifilm

In Japan, Fujifilm introduced their own line of instant photographic products in 1981 starting with the Fotorama line of cameras. The name Fotorama came from photograph and panorama, as the film was a wide format compared to the square Polaroid SX70/600 films. These Integral films developed similar to Kodak's with the back layer first. This presented a major problem for Fujifilm because of the ongoing litigation between Kodak and Polaroid. Polaroid also has a separate suit with Fujifilm and their instant film patents in Japan. When Kodak lost, Fujifilm was able to work with Polaroid to allow their cameras and films to remain in the market, provided that they have a technology sharing agreement. Polaroid was interested in branching out to magnetic media in the boom of the video tape era and had acquired a company called MagMedia Ltd. Fujifilm has a long history in magnetic media dating to the mid 1950s. This led to Polaroid having access to Fujifilm's extensive electronic, video tape and floppy disc magnetic products. This allowed Fujifilm access to Polaroid's film technology.

By the mid 1980s Fujifilm introduced the higher ISO System 800 series, followed by the ACE series in the mid 1990s. Instant ACE is nearly identical to System 800, the only difference is the design of the plastic cartridge in the ACE do not contain the spring mechanism, the spring is in the camera. Most of these products were available only in the Japanese market, that is until the Instax series. In 1999 the Instax series of cameras was released. Fujifilm originally wanted to release the Instax series worldwide including North America and Europe simultaneously, but decided to work with Polaroid on the mio camera based on the Instax mini 10 for the US market; while Canada did get the Instax Wide 100. Another product was Fujifilm's Digital Instax Pivi film for their battery powered portable printer was made available for those who wanted to print from their mobile phone via IR and later models with USB and Bluetooth.

Fujifilm makes pack film for their passport camera systems, and had been available outside Japan since the mid-1980s. No legal issues arose with Fuji's peel apart instant films as Polaroid's patents had expired. Very popular in Australia as a cheaper alternative to Polaroid, it was generally not too well known elsewhere due to the dominance of Polaroid in most countries. In 2000; Fuji decided to change the way they manufacture pack film, by making the entire pack out of plastic instead of a metal plastic combination. Fujifilm announced at PMA 2003 that pack film would be made available to the North American market.

With the discontinuation of Polaroid instant film in 2008, Fuji started to export more of their instant film product to overseas markets. They started with having more variety of pack film available. In November 2008 the Instax Wide format was available in the US with the Instax 200 camera. Instax mini series of cameras and films became available in the US during the second half of 2009, with the mini 7s, also an updated Instax 210 replaced the Instax 200. Fujifilm's FP-100b45 was announced in Sept of 2009 for the US market. FP-3000b45 arrived in the North American market in Jan 2011, after Fujifilm Japan stopped manufacturing FP-100b.

Current Fuji instant films include:

Packfilm

3¼ × 4¼" (85 × 108mm) Compatible with Polaroid Type 100 packfilm (also known as "Type 660")

• FP-100, ISO 100, color (discontinued, replaced by FP-100c)
• FP-100C, ISO 100, pro grade color, comparable to Polaroid Type 689 and Type 690
• FP-100C Silk, ISO 100, pro grade color
• FP-100B, ISO 100, black and white, comparable to Polaroid Type 664 (Discontinued, replaced by Super ver.)
• FP-100B Super, ISO 100, black and white (Discontinued)
• FP-400B, ISO 400, black and white, comparable to Polaroid Type 672 (Discontinued)
• FP-400B, ISO 400 Super Speedy, black and white (Discontinued)
• FP-3000B, ISO 3000, black and white, comparable to Polaroid Type 667 (Discontinued)
• FP-3000B, ISO 3000 Super Speedy, black and white

4x5" (102 × 131mm) For use in the Fujifilm PA-45 holder. Compatible with Polaroid Type 550 series 4x5 packfilm versions of Type 50 sheetfilm

• FP-100C45, ISO 100, pro grade, comparable to Polaroid packfilm Type 579
• FP-100B45 Super, ISO 100, black and white, comparable to Polaroid packfilm Type 554 (Discontinued)
• FP-500B45 Super, ISO 500, black and white (Discontinued, replaced by Super Speedy ver.)
• FP-500B45 Super Speedy, ISO 500, black and white (Discontinued)
• FP-3000B45 Super, ISO 3000, black and white (Discontinued, replaced by Super Speedy ver)
• FP-3000B45 Super Speedy, ISO 3000, black and white

Integral film

Instax series ISO 800 films.

• Instax Wide (99x62mm) Compatible with Instax series cameras.
• Instax Mini (46x62mm) Compatible with Instax mini series cameras and Polaroid mio camera.
• Instax Digital Pivi (46x61mm) Compatible with Pivi line of portable printers.

ACE series ISO 800 films. Compatible with Fujifilm's Fotorama ACE series of instant cameras. (discontinued June 2010)

800 series ISO 800 films. Compatible with Fujifilm's Fotorama 800 series instant cameras. (discontinued June 2010)

• FI-800GT (91x69mm)
• FI-800G (91x69mm) (replaced by FI-800GT)
• FI-800 (91x69mm) (replaced by FI-800G)

F Series ISO 160. Compatible with Fotorama F series instant cameras. Discontinued in the mid-1990s.

• FI-10 (91x69mm) (replaced by FI-10LT)
• FI-10LT (91x69mm)

misc film Discontinued

• FI-160 ISO 160 (89x114mm) for use with MS-45 4x5 instant back

Kodak

A pack of Kodak PR-10 Satinluxe instant film, still sealed in original box.

Kodak manufactured Polaroid's instant film from 1963 to 1969, when Polaroid decided to manufacture its own. Kodak's original plan was to create packfilm type instant products. There were many prototypes and test runs of the film with many private demonstrations to their board. Plans changed when Polaroid in 1972 released the integral type film with the introduction of the SX70 system. Kodak decided to scrap the plans for packfilm release and focus on an integral type process. A few years later Kodak introduced its own instant film products in 1976, which was different from Polaroid's in several ways:

• Kodak instant film was exposed from the back without a mirror, the opposite of Polaroid's film which was exposed from the front with a mirror to reverse the image.
• Kodak used a matte finish on the front, made possible by exposing the film through the back.
• The negative and empty pod could be removed by peeling it off of the back of the print.
• Unlike Polaroids integral film packs, Kodak's did not contain a battery, along with conventional batteries, the use of a flat J sized were also common in the cameras.

Polaroid filed suit against Eastman Kodak in April 1976 for the infringement of ten patents held by Edwin Land and others on his development team relating to instant photography. In September 1985, the United States District Court of Massachusetts ruled that seven patents were valid and infringed, two were invalid but infringed, and one was valid but not infringed by Kodak. Kodak appealed but was denied and an injunction prohibiting production of their instant film and cameras was put into effect. Kodak's appeal to the Supreme Court was denied a few months later, and in January 1986, Kodak announced it would no longer be producing their instant line of products. In 1991, Polaroid was awarded $925 million in damages from Kodak.

Integral film

Kodak Instant ISO 150 film

• PR-10
• PR-10 Satinluxe a matte finish film
• PR-144 (replaced PR10)

Kodamatic Instant ISO 300

• HS144-10 Trimprint
• AVS 144-10 Instagraphic slide film
• AVP 144-10 Instagraphic print film
• ID 144-10 -2 Readyprint ID system

Alternative Kodak instant film

While Kodak instant films have been discontinued, Fuji's instant film available in Japan since the 1980s is very similar to Kodak's. The pictures are the same size, the cartridge is almost the same, with some easy plastic modifications; the Fuji Fotorama series film can be made to fit. It was closest to the Kodak with the ISO at 160, many of the camera's brightness controls can be adjusted to work with the different ISO; However, the FI-10 series was discontinued in the 1990s. The faster ISO 800 instant films will work as well but would require the use of a filter either on the film cartridge or lens.

The Impossible Project

Shot on Impossible Project PX600 Silver Shade UV+ film

A group called the Impossible Project have acquired Polaroid's old equipment and factory in Enschede, in the Netherlands. On their website they state:

We aim to re-start production of analog instant film for vintage Polaroid cameras in 2010.

and

"The Impossible mission is not to re-build Polaroid Integral film but (with the help of strategic partners) to develop a new product with new characteristics, consisting of new optimised components, produced with a streamlined modern setup. An innovative and fresh analog material, sold under a new brand name that perfectly will match the global re-positioning of Integral Films."

On March 22, 2010, it was announced they were successful in manufacturing instant film compatible with Polaroid SX-70/600 instant cameras. Two new products were announced — PX100 and PX600. Their PX100 Silver Shade instant film is a manipulable, monochromatic replacement of old Polaroid brand instant film compatible with SX-70 cameras while the PX600 Silver Shade instant film is compatible with 600 cameras.

SilverShade

SX-70 series compatible 3.1 x 3.1 in. (7.9 x 7.9 cm)

• PX100 SilverShade / First Flush, ISO 150, sepia (Discontinued)
• PX100 SilverShade, ISO 150, sepia
• PX100 SilverShade Orange Flash, ISO 150, sepia (faulty production run. Discontinued)
• PX100 SilverShade UV+ Pioneers Test Film, ISO 100, black and white (UV filter coating for improved b&w tones, limited to pioneer program only. Discontinued)

600 series compatible 3.1 x 3.1 in. (7.9 x 7.9 cm)

• PX600 SilverShade / First Flush, ISO 600, sepia (Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade, v05, ISO 600, sepia (05/2010 production fixes loose lamination problems. Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade, v06, ISO 600, sepia (06/2010 production reduces crystallization problems. Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade UV+, ISO 600, black and white (UV filter coating for improved b&w tones)
• PX600 SilverShade UV+ GreyFrame, ISO 600, black and white (light grey image frame. Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade UV+ BlackFrame, ISO 600, black and white (black image frame. Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade UV+ BlackFrame Poor Pod, ISO 600, black and white (faulty production run, Black image frame. Discontinued)
• PX600 SilverShade UV+ Gold Edition, ISO 600, black and white (gold image frame)

Spectra/Image/1200 series compatible 4 x 4.1 in. (10.2 x 10.3 cm)

• PZ600 SilverShade, ISO 600, sepia
• PZ600 SilverShade UV+, ISO 600, black and white (UV filter coating for improved b&w tones)
• PZ600 SilverShade UV+ BlackFrame, ISO 600, black and white (UV filter coating, black image frame)

ColorShade

SX-70 series compatible 3.1 x 3.1 in. (7.9 x 7.9 cm)

• PX70 ColorShade / First Flush, ISO 125, color (Discontinued)
• PX70 ColorShade Push!, ISO 100, color (improved color performance)
• PX70 ColorShade, ISO 400, color (use dark setting on camera, can be used without filters in 600 cameras)

600 series compatible 3.1 x 3.1 in. (7.9 x 7.9 cm)

• PX680 ColorShade Beta Test Film, ISO 600, color (pre-production edition, limited to pioneer program only. Discontinued)
• PX680 ColorShade / First Flush, ISO 680, color
• PX680 Color Shade Gold Edition, ISO 600, color (gold image frame)

Spectra/Image/1200 series compatible 4 x 4.1 in. (10.2 x 10.3 cm)

• PZ680 ColorShade, ISO 680, color

PLR IP Holdings, LLC

Summit Global Group; using the Polaroid brand reintroduces instant photography cameras and films starting with the Polaroid PIC 300, based on the Fujifilm's Instax mini 7 series camera.

• 300, ISO 800, color (rebranded FujiFilm Instax Mini)

Toxicity

The liquid chemicals for the developing process contained in the more common instant photo sheets are caustic and can cause chemical burns. For such liquid the manufacture recommendation can be to avoid contact with skin and when contact with skin is made wash immediately with much water. Some instant films have used less common reagents and have had differing suggested responses.

Future

Fujifilm

As of 2011, Fujifilm still continues to produce and sell instant film. It was announced in September 2009, that Fujifilm Japan plans to discontinue FI-800GT and ACE film in June 2010. There were also plans to discontinue some pack films FP-500b45 in February 2010, FP-400b March 2010 and FP-100b/FP-100b45 in June 2010. The confusing part to many people is that Russ Gunn of Fujifilm Professional issued a press release in October 2009

I would like to confirm that all current formats of FP-100B and FP-3000B black and white instant film and FP-100C colour instant film will remain in production and we have no plans to discontinue any of them.

The Impossible Project

TIP acquired 8x10 production equipment in 2009, with plans to produce 8x10 instant film. In March 2010, black and white film started being sold; in August 2010, color film was offered for sale.

New55project

A group called New55project Announced in January 2010:

With the news that there are no plans to produce any more Polaroid Type 55 P/N film a small group of Massachusetts tinkerers are starting to make their own instant negative films and processes. The goal of the project is to produce a new, very high quality instant 4X5 and 8X10 negative material to fill a gap caused by the discontinuation of Polaroid Type 55 instant P/N film.

This group is in the product development phase and has demonstrated a practical 4x5 P/N material that is exposed and processed in a Polaroid 545 holder. The final product, if offered for sale to the public, will provide users with a positive print and a high quality 4x5 negative that can be scanned, contact printed, or enlarged.

See also

• Film format
• Photographic film
• Polaroid type 55
• Instant camera

External links

• US patent 2543181, Edwin H. Land, "Photographic product comprising a rupturable container carrying a photographic process", issued 1951-02-27 
• Information about Polaroid Pack film
• Non-Polaroid Instant Film, a summary of other instant film camera makers
• Zink mini printing info on PIC1000 instant camera.
• Music Video Shot Entirely on Polaroid Spectra Film
• A web gallery of instant photographers
• Polaroid-Art SX-70 Polaroid Art Gallery.
• Available Polaroid Film Integral, 4x5, 8x10, packfilm, cameras and accessories.