Polaroid To Abandon Instant Film Products
Polaroid Corp., which introduced its first instant camera in 1948, is officially getting out of the instant film business, announcing today that once it produced enough film to last through 2009 it would shutter its last facility that makes the iconic develop-as-you-watch prints.
Like other companies long successful and entrenched in the film-making business, Polaroid has had its ups and downs in the digital age. It filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2001 as it tried to pursue a digital imaging future and was acquired by a private investment firm called the Petters Group in 2005. They stopped making instant film cameras for consumers a year ago.
As a result of this latest decision, the company is closing two production facilities in Massachusetts and laying off about 150 workers.
Now the company's name and famous logo appears on digital cameras, photo printers, and even LCD TVs. Its inkless digital photo printer introduced at CES has captured some early praise, although the market for home photo printers is uncertain.
From Bloomberg and The Boston Globe.
Related links:
Like other companies long successful and entrenched in the film-making business, Polaroid has had its ups and downs in the digital age. It filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2001 as it tried to pursue a digital imaging future and was acquired by a private investment firm called the Petters Group in 2005. They stopped making instant film cameras for consumers a year ago.As a result of this latest decision, the company is closing two production facilities in Massachusetts and laying off about 150 workers.
Now the company's name and famous logo appears on digital cameras, photo printers, and even LCD TVs. Its inkless digital photo printer introduced at CES has captured some early praise, although the market for home photo printers is uncertain.
From Bloomberg and The Boston Globe.
Gallery: Polaroid Through The Ages
Related links:
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
nolalday said 7:07PM on 2-08-2008
Such a shame...After surviving Katrina the only family photos that survived where the Polaroids..classic and resistant to the end.
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Al Schrader said 6:02AM on 2-09-2008
Actually, what will replace the Polaroid is something I invented.
A digital camera with a built-in color printer.
Al Schrader
Industrialist
alfredschrader@aol.com
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Vicki Crump said 11:19AM on 2-09-2008
Man - I can't believe this - What do I do with a Spectra AF Polaroid camera I used in my business for closeups since I won't be able to get film for it? vickitpl
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ascatal said 11:11AM on 2-09-2008
the end of an era i can remember seeing polaroid cameras as far back as i can remember and even though there will still be polaroid cameras it won't be quite the same and nor do i see anyone stepping up to fill the small and most likely shrinking niche that Polaroid is abondoning, as it is clear to me the advent of digital cameras and at home photo printing has relgated the polaroid technogoly to the tech graveyard right next to the mimmograph machine and the 8 mm home movie cameras
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steve d said 8:58PM on 2-09-2008
vic crump u better sell it quick on e bay before everyone reads this i personaly mis the real cams this digital stuff stinks
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steve d said 8:58PM on 2-09-2008
vic crump u better sell it quick on e bay before everyone reads this
i personaly mis the real cams this digital stuff stinks
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Ashley said 10:40PM on 2-09-2008
Oh no!! I love my Polaroid Instant Camera, is there anyway that I can continue to use it? Where can I find film after its all gone? This is crazy, the digital world is greatly consuming us, I hardly even hold dollars anymore, everything is in bank accounts, electric money! I have to go to the nearest store and buy about 30 packs of film. I wish this was a joke.
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Deborah Madison said 1:32AM on 2-10-2008
I just used my camera today; I'm going to buy every 600 sun film I can find.
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george hand said 2:32PM on 2-10-2008
Never quite understod why the new Polaroid didn't make a digital camera that would also produce instant pics. So simple and something that many people -- especially commercial users such as real estate people -- could really use. Could easily enough be piggy-backed on one of their current models and provide the best of two possible worlds. (Similar to the idea of some earlier poster who claimed to have "invented" something similar except that the Polaroid = the "instant printer."
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Dan said 3:20PM on 2-10-2008
Like all the other Polaroid fans we are going to buy all the film we can. Does anyone know the best way to store the film until we use it?
Thanks!
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Kate said 3:32PM on 2-10-2008
ASK AT A CAMERA STORE...RE: FILM STORAGE. SOMEONE WILL BE BUYING IT UP TO SELL ON E-BAY, FOR SURE. I TRIED TO GET A NORELCO AIR FILTER..NOW MADE BY PHILIPS, AND GOOGLE REFERRED ME TO A WEBSITE....ALL SOLD OUT; NONE AVAILABLE. THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH FILM, TOO.
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Parrish said 9:02PM on 2-10-2008
Miss the Polaroid name "as you knew it"; miss the uniqueness of instant photography. Miss the genius of its founder, Dr. Edwin Land, who, while at the helm, was "sooooo good" to his people. Yes, maybe he stayed on too long. Don't miss its broken "promise" to its many "early retirement employees" for continued health insurance coverage. Don't miss its "near the end" leaderhip incompetentcy that caused its FORCED employee stock buying program (that many used as a 401-K)for over a decade, to totally crumble in bankruptcy; no employee who "stayed" got a penny despite every week a payroll deduction! No one blames, or should, the current ownership; they had no hand in this; wish them well; I do. They simply rescued "the Polaroid name". Miss its unique products related to instant film; miss the many scattered manufacturing plants and support buildings dotting the greater Boston area and beyond. Miss the once eye-catching Polaroid building at Tech Square in Cambridge, not far from Dr. Land's modest home. Miss its one time mighty, happy and loyal work force who were so undesrving of what the old regime did to save itself at the end. This was the workforce that would scoff at outside union representatives in their attempt to encourage a union! Banded together, this was a blue collar workforce; there was no problem big or small they could not band-aid or solve independently! And in many instances, that they did! Miss most of all, the Waltham - Route 128 landmark - the brick building with its cafeteria behind the glass. They say the bulldozers will be warming-up in the near future. I'll miss that; I started there.
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Jennifer said 9:13AM on 2-11-2008
The best way to store film is in the fridge, but even if you buy all the film you can it still has an expiration date and this will affect your pictures
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Naptime43 said 9:14AM on 2-11-2008
This is crazy! My 13 yr old daughter asked for a polaroid for Christmas, now the instant pic's of all her friends adorn her walls - an idea off a decorating show. Now all the girls are asking parents for them. Polaroid is about to miss a typhoon of income, I suspect this was about to be a very hot teen comodity~~
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ElkM said 9:19AM on 2-11-2008
For many years we have used polaroid cameras to take pics of Halloween trick-or-treaters when they come to the door. They get their picture along with an assortment of the usual tooth-rotting stuff! The parents love getting the pics of their kids in costume to put on the refrigerator door. I'm just not sure how we will be able to continue this tradition without handing the treaters a polaroid and telling them to hold it by the white edges 'til the picture develops! Even little ones know this technique and get a kick of seeing themselves appear on the paper!
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JON WYATT said 9:27AM on 2-11-2008
What a shame. For years as I travelled thru third world countries with my Polaroid. I would take pictures of young children and hand them the print. With wonder and amazement they would watch their image materialize before their very eyes. Often the only photograph of themselves they have ever had or seen! I will miss that delight.
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larissa said 9:35AM on 2-11-2008
i swear by 35 mm and polaroid. :(
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Vi said 10:18AM on 2-11-2008
This makes me very sad. I loved and still do love the Polaroid technology. I have a Polaroid 690 and the Polaroid Spectra 1200. What am I going to do now with these gems?
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mike said 9:41AM on 2-11-2008
Put the film in the freezer. I will last indefinetly.
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sunshine said 9:55AM on 2-11-2008
There is a special creative technique one can only do with a specific type of Polaroid film! It is not as artistic in a computer! NOW WHAT? What a big mistake they are making.
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