8x10 instant film is coming back via Impossible.

[BobCrowley]

Traditional LF photographers are not the largest or the target customer for either New55 or TIP. Both seem directed toward those with an appetite for discovery and experimentation, and collaboration.

It is unfair to say that TIP's films don't work. They do, and very well in certain instances, but not like the original. I have personally visited the factory and have seen the small, dedicated group of people who intend to make incremental progress, just as Polaroid and many others had to go through in the earliest days. If you scan through the recent Flickr 'roid week photos you will see some astonishingly good ones from TIP and a couple from us in there too.

Many photographers criticized Polaroid in the beginning, and later too. Film is no good in general, to many. I'm on vacation and failed to bring more than my digi for that reason.

New55 would not be like the original. That is clearly not feasible. It would not, if commercialized, be solely directed toward the "existing" market, since that is small and diminishing - about a third or less of our market research.

Our company has produced many products that are considered the finest of their type, but even then we no longer depend on established customer bases to sell them, since times have changed. Our "target market" is students and artists who are just discovering any of the million Speed Graphics that are still in perfect operating condition. Their expectations are as unlimited as their imagination.

If you have the inclination to try to drive these new three-wheeled not quite perfect films, and produce some good results, please do show your success to others, and especially to younger people, and that way things will improve.

http://new55project.blogspot.com/p/f...ream-page.html

[grahamcase]

[The rest of this is kind of a rant. Basically I just want to say that I'm glad some people are making an effort to recreate these products that a lot of people really love, and miss. They may not be perfect yet, but the more we support them now, the more money and time they'll have to figure out how to create the products we want in the future.]

I think The Impossible Project is getting a bad rap, and not necessarily deserved.

Remember, their basically doing this out of a desire to recreate Polaroid, and they're trying to do it being slightly more environmentally conscious, in terms of the chemistry used, then original Polaroid.

Remember, they're recreating instant film from the ground up. They're not modifying existing recipes - they didn't have any of the original recipes to begin with! At this point, their main advantage over the original Polaroid team is that they KNOW this product can exist. Dr. Land and his team were inventing something brand new, but the Impossible Team is starting from scratch.

In a way it's a disadvantage to know it's possible to create this kind of film, because there's so much more pressure on you to succeed, and create a product that is identical to the original.

Is their film perfect? Not by a long shot, but at least they're trying. If people keep buying the film, imperfections and all, then they will continue to have an R&D budget, hopefully allowing them to discover their formula which will make the images better, and help create the opaque developing screen that will enable people to take photos without having to shoot into a dark box.

For the record, you had to do that with early integral Polaroid too. Their first products were similarly buggy to the Impossible Projects film, but they figured it out.

As for the New55 project, I think they're making great headway, and possibly doing things the way you guys all want TIP to have done their work, i.e., do a lot of work and research before, and getting, what I believe, are great results, long before moving into a commercial business. Bob and his group are not only creating these products (that are already seeing some great results) but also sharing a lot of their formulas for their monobaths they are testing for their instant negs.

Groan all you want, but these are people are actually doing something. We can gripe about how their products aren't up to our standards, but it's not like we're getting our own hands dirty trying to remake something that we'll appreciate when they can get it to work.

[dng88]

what is the latest update? any 8x10 instant?

[buggz]

I wish Fuji would make a kit for their color instant film.
I use it on 4x5 all the time.
I need to learn more on how to "recover" the "negatives" though...

[cosmicexplosion]

i like the look of impossible film, it is warm and not digtal, unique one might say.

it is too expensive and the fading point....

why doesnt fuji enter the market and make a bigger range?

[Jay DeFehr]

What I'd like to see is new film for the old Polaroid roll film cameras, like the 110. These youngsters don't know what cool is.

[BobCrowley]

I wish Fuji would make a kit for their color instant film.
I use it on 4x5 all the time.
I need to learn more on how to "recover" the "negatives" though...

If you use a lot of the Fuji 4x5 instant you may want to stock up, as it has been discontinued. The smaller packfilm is still being made: ISO 100 color, and ISO 3000 black and white.

[spacegoose]

I believe the remaining 20x24 film stock is owned by 20x24 Studio, and they produce their own reagent / chemistry pods.

[Marc B.]

If you use a lot of the Fuji 4x5 instant you may want to stock up, as it has been discontinued.

I wonder if this statement is true/fact? Yes, production has ended on the 4 X 5, B&W, Fuji Pack Film, FP3000b45.
However, could you please provide a link confirming that production has ceased on the 4 X 5, Color, Fuji Pack Film, FP100c45?
The last announcement I've seen, addressed only the FP3000b45, B&W Pack Film.

http://translate.google.com/translat...lead_0132.html

Instant Film Peel apartment type "B & W instant film FP-3000B 45 SUPER SPEEDY"
TRANSLATED End-of-Sales Announcement

From the Fuji press release, 29 Sep 11..."the 4 X 5 color will continue."

TRANSLATED...in addition, the color film will be continue to sell.

The press release heading only includes the 4 X 5, B&W production, as being discontinued.

Discontinued one name.

"B & W instant film FP-3000B 45 SUPER SPEEDY"

From FP-3000B 45 SUPER SPEEDY 1 pack
From FP-3000B 45 SUPER SPEEDY 20 Pack

To the best of my knowledge, 4 X 5, 'Instant' color pack film from Fuji 'lives on,' and...is still in production!

Marc

[jzeairs]

long live instant film. TIP