Polaroid film is a type of camera film that does not require the photographer to use photographic developing chemicals or any other process to develop a picture. Rather, the film is designed to develop by itself. The film and the cameras that are made to use the specialized film were both invented by the founder of the Polaroid company, Edwin Land, in 1947.
The instant cameras were designed to begin the process of photograph exposure and to trigger the chemicals contained within the film to develop and fix the photograph after being taken.
Before the Polaroid company stopped producing instant Polaroid film in 2008, there were three main types of instant film made for instant cameras: roll film, which required two different rolls of film be loaded into the camera; and two separate types of pack film, one which developed outside the camera and one which did not require this extra step.
Production
Polaroid photographs
All types of Polaroid film contained three basic elements: a chemical reagent for triggering film exposure, an exposed negative sheet and a positive receiving sheet.
Early Polaroid film, such as the roll film, was made so that the negative sheet exposed inside the camera was stacked with the positive receiving sheet and pulled through rollers. These rollers exploded a small bubble of reagent, spread it between the negative and positive sheets, and caused the film to develop. In this type of film, the negative sheet would then need to be gently removed to reveal the picture.
Later Polaroid cameras used film that was much more complicated. It incorporated all three of the basic elements, but with several layers of special color-sensitive emulsions that allowed colors to develop through a series of dyes. All of these layers were put together within a sturdy plastic cover and these are the photographs that most people visualize when they think of Polaroid pictures.
Future
Fuji Instax camera
Because of the dramatic increase in the use of digital cameras and photographic methods, the Polaroid company discontinued the production of Polaroid film in 2008. Currently, the only source in the United States of instant film is Fujifilm, a Japanese owned company. Fujifilm produces the Instax, an instant camera that uses film similar to Polaroid film and markets the Instax with the Polaroid company's permission.
Polaroid Land Camera model J66Polaroid film is a type of camera film that does not require the photographer to use photographic developing chemicals or any other process to develop a picture. Rather, the film is designed to develop by itself. The film and the cameras that are made to use the specialized film were both invented by the founder of the Polaroid company, Edwin Land, in 1947.
Polaroid photographsAll types of Polaroid film contained three basic elements: a chemical reagent for triggering film exposure, an exposed negative sheet and a positive receiving sheet.
Fuji Instax cameraBecause of the dramatic increase in the use of digital cameras and photographic methods, the Polaroid company discontinued the production of Polaroid film in 2008. Currently, the only source in the United States of instant film is Fujifilm, a Japanese owned company. Fujifilm produces the Instax, an instant camera that uses film similar to Polaroid film and markets the Instax with the Polaroid company's permission.
