Instant camera
An instant camera is a camera that develops the paper film immediately after it is released, fixes it and ejects it as a finished image.
technology
To enable immediate development, an instant camera is loaded with a stack of sheets of paper (in the oldest models with a double roll of negative and positive sheets) instead of a simple film , the photosensitive layer of which corresponds to that of the negative film . The photo material contains the necessary chemicals in the form of a paste for developing the image. When the image unit is pulled out, the chemicals are distributed between the negative and the positive and, in the case of black and white material, transport silver particles, in the case of color films, dyes that are stored in the positive, which is separated from the negative after the typical film exposure time. Since usually no further usable negative is produced, a duplication of the picture is only possible through reproduction (picture-by-picture process).
Both black-and-white and color images can be created with the corresponding photo material. A special film can also be used for black-and-white recordings, in which a negative is also created so that the recording can easily be copied or enlarged. The so-called integral film process has also existed since 1972, in which a completely closed image unit or similar. Processes take place. The exposure takes place in integral film cameras via a mirror through the transparent positive. The camera transports the imaging unit with a motor; a dye contained in the chemicals initially protects against light and discolors as the dye progresses. The finished picture shows no trace of the light protection.
history
Polaroid
Jules Andre Gabriel Bourdin developed a forerunner of instant photography as early as 1860 for the Dubroni company in Paris; the first instant camera as it is today was developed by Edwin Herbert Land in 1947 and brought onto the market by his company Polaroid . The early Polaroid land cameras were based on the separation image process in the form of black and white roll films of various dimensions. Introduced in 1948 with the Polaroid Model 95 and produced until 1992, the 40 series films had dimensions of 3.25 × 4.25 inches - 83 × 108 mm. The first film in this series - Type 40, made from 1948 to 1950 - was still sepia-colored, only the Type 41, which was introduced in 1950, was black and white. This, as well as all subsequent black-and-white release films introduced before the 1970s, had to be coated with a clear lacquer protective layer as soon as possible after the development, which took 15-30 seconds; all these films were accompanied by a correspondingly soaked sponge. The last camera developed for the 40 series was the J66 model introduced in 1961, which already had a built-in automatic exposure control, but required the highly sensitive Type 47 film with 3000 ASA.
In 1954, with the films of the 30 series, a smaller image format (2.5 × 3.25 inches - 64 × 83 mm) was introduced, which should enable smaller and lighter cameras. The Polaroid Model 80, introduced together with the Type 31 film, also weighed only a little more than half the previous Polaroid instant cameras. With the model J33, the last camera developed for the 30 series was introduced in 1961. Like its larger sister model J66, it also had automatic exposure control and required a highly sensitive film with 3000 ASA - type 37. In 1963, the production of Polaroid cameras for the roll films of the 40s and 30s series. In 1965, however, another roll film instant camera came onto the market with the model "J20 Swinger", which with its comparatively low price of USD 19.95 became one of the best-selling cameras of its time. In contrast to the other roll film instant cameras, the housing was made entirely of plastic and was not foldable. The 20-series film that was introduced with the camera had the same image format as the 30-series.
In 1963, Polaroid also presented an instant color film for the first time with the pack films of the 100 series. The film cassettes initially had 8 and later 10 images of the format 2.875 × 3.75 inches - 72 × 95 mm. The instant cameras of the 100 series, which were introduced with the films, were all foldable and differed in equipment and material, for example, the high-quality models had better lenses, had focussing aids and had retractable metal viewfinders. This also applied to the subsequent 200, 300 and 400 series, the latter being produced until 1977. Between 1968 and 1978, starting with the "Big Swinger" model, numerous non-foldable Polaroid pack cameras were brought onto the market. 1971 followed with the pack films of the 80 series with dimensions of 2.75 × 2.875 inches - 69 × 72 mm a film with an almost square format. The cameras compatible with these films were all non-foldable and the housings were made entirely of plastic.
Release films were extremely sensitive to development time. The ambient temperature was also decisive for the development time. Therefore, many Polaroid instant cameras of that time had analog countdown stopwatches and tables with development times, these were printed on pull-out aluminum plates, between which the exposed image pulled out of the camera could be placed in order to develop it in an inner pocket at temperatures below 15 ° C to be able to. Whereas in black-and-white films only the contrasts increased slightly after prolonged development, color casts occurred in separating image color films if the development time was not optimal, red-yellowish if the development time was too short, and bluish-green if the development time was too long. The development time also increased from around 15 to 60 seconds, but color release films no longer had to be treated with a protective clearcoat, as was still necessary for black and white films in order to make them permanently durable.
In 1972, Polaroid launched the SX-70, the first integral film and, under the same name, high-quality, inexpensive foldable SLR instant cameras on the market. From 1977 there were also inexpensive non-foldable viewfinder cameras with plastic housings for this type of film. In 1982, with the type 600 film, a 3.125 × 3.125 inch - 79 × 79 mm film that was identical to the SX-70, but with 600 instead of 150 ASA was significantly more sensitive, the same as the cameras designed for SX-70 films was not compatible. As a counterpart to the SX-70 SLR instant camera, Polaroid brought the also foldable model SLR-680, including the non-foldable viewfinder cameras. With the exception of a basic model, which was only offered for a short time until 1984, all cameras in the 600 series had a built-in electronic flash and, with the exception of the entry-level models, all had autofocus.
In 1987, the first non-square integral film (image size 3.625 × 2.875 inches - 92 × 73 mm) from Polaroid with appropriate cameras came onto the market with the film called Spectra in the USA and Image in Europe. The cameras all had autofocus and electronic flash, were foldable and priced between the simple instant cameras of the 600 series, which are still being produced, and the SLR-680 reflex camera. However, they are all viewfinder cameras. In 1993, Polaroid brought another non-square film with dimensions 2.875 × 2.125 inches - 7.3 × 5.4 centimeters and corresponding cameras onto the market with the film called Captiva / 500. The Captiva camera manufactured until 1997 was foldable, the cheaper Joy-Cam manufactured until 2003 was not. From 1999 to 2001 a disposable instant camera called Pop-Shots was also sold for this type of film. The Captiva / 500 film was withdrawn from the market in 2006 at the same time as the considerably older SX-70 film.
As a replacement for the classic instant camera, Polaroid launched a digital camera with a mini printer. However, the regular customers did not accept this digital solution. Some photo artists deliberately use the false colors of Polaroid cameras for design and found no adequate replacement in the digital successor. Since 2010 an analogue instant camera has been produced again, which is called "Polaroid 300".
Kodak Instant
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Kodak also presented instant cameras at Photokina 1976, initially the EK series, consisting of the EK2, a very simply constructed model with fixed focus and manual film ejection using a crank, EK4 and EK6 with focusing option and electric film transport and EK8, a high-quality foldable one Camera with rubber bellows. After a model update that took place in 1978, the EK2 was renamed EK20, EK4 EK100 and EK6 EK200, instead of EK8 an EK200 with electronic flash was introduced as the top model under the name EK300. In the following year, the EK100 and EK200 models were replaced by the more modern EK160 (although offered in parallel for a while), which was now available as an option similar to the EK300 with built-in flash with the extension EF (for electronic flash). In 1980, the EK300, which had meanwhile looked old-fashioned due to its beige-brown synthetic leather design, was replaced by the EK260-EF.
In 1982 the EK series was finally replaced by the Kodamatic series. All of these cameras were folding cameras with rubber bellows, and all of them offered electric film transport. The “smallest” model Kodamatic 930 only had a fixed focus and also had no built-in flash, which the next higher, but otherwise structurally identical, Kodamatic 950 model already had. These two models were manufactured in the Federal Republic of Germany, the higher-quality series Kodamatic 970L and 980L, however, in the USA. Both had an electronic flash, the Kodamatic 970L had a fixed focus with macro option, the 980L had an autofocus.
All Kodak instant cameras of the EK series used the film, initially called PR-10 and later PR-144-10, with a sensitivity of 150 ASA, while the Kodamatic series used the newly developed HS-144-10 with 300 ASA. Since the cassettes had the same dimensions, the films could also be used in the other series, but after adjusting the brightness setting accordingly. Both films functioned similarly to the integral films from Polaroid, they too had a pocket with developer fluid that was pressed between the positive and negative when ejected. However, there were also clear differences. On the one hand, the format of the Kodak films was elongated (similar to the later Polaroid image film), on the other hand, the surface was not glossy, but silk-matt. This was made possible by the fact that, unlike the Polaroid integral films, the negatives were not exposed from the front, i.e. through the positive, but directly from the back. Another benefit of Kodak instant films was their durability. If you subject Polaroid integral films to mechanical stress, the layers of color on the positive can easily separate from each other, and the image then looks like a broken mirror. There were no similar problems with Kodak instant films. In addition, the technology used by Kodak on the HS-144-10 film made it possible to separate the negative from the positive at any time after development was completely completed. So you had a photo that was no thicker than conventional negative prints.
The Kodamatic series sold well until the mid-1980s, but then it became apparent that Kodak would be defeated in the litigation over the patent infringements sued by Polaroid, which also occurred in the course of 1985 and led to Kodak manufacturing and distribution of instant cameras and films and had to pay substantial damages. From January 9, 1986, Kodak bought back its instant cameras through the trade, either for a refund of the purchase price or by exchanging a Kodak instant camera for a Kodak disc camera or an equivalent product from the Polaroid brand.
Other manufacturers
In the early 1970s, Polaroid had granted patents to the Keystone company for the production of instant cameras that were compatible with the 107/108 and later 667/668/669 separator films from Polaroid. Unlike Kodak, however, these manufacturers were no competition for Polaroid, not only because of the small numbers they sold, but above all because Polaroid was still the sole manufacturer of the films at that time, which, due to their high prices compared to negative films (18 to 27 DM for an 8 or 10 cassette) made a disproportionate share of sales and profit.
Since February 2008, however, the company Polaroid has initially stopped producing instant cameras. At the beginning of May 2010, a new analog instant camera was introduced with the Polaroid 300. On June 17, 2008, the production of the last Polaroid film T600 in the Dutch factory in Enschede was stopped. The company Impossible has saved this from demolition and produced there with Ilford new films for old Polaroid cameras.
In the more recent past - after the patents expired - Fuji also produced separator films compatible with Polaroid cameras until 2016, as well as integral films based on the technology developed by Kodak, as well as instant cameras and used the technology in digital proofing devices .
In the meantime, Fuji has also launched new instant cameras with its own film material (brand name Instax ).
For the old Polaroid separating cameras of the 100 to 400 series, packaging films were also produced under the New55 label . The company ceased operations on December 31, 2017.
application areas
The following user groups preferred the instant camera method:
- Users who need a picture quickly (e.g. reviewers or in film and television productions, especially for continuity but also costume and mask )
- Few photographers who needed their pictures faster than they would have "used" conventional film
- Press photographers who were able to present the first pictures to the editorial offices while the conventional films were still being developed
- Professional photographers who used Polaroids to assess scene lighting (mostly in combination with medium and large format cameras to which a Polaroid back was first attached, which was exchanged for a normal interchangeable magazine after exposure optimization for the actual image )
- On-site photographers e.g. B. in amusement parks that wanted to give their pictures to buyers immediately
- Users without access to a photo lab, such as development aid workers
- For medical or legal documentation (doctor's offices, accident sites, crime scenes)
- Passport photo booths
- Photo artist
- Polaroid itself also advertised its own products as party or children's cameras.
With the advent of digital photography and, above all, photography with smartphones, these areas of application for instant cameras were largely taken over.
disadvantage
Overall, instant images are two to six times more expensive than conventional images. The combined film / image material is significantly more complex and a print cannot be used if the recordings are unsuccessful. Other disadvantages:
- unwieldy camera
- ecological aspect (complex manufacturing process, plastic waste, batteries)
- limited shelf life of prints
- only one copy of a photo available at a time
- unfavorable for use in photo albums (photo thickness)
- Limitation to only one format.
See also
Web links
- The Land List - Detailed listing and information mainly on Polaroid instant cameras and films
- Filmphotography.eu - Information on Polaroid cameras
Individual evidence
- ↑ Polaroid Classic Instant . Polaroid. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- ↑ Instant photos: The Polaroid pictures celebrate their last birthday - News Webwelt - WELT ONLINE . Welt.de. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
- ^ Impossible GmbH: The Impossible Factory. Accessed August 3, 2011.
- ↑ Tim Bradshaw: Polaroid heirs help analog film make a comeback ( Memento of December 17, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) in: Financial Times Germany of December 14, 2010. Retrieved on August 3, 2011.
- ↑ The Polaroid pictures are celebrating their last birthday at welt.de, accessed on November 15, 2015.
- ↑ Pat P. Miller: Script supervising and film continuity. Focal Press, 1999.
- ↑ Advantages and disadvantages of instant cameras ( memento from November 17, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) at handelswissen.de. accessed on November 15, 2015.