turning your iphone photos into real polaroids.

September 25th 2012
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have you heard about the impossible project’s new idea of turning your iphone photos into actual polaroids? it sounds pretty cool. and it looks like they’ve already reached their fundraising goal to make it happen which is even better.
all i hope is that more projects like this will help bring down the cost of polaroid film.  we used to document everything with our polaroid camera but nowadays the film is just so expensive!
what do you think? real polaroid camera or “instant lab?”
  1. FeeMail

    I saw it live at Photokina in Germany last week. Pretty cool!

  2. i think its a pretty good idea! not sure if i would use it.

    i get you on the price of polaroid. i bought a film last month actually for the first time since its become the impossible project and it was me £18 for 8 photo! mental

    chloe
    http://www.bythelock.com

  3. Laura

    What a great idea! I still think a real polaroid camera has more flair but it would be awesome to turn the existing digital photos into instants.

    x Laura

  4. fanny

    I love the idea!

    But tell me, I have so many problem to find a film for polaroid!
    I found it on ebay but there all espired!
    Do you know where I can find it?
    Do you know if is it a problem if there are expired?
    Thank you!

  5. I am already in love with the idea. I think getting photos OUT of the phone is always fun. Even used stickygram (which you suggested) a week ago. I am so excited to see the result!

    http://fitandfashion.wordpress.com

  7. ErmannD

    This blew my mind! I almost think this can't be real. I love it

  8. Kathy

    I reckon its a pretty cool idea! and I get what you mean about Polaroid films being expensive, its crazy.

  9. I saw this a week ago and flipped out! Can't wait to fill our house with polaroids :)

    Naomi…you are always keeping up on the latest and greatest! How do you do that with such a busy life?

  10. Sini

    Nice idea, too bad they market it and made it only for Apple.

  11. I like the idea! printing photos is always so nice…things we don't do enough! (last month, my computer crashed, i lost a lot of photos and i really wished i had saved photos on paper…!)

  12. this would be amazing! what a neat idea, hope it works.

  13. I don't really have a memory of Polaroids photos, these days I'd rather print a whole album as a book. But I do believe that photos are a huge part of family treasures, so no matter the method, let's keep snapping! :) xx

    http://www.ahandfulofstyle.weebly.com

  15. This is so cool! At first I thought, well that seems a little useless, but often I forget about photos on my phone. I like these little returns to the physical and the real of real life.

    Thanks for sharing!

  16. LEIGH

    This is genius! I love it! Thanks for sharing!

  18. Dianna

    awesome!

  19. I used to LOVE Polaroids back in the day. It's funny to think that just 10 or 15 years ago, they were the wave of the future.

    I don't know if I'd use it, but I still think it's a really cool idea.

    http://www.themidwestmaven.wordpress.com

  20. Wow I love this idea! I've never had a Polaroid camera before but I've always wanted one.The price to take photos is just a bit much, so I hope this will be a more affordable option

  22. Nothing could ever replace a real polaroid but this is still pretty cool!

  23. Emily D

    I think these are awesome! My boyfriend showed me the link last week! I hope that it also brings the cost of film down because right now it is just too pricey! :)

  24. Ana

    i will definitely be getting this! we have a fuji instax camera and its so so much fun

  25. I'm still in love with the idea of taking regular Polaroids but you're so right, my student budget can't afford the film!

  26. I love Polaroids but recently broke the unwritten rule and bought an Instax Wide camera. We wanted a instant Photo Booth for our wedding and obviously didn't want to spend that much on film!

    I'm not going to lie…. I kinda love it now, and for less than $1 per picture! It means we actually use it!!

  27. Jenna

    I love Polaroid cameras. They are one of the first cameras I have ever used. That video is so goofy though! LOL

  28. Thank you for sharing this! Polaroids are so nostalgic for me. I would use this all the time.

  29. Ash

    i LOVE this! i want a polaroid so bad, BUT the film is expensive, and i feel like i wouldn't use it as often as i would want to…

    oh i need this!

  30. I'd love this! I've learned that I'm too lazy to go to the store to get my digital pictures printed, and my rolls of film for my Diana don't get developed for years. This would be right up my alley :).

    http://www.anna-bird.com

  31. Sabriel

    the film is so expensive because the chemicals used to make the original no longer exist in the world. The impossible project uses a completely different formula and obviously it's not working quite as well. Also, polaroid film is still usable when expired. Sometimes it even looks better. Just put it in the freezer.

  32. Marie

    I hope they make this for other phones, other than for the iphone. Seems like a great idea :)

  35. Diana

    Love this idea! Thanks for sharing.

  36. it's pretty neat! i shoot professionally, but i also love these sorts of novelty things — i mean, why not? they're totally fun, and a completely different way to capture the moment. that's why i love how you use your fujifilm, your diana, your holga…seriously, there's something romantic about that way of documenting things. i love it! but i'm totally with you on bringing the price of polaroid film down…mine has been sitting on my shelf for years now, and it breaks my heart.

  37. I'm so grateful for the many talents and gifts people all over the world have– what an amazing idea!! I would love for the price to be cheaper…

    xoxo

    brooke elyse

  38. Olivia

    This is an amazing idea! I'm interested in buying a lomography camera at the moment, can't wait to try it out (:

  39. Looks pretty awesome. I always love another option for printing photos … especially if I'm able to get my instagrams plus the polaroid look. I kinda love it!

  41. Coryann

    Seems like a good idea to me!

  42. Cortney

    That's why Polaroid wanted to stop making the film in the first place- not enough people were using it, so it was too expensive to make because the costs of the factories/workers could not be covered by large scale sales.

    Then, the Impossible Project fought to keep Polaroid film on the market, and now people aren't buying it because it's expensive. If people want niche style products they need to be prepared to pay much higher prices, or be prepared to see things like Polaroid film fall by the wayside completely. Cheap things are made cheaply because they are produced and sold in mass quantities. Polaroid film will just never be at that level again.

    This isn't leveled at anyone in particular when I say it, but if you (general you) want a particular product you cast your vote with your dollars. If you don't want to spend that much money, you are saying you don't care that much. Which is fine, but then you (general you) can't turn around and be sad when that product is no longer made. That was my biggest confusion with the Impossible Project- so many people who supported it turned around and complained about how expensive the film was. I can't help but ask- what did everyone really expect? Polaroid got out of the business for a reason, after all.

  44. sooooooooo cool!please let us know when it will be available. I would be sooooo so excited for this!!!!!!!!!

  45. Kat

    You should look into buying a FUji Instax 210. Urban sells it for $160 alone, but I found it on Amazon with 2 packs of film (20 shots total) for $90.

    The camera allows you to shoot horizontal or vertical, and has other features such as lighter/darker exposures and ability to turn the flash on/off and change focus (very generally though)

    The film is roughly $1/shot – such a good deal!

    The instalab is an interesting concept – but don't you think the film will be the same price as polaroids if not more? You still need a light sensitive paper and chemicals.

    I say you can't beat a good old fashioned process. Using an iPhone shot won't be the same.

  46. JLusk94

    This is so cool. And I agree, we haven't bought film for our polaroid in like 5 years. It just sits there gathering dust while we overuse our digital point and shoots.

  49. Need it!!! so cool

  50. Y

    so neat! Hopefully it will be cheaper than actual polaroid films. I buy my polaroid films in bulk but it's still so expensive!

    xoxox

  51. that is so cool! i hope this is true because I would want one!!!! ^.^

  53. It's not the camera, but the films who make it impossible. They really are expensive!

  54. souljane

    In my opinion, the uniqueness of a Polaroid is that you have an image that was funded and created by only limited technology. Although the instant lab sounds great & I will probably purchase one, it won't ever feel as authentic as a true Polaroid. Plus, it's embarrassingly large and oddly shaped!

  57. I vote for both! They're going to turn out equally beautiful. <3

  58. Love the idea! but I do think having to pay for the film would be too expensive.

  59. I love this idea! I love all photography and have a few old polaroids but, like you said, I rarely use them because film is just too much!

  60. Theresa

    Printing photos is so much more fun with more new and creative options and not to mention awesome smartphone apps! I'd love to have polaroids of my instagrams!

    Theresa
    http://bomamma.blogspot.com

  61. So awesome! I would love to own and "instant lab" in the future. Technology is amazing isn't it?

  62. Natalie

    I love these two faces!!!! Such cuties. Hope NY is treating you guys well!

    xo
    Natalie
    dishesrunwaysandbriefcases.blogspot.com

  63. I use Instax that is less expensive (26€ for 20 photos). It is expensive anyway, but at least I can take more photos and save some money. :)

  64. wtf is up with his hair?!?!?!

  65. freaking. amazing. drooling over this thing. i'm blown away. i've always wanted a Polaroid camera but the rarity adn expense is not worth it…but this…is something remarkable.

  66. I just gave away my old polaroid cameras, unfortunately. They took beautiful pictures and had such a great nostalgic feel. I think it's a cool idea though, esp with instagram pics.

  67. Ashley

    Eek! Love the concept! I really hope it becomes a reality, I would be at the front of the line for this one! xx Ashley //abingdonavenue.blogspot.com

  68. Jittney

    Best idea ever!

  69. wentyl

    hi Taza,
    i love your blog!!!

    and I think the impossible project is really cool!

    all the best from Warsaw