We really like the actual photos of these parts. Our guide to the best instant cameras features a range of modern gadgets that print out photos that you can stick on your fridge or pin to your wall. But what about the people who started it all? Polaroid cameras have been lurking around in attics, garages, and storage closets for decades. If you’ve found one or just bought one cheaply used, there’s good news: all you need is some film.
The even better news is that, despite huge difficulties in the past, it’s now easier than ever to get film for your old Polaroid camera. However, while it’s easy to find cheap movies on Amazon, there’s more nuance to choosing a movie than just randomly picking which one comes first. If you’re not sure which film your camera uses, read on.
Brief history lesson
Finding film for an old Polaroid camera can be both easy and tricky. Today, if you come across an old camera made by Polaroid (the company went bankrupt and closed in 2001), you can still buy film for that camera from a newer, mostly unrelated company: Polaroid.
Still confused? Follow me and it will make sense.
When the Polaroid Company collapsed, its assets, including its film and camera production lines, were sold or licensed to various investors over the next few years. Film was still produced under the Polaroid brand until 2008, when the company that owned the Polaroid assets decided to abandon the instant camera business entirely. It’s no coincidence that this happened less than a year after the launch of the original iPhone.
In the same year, a company called “Impossible Project” was established to take over the mantle left by Polaroid. The company purchased some of Polaroid’s old equipment and developed a new instant film module that could be used on existing Polaroid cameras. Over the next decade, Impossible often partnered with whatever company currently owned Polaroid assets to produce cameras, film modules, and other accessories.
That is, until 2017, when the Impossible Project’s largest shareholder purchased all of Polaroid’s assets and intellectual property. Like reforging a broken sword, Polaroid became whole again, and in 2020, Impossible changed its name to Polaroid.
Which brings us to where we are today: Polaroid is once again producing Polaroid cameras and the film used in Polaroid cameras. If you search “Polaroid film” on Amazon, you’ll find films made by Polaroid for Polaroid cameras. Convenient right? However, there are still some details you need to know about the various types of movies.
What type of film do I need?
Polaroid cameras use several different types of film, and they are generally not interchangeable. The first step is to find the camera model you have. For example, I have a Polaroid Spirit 600, which shoots (surprise) 600 film. Below we’ll take a look at each type of movie, as well as the special considerations you should keep in mind for each type.
Photography: Eric Ravenscraft
If you picture what a “Polaroid photo” looks like, this is probably what you’re thinking of right now.Early Polaroid cameras were less sensitive to light and therefore only suitable for outdoor photography – unless you had one real Bright flash. Polaroid 600 film is more sensitive than previous film types, so you can take photos indoors or in low light and still get usable photos.
There is also a small battery in these modules that powers the camera, but there is no power source for the camera itself. This means, among other things, that any film produced by the original Polaroid company before 2008 is probably dead now. If you’re looking for vintage film on sites like eBay, there’s a good chance that film cassettes won’t work with your old camera. Fortunately, the new Polaroids make the 600 film produced during this decade work properly.
Polaroid 600 cameras were popular in the ’90s, but if you have a Polaroid camera from the ’70s or ’80s, you’re more likely to use Polaroid SX-70 film. They have a similar square shape to 600 film, but they are much less sensitive to light. Most cameras using this film have a hard time taking good photos indoors unless you have a flash – and many models don’t come with a flash.
When the Impossible Project started producing its own cameras in 2016, it made a small change to the film cartridges used in traditional Polaroid cameras. Rather than having a small battery installed in each film cartridge, the camera powers its own power. Not only does this make the film cassette last longer, but it’s also better for the overall environment. This new format was Type I film.
A pack of similar I-Type film is sometimes slightly cheaper than the more traditional 600 film. However, you’ll need one of Polaroid’s new I-Type cameras to use it. These newer cameras can accept both 600 film and I-Type film, but I-Type film is usually better because it doesn’t require a built-in battery like 600 film.