My wife was reading through the Sunday Post when she pointed out an article in the Business Section. The title to the article read “Polaroid Technology Fades Out”. It seems that the Polaroid company, based in Waltham, Mass., has finally pulled the plug on its legendary Polaroid Instant Film and will cease all production, both in the US and abroad, in 2009. Polaroid has been struggling to remain viable in a market that has gone digital. In the early days of digital, Polaroid refused to face the future and instead of developing new digital cameras, they gave us “Sticky Film” which produced postage sized photographs on stickers. It wasn’t hard to see that the company was destined to fail in the new digital era.
Polaroid introduced the first Polaroid Land Cameras in 1948. The first cameras were reminiscent of older cameras with big bellows and film that came in a roll. They didn’t introduce the first cartridge until 1963. Polaroid made the big time with the introduction of the SX-70 camera and film. There were a few model upgrades here and there but never a new product to keep the company relevant.
Now with the closing of the film factories comes the end of the era of instant pictures. Sure, you can take digital photos fast but let’s see you make a hard copy print in front of the Central Park in Antigua Guatemala if your livelihood consists of taking tourist pictures for cash. Just another photographic niche that has passed by the wayside. Farewell Polaroid.
Related posts:
Entries (RSS)