Polaroid's legacy lives on
Seventy years ago, American Edwin Land and his Polaroid company sold the world's first instant camera, which changed photography dramatically. Over the past decade, such cameras have experienced a renaissance.
The man behind the instant camera
On November 26, 1948, Edwin Land (left) debuted his first instant camera, called the Model 95 A. It was sold at the Jordan Marsh department store in Boston for just under $90 (€79) — today, that would be roughly $900. Land's invention was inspired by his daughter, who once complained she couldn't immediately see the picture he'd just taken of her.
Land Camera models still coveted
A Land Camera's most characteristic feature is self-developing film. Various models of it were produced by Polaroid until 1983. The company continued making instant cameras, but the name "Land" was dropped since its inventor retired in 1982. Even the intial 95 A took only about a minute to produce a print.
Cubism in photography
Polaroid cameras are far from just being coveted collectors' items. And it's not just nostalgia that's prompted industry to keep instant cameras afloat with a range of modern models. September 2014 saw the introduction of the Polaroid Cube. It can take still shots and video and sticks to all magnetic surfaces.
Combining the best of both worlds
The Polaroid Socialmatic, which also came out in 2014, took things one step further by combining the nostalgic appeal of vintage instant cameras with the ability to share photos via a built-in Wi-Fi and Android interface. The marriage of both print and digital technologies offered a 360 degree social media experience.
Credit-card-size photos
One year later, Fujifilm Corporation marketed its Polaroid-like Instax mini 70, which featured an auto exposure function to capture both the main subject and the background in natural brightness. Features such as the tripod mount and the self-timer function made it perfect for group and selfie shots.
Working right out of the box
The OneStep 2, which was launched in 2017, blends classic design with contemporary style and — as the name suggests — was inspired by Polaroid's original OneStep. The modern version boasts a high-quality lens and a powerful flash. Consumers like its improved viewfinder that makes framing photos a lot more intuitive.