Polaroidland Scoops the New York Times

Photo on Impossible’s 8×10 test film by Melodie McDaniel.

A few weeks back, on July 1, we here in Polaroidland posted about the Impossible Project’s reintroduction of 8×10 instant film. Well, some other newsgathering organization over on Eighth Avenue has finally got around to this huge breaking story, a mere seven weeks after we did. Now you know who’s the best source for your not-quite-dead-photographic-technologies news.

Seriously, though, I’m pleased to see that this product is getting great press, and making so many people excited about instant pictures again.  I’m sorry to have missed the party at Impossible’s gallery last night, which appears to have pulled in a big happy crowd.

The film itself, being first of a new generation, has some of the not-a-bug-it’s-a-feature qualities of Impossible’s other products. The contrast is not yet all it could be, and it’s still prone to some blotchiness–though less so than the consumer formats, since 8×10 is handled in a film holder that is light-tight and thus does not require extra shielding. Also, because it’s an integral film rather than a DTR material, the film sheet is exposed directly, like a plate, meaning that the image is flipped as on a daguerreotype.

Bugs, shmugs: I’ll take it. Or, rather, I would, if only they were able to make it in the 4×5 format for which I have a camera. Sadly, that product is not going to be produced: Impossible was able to save the 8×10 production machines from demolition but not the 4×5 ones. (Once again: Damn you Tom Petters.) For that, we’ll all have to wait for New55, and believe me I am.