I’m not sure where you can purchase Art World China, but check out their website.  If you don’t read Chinese, I recommend filtering it through a translator.

http://www.yishushijie.com/

http://translate.google.com/

Welcome to The Impossible Project!

A team of Polaroid geniuses in Enschede, The Netherlands has acquired a production building and all of the machinery required to produce integral instant film directly from Polaroid.  Their goal is to create a new analog integral film with new technology (and a new brand-name) for use in vintage Polaroid cameras.  Many of the materials and parts used in previously produced Polaroid integral films have become expensive or unavailable.  With a scaled down production facility and team, The Impossible Project hopes to find a new technology for integral film and begin production by 2010. Their film will serve a niche market with projections of producing 3 million films in the first year and 10 million films per year thereafter.   Andre Bosman, CEO and Head of Production, Florian Kaps, CMO and creator of Polanoid.net, and Marwan Saba, CFO, head the Impossible Project.  The team is comprised of experts in Polaroid production machinery, materials, chemistry and manufacturing.  They are giving themselves 12 months to complete the process of finding a new, cost-effective, and available technology for creating integral film.  Please offer your support, knowledge and expertise by visiting their website:  The Impossible Project.

“Don’t undertake a project unless it is manifestly important and nearly impossible.”   -Edwin Land (founder and inventor of Polaroid)

Here’s hoping!

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On a related note, I’d like to thank you for continuing to send in your Polaroids.  Your continued support and passion is helping to save Polaroid.  Here are the latest submissions:

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I arrived home from my vacation to this press release in my inbox.  Sounds promising.  I’m looking forward to trying it out.

Flickr Instax Group

Fujifilm Instax Site

FUJIFILM BRINGS INSTAX 200 INSTANT FILM CAMERA
AND INSTAX INSTANT COLOR FILM TO U.S. MARKET

Instant Photo System Delivers Quality Instant Prints for
Law Enforcement, Health Care, Commercial Use

VALHALLA, N.Y., November 14, 2008 – FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc. today announced it is introducing the popular Instax 200 Instant Film Camera and Instant Color Film to the U.S. market, making available an instant photo system that has enjoyed success in Asia and Europe for years.  With its automatically-adjusting flash, high-resolution retracting lens and a big, clear viewfinder, the Fujifilm Instax 200 captures and delivers vivid, high-quality prints in an instant.  The compatible Instax Instant Color Film is professional grade and provides superior performance.
“In recent months, as availability of instant film has dwindled, we’ve received inquiries from customers in a range of markets here in the U.S. including health care, law enforcement, insurance, real estate, and others, who really need to continue using a traditional instant film solution” said Christian Fridholm, vice president of marketing, consumables, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM U.S.A.  “We believe that people familiar with instant photography, but who are new to the Fujifilm Instax brand, will be impressed with the intuitive design of the Instax 200, and will be especially pleased with the vivid colors and bright whites delivered by our Instax Instant Color Film.”
The Instax 200 and Instax Instant Color Film will begin shipping in late December and will be available for purchase through Fujifilm’s professional dealer network.  MSRP for the Instax 200 is $69.99 and a 20-pack of Instax Instant Color Film is $28.99.
The Instax 200 Camera includes design features such as:
-       LCD control panel displaying focal distance and film count
-       Programmed electronic shutter, 1/64-1/200 sec
-       Automatic flash for low-light shooting
-       Two-range selectable shooting options: 0.9-3m and 3m-infinity
Instax Instant Color Film includes features such as:
-       Wide Picture Format (Image size – 3.90” x 2.44”)
-       Sharp, Vivid, Super Fine Grain Prints
-       ISO 800
-       Highly Stable Emulsion (useable from 41-104 degrees F)
The Fujifilm Instax System offers an appealing alternative to previous users of Polaroid cameras utilizing Polaroid Type 600 Films.
The Instax 200 Camera uses Fujifilm Instax Instant Color Film, which was first introduced in 1997 and has been sold successfully in other parts of the world since.  Fujifilm started producing instant films in Japan in the 1980’s and began introducing branded peel apart type instant films (FP100C, FP100B, FP3000B) in the U.S. in 2003. With Instax Instant Color Film, the image develops in front of your eyes eliminating the need to peel it apart. All Fujifilm instant films imported into the US are professional grade films, and therefore are sold only to dealers and photo labs that support the professional photography market. FUJIFILM instant films may be purchased at the same locations that sell traditional FUJIFILM professional film (Color Reversal, Color Negative and B&W).

About FUJIFILM
FUJIFILM U.S.A. Inc. is a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, providing digital and analog photographic Imaging Systems and Motion Picture Film products and services to consumers, professionals and businesses.  For more information on Fujifilm U.S.A. products, customers can call 800-800-FUJI or visit www.fujifilmusa.com. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm U.S.A. via RSS, subscribe free at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.

FUJIFILM Corporation (NASDAQ:FUJI) brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including electronic imaging, photofinishing equipment, medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, flat panel display materials, and office products, based on a vast portfolio of digital, optical, fine chemical and thin film coating technologies. The company was among the top 15 companies around the world granted U.S. patents in 2007, employs more than 70,000 people worldwide and in the year ended March 31, 2008, had global revenues of $24.7 billion. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.

“Pogo” is Polaroid’s new(ish) digital answer to instant prints. You can take photos with your digital camera or camera phone and send the image to the Pogo printer via Bluetooth or USB (not included). The printer does not use ink, but instead, patented ZINK technology and paper. Colored dyes are built into the paper and then activated by heat. On Amazon, the printer costs $149 and refill paper packs of 30 cost $10. Reviews are all across the board. However, everyone seems to agree that the print quality is not great and should be used for casual photography, at best. It could be a fun gadget, but sadly, I doubt very much that it replaces the artistic quality of the old instant film. Check it out for yourself.

Polaroid Pack Film Continued in Three Models

Save Polaroid announced that three types of Polaroid Pack film have been picked up by a third party and will see continued production. The types of film are: 125i (color film used for ID photos and passport photos), 667 (a high speed black and white film used for science and medical documentation, but also works in most pack cameras and polaroid backs), 664 (a medium speed, medium contrast black and white film for general purpose and proofing. Works with most polaroid pack cameras and polaroid backs.) If you are unfamiliar with the film types or cameras that I’ve mentioned, the Polaroid website still gives a good amount of info on all of the above.

Mr. Littman Tries to Save T55 Film

I received a link to William Littman’s ebay page in my inbox a few days ago, explaining his pursuit to obtain the license for continuing production of type 55 film. His passion for this film comes from his love of 4×5 cameras. The Littman 45 Single is a 4×5 camera that he developed to be hand held and much easier to use than a traditional 4×5. (Sounds like fun, I must say!) The ebay page explains his plan to obtain the license and the response from Polaroid. Basically, Polaroid does not have the ability to support a transfer of technology to a small business. Not quite ready to give up, Mr. Littman is currently hoping for investors- people like you and me- to financially support the purchase.

Check Out This Guy

Photographer Jim Lucio (a.k.a. Defekto) is posting the last of his Polaroids on his blog Last Days of Polaroid.

And Last But Not Least…

One from me: