Throwback Edit Version: I edited this in March 2025, checked the links and converted it to the new WordPress blocks format if needed.

This post is really about instant film, with a review of the Polaroid 600P thrown in.

I always said, I would not buy a Polaroid camera due to the price of the replacement film. Then I spotted a boxed camera in a junk bin and right next to it was a box of original film. The whole lot was a $10 bargain. This version of the Polaroid 600 series is from the early 2000s and comes with a built-in flash and a close up lens.

I was fairly excited. As soon as I got the set home I popped in the film.

The camera looked great apart from the strap which was beyond saving so I cut it off.

I lined up a shot and waited for the leader to pop out….and waited…and waited. I pressed the button again…nothing. The film was way too old and all the slides were stuck together. Polaroid went out of business in 2008 so until recently there was no chance for a replacement. Then came along ‘The Impossible Project’ as detailed in this blog. BUT with a price tag of over $20 for 8 shots I had to do a lot of thinking before I ordered some. Then I figured, it would be a great project for this blog and relented.

Inside was a tip sheet, plus I had read a few blogs on how the film was a little unstable. So for the first few shots, I followed the instructions to the letter.

• I used the flash
• I did not shake the film
• I put the shots upside down on a flat surface as soon as I took them and left them for a few minutes.

In the first shot, I corrected the contrast and density after the scan, the second is more like the actual image. It does look a little funky, especially around the edges. But as this was a test I tried to use it in more realistic conditions. I took the camera for a short walk and once I took a shot I put it in my pocket, vertically, carefully, next to a flat surface. Again, I was very careful.

Oh dear, they are not really worth $20. I am so impressed with the people making it and trying to keep Polaroid alive, but that does not mean I will buy another pack just yet. It needs to be much more stable.

As a comparison, I used my new checki find. My old checki gave up the ghost, but they are quite easy to find in Japan and this one seems much better.

I got some of the new monochrome film from amazon and took a few shots. The rest are still in the camera for the next time I go into Tokyo.

Unfortunately for the impossible project, this instant film looked great and was very stable. They were also black and white, not a weird sepia colour. That being said, I do prefer the size of the 600. Then again there is the wide version of Instax.

So keep or sell. I could try and sell the Polaroid, but who will buy it with the film issue?

As for the Instax, I thought of a way to use it. When I go on trips or holiday I use it to add to a travel diary. That is a new hobby and I need lots more practice.

Update 2025 style: Well, this aged well didn’t it? Polaroid has made a massive comeback, thanks to the impossible project. I still prefer Instax and have a few of those cameras which I should use more often.