Polaroid PX 100 Film

By: Evelyn Drake

Instant film for Polaroid cameras is making a comeback thanks to a company called The Impossible Project. I was really curious why instant film was back in style all of a sudden, so I decided to dig out my old Polaroid camera and give it a shot. I bought a pack of Impossible Project’s First Flush PX 100 instant film and started snapping off a few images. I was instantly reminded of how exciting it was to watch the chemistry work its magic until an image appeared.

The First Flush PX 100 film pack I bought was a Silver Shade Instant Film which produced a rich brownish tone with a glossy finish. Once I figured out all the “dos and don’ts” on how to handle the film, I was pleasantly surprised by how rich and contrasty the tone levels were. Impossible Project has very specific instructions listed on their website which are crucial to follow as this film is very sensitive to temperature and light. For example, you should shield the image for 60-90 seconds upside down for optimal results. I followed a friend’s advice and taped the film box to the opening where the image is spit out of the camera. This way the image was not exposed to light prematurely. You could also put it upside down on a table and cover it with your hand, but I found that the taped box method was the most fool proof way to protect them from the light. Another important tip is to make sure the image is dry before storing it. If you live in a humid environment, it is recommended that you place a couple of silica gel packets into your dry box to protect it. This will help prevent crystallization of the chemistry over time.
 

Although it took me a while to get used to all the instructions, shooting with Impossible Project’s instant film is really fun. Impossible Project is working to create even more instant film types including their new 2+1 Colour Shade Starter Pack. Although the first flush PX 100 is now sold out, brand new PX100 is available at The Camera Store. Now I can see why people like to shoot with this format. It is so refreshing to get away from advanced technology every once and awhile and just take a picture.

Photo by: Sheena Slobodian.