You've Asked - We Answer

The questions have been rolling in and it’s time now to start answering them… We still want to hear from you, so if you don’t see your answer here, keep scrolling down and fill out the form.

Q: Has anyone picked up the license for Polaroid film yet?

By far the most asked question… Here’s the update:
The short answer as of a early September 2008 is… YES! We have received confirmation that 3 of the peel-apart pack films will be re-introduced in early 2009!!

We are anxiously awaiting further news, especially concerning our beloved integral film, but we think it’s a great big step in the right direction.

You can help a lot by filling out the survey because we make all information we collect available to potential “saviours” and they like seeing big numbers of responses.

Q: Where can I get [insert film type here] Polaroid film? Where can I get [insert film type here] Polaroid film for cheap/reasonable prices?

That’s two questions, sure, but the answer is pretty much the same – your guess is probably just as good as ours. We’re fans like you and we don’t have any inside track. We watch eBay, we click contextual ads where the name Polaroid pops up, we scour every mom-and-pop drug store and camera shop we come across.

If we see/hear about a stash of any type of film at a great price, we’ll post in to our news thread and we hope you’ll keep your eyes peeled and send us links if you find something we miss.

To the best of our knowledge, 600 integral is still widely available at places in the US like Office Depot, Staples, Rite Aid, Walgreens and a few other retailers that have been carrying it for years. Pack film and some random quantities of 4×5 sheet film are still available from Freestyle and B & H Photo plus a few other camera stores. If you know of a store in your area – please let is know!

Regarding price, just keep in mind: It’s only going to get MORE expensive as stock begins to dwindle. Almost any reasonable price you pay now is going to look like a bargain in 6 months…

Q: Where can I get a Polaroid camera?

Some One600 cameras can still be found lingering in the same stores that carry Polaroid film. But they are vanishing quickly.

The best single place to buy a Polaroid camera is eBay. It’s not always the place to get the best price – but it is the only place with a vast selection. Try our eBay search

Beyond that, we regularly find Polaroid cameras in photography stores who sell used equipment, antiques stores, flea markets and garage or stoop sales. Polaroid sold tens of millions of cameras that are very often perfectly functional. Stay tuned to SavePolaroid for a future feature about our favorites.

Q: How can I make my film last longer?

As many of you probably already know, keeping your film in a refrigerator or other cool, dark place will extend the life.

There is no real data on the matter, but here are some rules of thumb that we all more or less agree are true, assuming the film is cold-stored:

• Black and white pack or sheet film remains usable the longest in average conditions. We have seen reports of film that is 10+ years past expiration is often usable with a bit of experimentation with exposure and processing time.

• Color films of all types begin to exhibit color shift very soon after expiration, but will remain very usable for 2+ years past expiration if kept properly and depending on your personal tolerance for the lack of accurate or vibrant colors.

• Pack and sheet films can often be used 2 or 3 years longer than integral film with the same expiration date. Many suspect that integral film, being much more physically and chemically complicated than pack or sheet film, has more ways in which it can fail.

• It is widely agreed that the battery in a pack of integral film will often lose its charge before the film itself becomes unusable. The battery can actually be replaced with some effort – and can sometimes yield usable results from a long-expired pack of integral film.

If you have personal experience that confirms or denies any of these claims, we’d love to know about it! Please send us your story!

Q: My [insert Polaroid product here] is broken? Can you help me fix it?

Sorry, no. We are not repairpersons and we aren’t affiliated with Polaroid in any way. Like we said, we’re fans just like you…