I was lucky enough to get a chance to try some of The Impossible Project’s new film they’re about to release. In case you haven’t heard, The Impossible Project has resurrected (or perhaps more aptly, reinvented) integral polaroid film. As one of many who tested out some of the very first batches in the early days, I became a “Pioneer”, which now gives me access to new versions earlier than everyone else. Knowing what the first batches were like – faded blue, washed out, barely a hint of any other color, and so unstable as to make it a real trial to get anything good out of it – seeing what they’re now producing is all the more astounding. The new PX70 color shade for SX70 cameras is seriously breathtaking. The colors come out so vivid. There’s definitely still a bit of yellow cast, but it’s as close to the 600 type film from Polaroid that took them decades to perfect as The Impossible Project has come.

The film is however not without its imperfections. Shading is still necessary when it pops out. And I’ve found it to still be relatively sensitive to temperature. Plus, this particular pack I received had an odd defect in the middle of the frame on every shot (see the dark line down the middle). The second pack I started recently however does not have the defect. I’m still learning the quirks of the film, and trying to remember how to shoot with an automatic exposure SX70 is a trial as well. But overall, I have to hand it to TIP. It’s all happening.

I also got to try some of the new PX100 UV+ silver shade too. Again, pretty fantastic stuff. I think I didn’t shade it well enough after they popped out though. A lot of them are a bit more washed out than I’d like. But still, beautiful film.