Impossible Project

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Impossible
Private
Industry Photography
Founded 2008
Founder Florian Kaps
Headquarters Enschede, NL
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Oskar Smolokowski, CEO
Products Instant film and hardware
Website www.the-impossible-project.com
Polaroid SX-70 Camera

The Impossible Project is a company that manufactures instant photographic materials.

History

The Impossible Project was founded in 2008 after Polaroid announced in February 2008 that it would stop producing film for Polaroid cameras.[1] The founders are Dr. Florian Kaps, André Bosman and Marwan Saba. In June 2008, Kaps and Bosman met at the Polaroid factory’s closing event and decided to found a company to produce materials for Polaroid cameras. In October 2008, Impossible bought the production machinery from Polaroid for $3.1 million dollars[2] and leased a building, called Building Noord, which was formerly part of the Polaroid plant in Enschede, Netherlands. The company has offices in Vienna, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. It leased the Polaroid production plant and developed new instant film products for use in some existing Polaroid cameras, beginning mass production and sales in 2010.[3] They generated USD270,000 in profit on USD4 million in revenue[2] and sold 500,000+ units.[4]

In January 2012, the company announced that it and Polaroid would launch a range of collectible products, called The Polaroid Classic range, that originate from different periods of Polaroid's history. Between six and ten products will be released each year. In July 2013, Florian Kaps announced his 'retirement' from the project[5] and Creed O'Hanlon took over the role as CEO.

In December 2014, The Impossible Project announced that Oskar Smolokowski would be their new CEO and Creed O'Hanlon would become the Executive Chairman of Impossible's management board.[6]

Impossible has licensed its name to stores in Germany, Spain and London.

Film

Polaroid SX-70

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PX 100 Silver Shade First Flush Sepia 100 8 February 2010  ??? First flush, first supplied to artists,[7] then to regular customers [8]
PX 100 Silver Shade Sepia 100 8  ???  ??? Second generation film
PX 100 Silver Shade Cool [9] Sepia 100 8 September 2012 [10]  ???
PX 70 Color Shade First Flush Color 125 8  ???  ???
PX 70 Color Shade Push! [11] Color 125 8  ???  ???
PX 70 Color Shade [12] Color 125 8 June 2011  ???
PX 70 Color Shade Cool [13] Color 125 8 April 2012  ???
PX 70 Color Shade V4B Test Film Color 125 8 August 2012 [14] August 2012 Introduction of an Opacifier
PX 70 Color Protection [15] Color 125 8  ???  ???
Color Film for SX70 Gold Frame Color 100 8  ??? N/A
Color Film for SX70 Silver Frame Color 100 8  ??? N/A
Color Film for SX70 Color Frame Color 100 8  ??? N/A
Cyanotype for SX70 Color 100 8  ??? N/A Cyan Color
B&W 2.0 Film For SX70 B&W 100 8 April 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film For SX70 Black Frame Color 100 8  ??? N/A Black Frame
Color Film for SX70 Color 160 8 October 2013 N/A
Color Film for SX70 Black Frame Color 160 8  ??? N/A Black Frame

Polaroid 600

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PX 600 Silver Shade First Flush Sepia 600 8 February 2010  ??? First flush, first supplied to artists,[7] then to regular costumers [16]
PX 600 Silver Shade v05 Sepia 600 8 May 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade v06 Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ [17] Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Black Frame [18] Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Grey Frame [19] Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Gold Frame [20] Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 600 Silver Shade Cool [21] Sepia 600 8 June 2010  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Beta Color 680 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Beta 2 Color 680 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Shade First Flush Color 680 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Gold Frame Color 680 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Cool Color 680 8 June 2012  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Gold Frame Color 680 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Shade Block Party Color 680 8  ???  ??? Urban Outfitters Exclusive
PX 680 Color Shade V4B Test Film Color 600 8 July 2012 July 2012
PX 680 Color Protection Color 600 8  ???  ???
PX 680 Color Protection American Woods Color 600 8  ???  ??? wood border
PX 680 Color Protection Gold Edition [22] Color 600 8 December 2012  ??? Gold Frame
Ltd Edition Generation 2.0 Color 600 Film Color 600 8  ??? N/A
Cyanotype Film for 600 Color 600 8 January 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 [23] B&W 600 8 March 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Black Frame[24] B&W 600 8 March 2015 N/A Black Frame
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Hard Color Frames[25] B&W 600 8  ??? N/A Hard Color Frames
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Round Frame[26] B&W 600 8 October 2014 N/A Round Frame
Skateistan B&W 2.0 Film for 600 [27] B&W 600 8  ??? N/A Geometric Afghan Design Frame
Third Man Records Edition Black & Yellow Film for 600 [28] B&Y 600 8  ??? N/A Black Frame, Black and Yellow Film
Color Film for 600 [29] Color 600 8  ??? N/A
Color Film for 600 Black Frame [30] Color 600 8  ??? N/A Black Frame
Color Film for 600 Color Frames [31] Color 600 8  ??? N/A Color Frames
Color Film for 600 Round Frame [32] Color 600 8  ??? N/A Round Frame
Color Film for 600 Gold Frame [33] Color 600 8  ??? N/A Gold Frame
Color Film for 600 Silver Frame [34] Color 600 8  ??? N/A Silver Frame

Polaroid Image/Spectra

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PZ 600 Silver Shade Sepia 600 8  ???  ???
PZ 600 Silver Shade UV+ Sepia 600 8  ???  ???
PZ 600 UV+ Black Frame Sepia 600 8  ???  ???
PZ 600 silver Shade Cool Sepia 600 8  ???  ???
PZ 680 Color Shade Color 680 8  ???  ???
PZ 680 Color Protection Color 600 8 December 2012  ???
Color Film Color 600 8 October 2013 N/A
Color Film Black Frame Color 600 8  ??? N/A Black Frame
B&W 2.0 Film B&W 600 8 May 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film Black Frame B&W 600 8 2015 N/A Black Frame

Impossible Hardware

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
B&W Film [35] B&W 600 8 October 2013 January 2015 Type-600 film without battery
Color Film [36] Color 600 8 October 2013 January 2015 Type-600 film without battery

8x10 Film

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PQ Silver Shade [37] B&W 640 10 August 2012 [38] Late 2013
PQ Silver Shade B&W 640 10 Late 2013 [39] Late 2013 [40] Second generation
B&W 8X10 Film [41] B&W 640 10 July 2014 [42]  ??? Third Generation [43]
B&W 2.0 Film for 8X10 [44] B&W 640 10  ??? N/A
Color Film for 8X10 [45] Color 640 10  ??? N/A

Future and other formats

The Impossible Project has stated that they cannot produce 4x5, Type 100, or Type 80 films, Polaroid 500 film [46][47] and I-Zone film even if they wanted as they do not have the production machinery. These were disassembled along with the factories that used to produce the film when Polaroid filed for Chapter 11.[48]

They have said that after Fuji discontinued FP3000b and FP100b they had periodic discussions with them and others in the industry about popular formats that are at risk. They have approached Fuji on this (regarding purchasing their machinery) and have yet to receive a solid response.[49] They have stated their preference to focus on doing a limited number of things very well, so their focus is Integral rather than peel away (although they offer a 8x10 peel away solution).

Hardware

Instant Lab

In October 2013, the company began sale of the Instant Lab, a new camera-like device that could expose digital images from an iPhone onto analog instant film. It supports the iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5c and 5s, as well as the iPod Touch.

The device was produced after a successful crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter. They also introduced a new battery-less film cartridge design for use with the Instant Lab, which–unlike vintage Polaroid cameras–is internally powered.[50]

The cartridge itself is just a 600-type cartridge stripped of the battery, so it can use 600-type film just the same.

Customers will have the opportunity to exchange their current Instant Lab cradle to a new one that supports many phone sizes in one.[51][52]

Instant Lab 2.0

In September 2014, roughly a year after the original Instant Lab release The Impossible Project announced at Photokina that they would release a second generation device with the intent to support more devices.

The biggest if only change appears to be that it now supports more than iPhone 4 through 5s as iPod Touch 4 and 5. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be supported along with iPad with Retina Display, the Samsung Galaxy S III through S5, and Galaxy Note II and 3. Compatibility with further devices is said to be in the works.[53]

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ https://static.the-impossible-project.com/resources/press_releases/2010-12-13.pdf
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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