Looking for instant film camera developers. **new product concept**

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ken1234

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Feb 4, 2013
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Instant Films
Hi Everyone

My name is Ken I am new to this forum and so kindly ask for peoples directions and opinions about a product I want to create. I am an independant innovator and looking for people who can help me develop an instant film device similar to the pogo polaroid and the LG pocket zink printer. I am hoping to present this on Kickstarter and believe there is a great potential interest for the product. Personally I believe it looks better than the impossible projects camera launched on kickstarter. My issues so far is that I do not have a prototype except for concetual 3D renderings. I have contacted polaroid who would unfortunately be interested only when I have a prototype and also tried contacting Fujifilm and even Zink... which sadly have not responded to me via email. I am looking for suggestions on how I can commercialise my product and possibly potential developers who I can share the earnings if successful later on.

Thank you Kindly
 

Prof_Pixel

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The real secret in making an instant camera is coming up with the correct shapes for the rollers that control the spread of the developing 'goo'
 

Gerald C Koch

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The "developer" is actually a thickened monobath which not only develops the film but also fixes it. If you are interested get a copy of Grant Haist's Monobath Manual. Used copies usually sell for $10 to $15.
 

Mackinaw

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I'm confused. Is this going to be an instant-digital camera (the Pogo) or a film-based instant camera like an old Polaroid?

Jim B.
 

ath

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I think the OP is looking for an engineer or company to help him develop the camera, not a film developer.
 
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ken1234

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I'm confused. Is this going to be an instant-digital camera (the Pogo) or a film-based instant camera like an old Polaroid?
Jim B.

Hi Jim

I am actually trying to aim to build a product which has the best mobility therefore the smallest with similar effects to the polaroid films. Zink can be made really small and then to carry around while the fuji instax film is still a bit to large. So I am open to have it function either way as long as it is thin and small.
 

chuck94022

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I woke up this morning with an idea for a teleporting rocket ship that fits in my backpack. I contacted NASA but they have not returned my call.

Boeing said they will help me once I have a prototype, but I don't have those skills.

I would show you my pencil sketches but I am under an NDA.

I'll be starting a kick starter project. Who wants in?
 
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Before starting a project you need a clear market analysis to check if there is a viable market for such a item, and some scope of the related costs for R+D and production and time frame for launch. Have you done a market study on the current state of Polaroid films such as through the impossible project, or fuji instax products, or the Zink printer makers? You need to research and have a clear understanding of their technology and related products, and their delivery of these products to whatever market segment they aimed for.

Also I dont think kickstarter allows projects anymore without a prototype as lots of people were scammed when nifty videos were made and companies did not deliver on their products.
 

kevs

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I woke up this morning with an idea for a teleporting rocket ship that fits in my backpack. I contacted NASA but they have not returned my call.

Boeing said they will help me once I have a prototype, but I don't have those skills.

I would show you my pencil sketches but I am under an NDA.

I'll be starting a kick starter project. Who wants in?

*waves* Me, me, me. I've an Australian 10 shilling note and a £5 Jessops voucher and to start you off... :D
 

Rudeofus

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I dont have any of those skills

Before starting a project you need a clear market analysis to check if there is a viable market for such a item, and some scope of the related costs for R+D and production and time frame for launch. Have you done a market study on the current state of Polaroid films such as through the impossible project, or fuji instax products, or the Zink printer makers?

It's a common pattern I see with many of these "I have a great idea" startup projects. Creative inventors and marketers need a prototype (ideally for free) before they want to invest money and effort into what appears to be real work for them: inventing and marketing. And engineers want to see a real market for a product before they want to invest money and effort into what appears to be real work for them: converting a fuzzy idea into a working product.

None of the involved parties want to spend money and effort on something that might not even bear fruit unless there is a strong potential to make big money once the work is done. So either someone (ideally Ken1234) draws up a convincing business plan or I don't see this going anywhere.
 

Brac

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Personally I can't see anything wrong with the present range of instant cameras. In the present climate it's difficult to believe there would be any substantial market for something new, particularly if it were film-based, as who would want to make the film, especially if it competed with their own existing systems & films.
 
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I think there was a slight resurgence with the instant cameras, but not large enough of a blip to cause any significant change in new instant camera ownership or instant film sales that would ultimately drive the economies of scale to push down prices and drive up quality through competition.

So far impossible has been plagued by unstable films over time, as well as the need to shade ejected films right after capture. Something that Polaroid solved in the past that they have to resolve with considerably less technical staff and capital.

Zink was a neat concept but it never seemed to catch on, I have never once seen a unit out in the wild. Only online and rarely in stores. Print size was also tiny and I don't think it had much capacity for larger image sizes generated by higher resolution cameras.

Fuji also seems to try and keep the ball rolling, the instax wide is neat, and I've seen their smaller instax cameras used on the street and even a friend of mine had one. Still very pricey.

Polaroid seems to be going the other way now, they just launched a fotobar concept where customers bring in digital media to print and frame in a retail setting. Kinda like a big Kodak kiosk but one that lets you put fancy frames on your pictures. Not sure if it's done while you wait or if there is a later pickup date or delivery. Not really sure where they are going with this as many online retailers for photo printing offer similar options for framing(an most likely cheaper as the costs are lower than a b&m store). And I've never seen anyone say that they need a print from their phone on the wall framed and matted right this instant to demand such speedy service (if Polaroid ever provides it on site).

Your idea would have to be quite revolutionary, or maybe well marketed at the incredibly wealthy suckers out there haha
 
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