New Polaroid Cameras

[david b]

Have you all seen this?

http://www.polaroid.com/global/detail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524441761997

 

[Foto Ludens]

Man, if that's a professional camera, I would hate to see an amateur one (f/10 max aperture? 3 element plastic lens? is this competition for Holga?)

 

[pierre]

Polaroid was a pioneer in plastic lenses. They are quite good, and certainly good enough for what the instant Spectra-type film can deliver.

 

[blansky]

This is an interesting question.

Have we got the technology to produce plastic to the level of glass now.

Obviously anything plastic a few years ago was considered junk. I'm wondering if we have reached a stage where plastic can come close to the quality of glass. Both are man made manufactured products and what is to say that at least one day plastic could not replace glass.


Just asking.


Michael McBlane

 

[Tom Duffy]

Don't some lens companies mold aspherical plastic surfaces onto a spherical glass lens elements as a way of drastically reducing the cost of aspherical lenses?

 

[jd callow]

This is an interesting question.
Have we got the technology to produce plastic to the level of glass now.

I wonder if a better question might be:
Have we lowered the bar to such a degree that plastic lenses are professional grade?

 

[jd callow]

The limiting factor of a given system isn't always the lens, and to equip the sytem with a higher quality lens than the system is capable of utilising would only serve to make the system more expensive while adding nothing to the quality of the final product.

I agree that the lens is probably the equal of the film. What really bothers me is that the camera is labeled professional. I doubt there are many 'Pros' who would use this thing. Meanwhile, some sucker who loved his dad's Polaroid folder is going to buy this and be very disappointed/mis-lead.


I get some beautiful polaroids from P/N 55. Quality I am hard pressed to believe could be equalled with a plastic lens. I have an old polaroid folder that gives great images -- I suspect much better than this camera. They have the goods to build a true pro camera, but I suspect they figure producing a consumer camera and calling it Professional is more profitable.

It isn't worth getting upset over. It is just annoying.

 

[jd callow]

I suspect there is and I also suspect that it is cheaper than a digiCam. I also would love nothing more than to see Polaroid succeed and keep developing new and better product.

 

[Tom Duffy]

Maybe it's only going to be used by fine art photograpers, not professionals.

Tom "they use Holgas" Duffy

 

[jd callow]

Then wouldn't they have called it the polaroid 1200 dye transfer, unsharp mask azo print alternate process fine art platinum?

 

[Nige]

how about the digital LCD viewfinder...