Polaroid Petition

[waileong]

Petitions don't work the same way for companies as they do for your senator or congressman.

 

[Murray@uptowngallery]

I could see Fuji responding to researching the chemistry of the 'manipulability' of emulsions, but I can't comprehend why they would want to manufacture someone else's older tech product after developing their own (licensed, possibly) that has significant improvements in color shift and print resolution.

Has anyone tried something like more aggessive solvents of a different nature on non-manipulable films? Don't know Fuji's chemistry, but Polaroid's are processed with alkali in water, so maybe hydrocarbon (polar vs non-polar solvent principle) would leave the water-soluable aspects alone but soften the polymer base?

Could try the FP-100 similarly if it doesn't manipulate as is...

 

[Michael W]

Fuji is the company that has just released a prototype of a medium format folding camera. They might well be interested in unique emulsions such as 55. Certainly can't do any harm to let them know that their core market is interested. As IloveTLRs wrote they were also swayed by public opinion in Japan to continue with Single 8 processing.

 

[Fintan]

Signed

 

[Philippe-Georges]

For those of you signing the petition how much Polaroid film did you purchae in the past year? Past 2 years? Past 3 years?

last Year : 664, POLAPAN 100 as it used to be called, about 8 bulkboxes (= 8 x 100 shots), POLAPAN 54, about 10 boxes of 20 4x5 sheets, not to mention the, rather few, POLACOLOR.
FUJI will be happy, I think so...

 

[sun of sand]

I passed around a petition once during middle school for outside lunches
I had thousands of signatures and a great window view

Has a petition ever worked? I mean, outside of the PTA and that crappy TV show Jericho

 

[eclarke]

The only leverage a petition could apply is the threat not to buy Polaroid products. They already can't sell the products and have been floundering as a company for years. The petition is moot...EC

 

[keithwms]

Regarding the efficacy of petitions, I'm not sure that's worth debating- who knows? What I would recommend is that after a certain time, a few of us cc the petition to Fuji so that they get a look at how much demand there still is for these kinds of products. Indeed it's probably too late for Polaroid to respond to a petition, but it's not too late for Fuji to realize that these are beloved products with a real market.

BTW, I never ridiculed anyone.

Well then I will beg your pardon and apologize. However, please note that if you look up through the thread, there was a fair amount of implied ridicule and it is to that that I reacted, and I was quoted directly. I am sure that if this discussion were conducted intelligently over a few beers it would not lead to hurt feelings. I am generally not an unreasonable person, and neither are you. Higher up in the thread, well....

Don, regarding the cost per frame, I think our discussion got detoured. My point is this: how much would you pay to be the last person on this Earth to shoot, for example, a 20x24 polaroid portrait? I think you will agree that when it happens.... if done properly... that will be a priceless frame. That's how I feel about type 55 and some of the other polaroid products as well: I could care less how much the frames are costing me personally; I know how well the material suits my ideas of how the shot should look and that is, to me, [almost] priceless. I'm not proofing with type 55, I am shooting things that I feel match the tonality and detail of the film and deliver what I want.

N.b. I am not saying that companies can charge arbitrary amounts for film and still remain viable. Fuji knows that, clearly. Kodak knows it all too well. What I am asking is this: how much is a vanishing product really worth? In terms of supply and demand arguments, the cost is simple inestimably high.

My question is this: how much do you think the last 20x24 polaroid frame will be worth, when it is shot? I think it is a very interesting question to ponder. Ignore the practicalties of knowing whether it's really the last frame and whether it is nicely composed shot a pretty or and ugly girl etc... just think about what supply/demand implies if there is truly only one shot left. What would you give to take that shot? No wisecrack answers please, consider it seriously!

 

[Ray Heath]

g'day Keith

the last 20x24 Polaroid frame, probably extremely precious, to some

me, i couldn't care less

this question is but a side issue

Polaroid doesn't sell at a viable rate, why would/should any company lose more money to provide esoteric products to a very few users?

why should any company respond to an online petition "signed" by people who have made no solid/financial commitement?

these products, and many others, are going, they are not viable

we as a group of consumers cannot afford to support so many diverse products

film photography will never completely disappear, it will just be done with a reduced range of materials

find a new material/technique/product, be creative, don't be stuck in a rut

Ray

 

[Murray@uptowngallery]

I do wish I had taken the opportunity to have tried 55 or even 85.

I also have alot more sympathy for the 20x24 Polaroid camera people because they really grind to a halt. 4x5'ers can shift gears.

Cost (or is 'value' more important/appropriate) of the last 20x24 frame...I hope it's the same price...I hate speculation. If the VALUE of the last image increases, that's OK, but it's unfortunate if someone has to sell body parts to ride the space shuttle to be the person who gets to shoot the last 20x24 Polaroid sheet outside the atmosphere or whatever insanity might come up.

 

[Fintan]

I also have alot more sympathy for the 20x24 Polaroid camera people because they really grind to a halt. 4x5'ers can shift gears.

I actually got a 4x5 to shoot polaroid, I have never shot regular sheet film in my camera yet. I think I will probably sell my 4x5 if there is no Type 55 available. But I agree it is possible to shift gears. I have started a project with Type 55 that will probably take 12 boxes to finish, I hoped to buy a box a month for this year but I cant afford all 12 together so I'm not sure I can complete this.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've got six sheets of Type 809 left and no immediate prospects of buying more. I'll use 3 (barring any problems) for the APUG Polaroid exchange, and maybe I'll make some family portraits with the last three.

No special plans for my last half box of Type 55 at the moment. I'll probably shoot it as I always have, occasionally for lens tests or quick shots when I know I won't have time to process film right away.

 

[pauliej]

Might be better to forward the petition to Bill Gates, as he has the big bucks that could revive Polaroid where others cannot. Or you can start a not-for-profit company and purchase Polaroid assets and continue production of the films. Come to think of it, Polaroid is already a not-for profit outfit, so that wont work. What comes after denial, acceptance? The reality is, buy what you can find now, because when it's gone, it's gone. If someone else steps up and the film is continued to be produced, fine and dandy, but if it was a profitable business, it would still be going. Sorry if the blunt truth hurts, I am NOT trying to rain on anyone's parade.

Paul

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

Regarding profits, the numbers the company is willing to indicate show that Polaroid films are profitable. The unfortunate situation is that selling the land to create another shopping mall will generate more profits. So it is not a lack of profits, simply a source for (potentially) greater short term profits. The other thing the Petters Group considers an asset is the Polaroid brand name, which they feel will be a well enough know name to become a trusted brand amongst consumers, especially for low end electronics.

Further, if there was no value in the technology, they would be better off selling the technology, intellectual property, and patents. They don't intend to do any of those, and are instead desiring to license the technology. It seems that with that, they make no mention of licensing the Polaroid brand name. This is the blunt truth.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography