Having been around for several decades now, Polaroid cameras may be old tech, but the concept of the instant-film camera is still an appealing treat for all. While smartphones, digital cameras and apps like Instagram make sharing high quality photos easier than ever, something about the moments captured by a Polaroid camera make it worth it to carry around the old tech.
Now thanks to the Impossible Instant Lab, you can have the best of both worlds. In a simple but brilliant fusion of smartphone photography and Polaroid printing, the Instant Lab lets users take digital photos shot from their iPhone and turn them into instant physical prints. Without any complicated software or wires, users simply choose the photo from their iPhone, place it on the holder and activate the Lab's shutter.
After exposing the film to the light from the iPhone's display, users close the shutter, push a button and watch as their photo gets transformed from digital pixels to an iconic Polaroid picture. Launched Monday, the Kickstarter project is already reaching its $250,000 funding goal with 26 days left to go.
With a retail price of $299, early backers of $189 can get their hands on the basic silver edition with one film voucher while $299 backers can receive the Kickstarter-exclusive black edition with two film vouchers. Head on over to the Kickstarter page to show your support. Unfortunately the cradle only fits the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 but Android users can voice their opinion on Android-specific cradles here.
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drwho1 So you take a picture with a camera, put the camera on top of another camera, take a picture of the cameraReply
displaying the picture already taken on said camera and take the same picture again with the old camera and printed.
Got it.
What a stupid idea. -
sacre "Kickstarter" is annoying me to hell now. Its cool because people can invent some neat shit and get funded without having to go through a big business, but at the same time people are abusing the shit out of it. A lot of these "projects" seem to disappear after they get their money and say "oh it didn't work out".Reply -
teh_chem This is retarded, and I have grown to hate hearing about kickstarter projects related to computers and tech.Reply -
So I can understand how enthusiasts may like this but I don't see it being a big seller. Most phones are WiFi now and you can just send the picture to a printer via WiFi, instant picture as well. Who want's to lug around a polaroid hookup device. Either way, I wouldn't donate for this cause, it's not my niche. I wonder if Apple will patent this as "the new polaroid".Reply
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aftcomet There is a reason these things are on Kickstarter to begin with. Nobody with any common sense would invest in it.Reply -
lahawzel "After exposing the film to the light from the iPhone's display, users close the shutter, push a button and watch as their photo gets transformed from digital pixels to an iconic Polaroid picture"Reply
Iconic 960x640 picture, yep. -
teh_chem Oh my god, I only just now checked their page--over $250,000 pledged so far?! WOW, I am greatly underestimating the...generosity (for lack of a better term)...of people.Reply -
techcurious Wouldn't it be much better to have a portable printer hanging off a shoulder strap, next to your hip, attached to your phone (ANY smart phone) with the appropriate USB Data Cable, that could then print whatever image you want, be it a photo you just took (or took before) or even an image you just downloaded? It would be a much more user friendly setup than this clumsy telescoping attachment! Not to mention quicker to print an image between shots, as you wouldn't need to keep detaching and attaching the Phone! And I am sure the image quality will be far better than taking a photo of a phone screen!Reply -
Zingam OK! I get it now. The Terminator creators got it wrong. It is neither Skynet, nor even Cyberdine Systems, it is iPhone and Apple, that will create the first Terminator, and it want be just an Terminator but iTerminator!Reply -
Zingam teh_chemOh my god, I only just now checked their page--over $250,000 pledged so far?! WOW, I am greatly underestimating the...generosity (for lack of a better term)...of people.Reply
How about "stupidity"?