The Polaroid guide: films, cameras and care
One frame, one original, in your hand in minutes. How to get Polaroids right.
Written by Arch Club. Arch Club sells Polaroids from its sittings for $111 each.
Know your film
| Film | Works in |
|---|---|
| i-Type | i-Type cameras such as the Now and I-2 |
| 600 | 600 cameras, and i-Type cameras too |
| SX-70 | SX-70 cameras; slower film for bright light |
| Go | Polaroid Go cameras only |
600 film carries a battery in each pack, which is why it works in older cameras; i-Type film doesn't, so it needs a camera with its own battery. Fujifilm Instax is a separate, smaller system.
Getting good results
Caring for a Polaroid
- Keep it out of direct sun, which fades it.
- Never cut or bend the frame; the chemistry lives inside.
- Store it flat, cool and dry, in an archival sleeve.
Why we love them
A Polaroid is the only photograph with no negative. Each one is unique. At Arch Club, Polaroids from our sittings are sold for $111 each.
ARCH CLUB
A members' club for foot photography, shot only on film.
Every Arch Club photograph is made on a Canon EOS-1V, a Mamiya 7 or a Fuji GW690II, with real models in New York and never AI. Members receive new film photographs every month, and collectors can own the original negative, sealed in display resin with a print of their choice.
Anyone can find a picture. Few will ever hold a photograph.
Visit Arch ClubPublished by Arch Club, Brooklyn, New York.