Impossible Project

Impossible Project
Private
Industry Photography
Genre Instant photography
Predecessor Polaroid
Founded 2008 (2008)
Founder Florian Kaps
Headquarters Building Noord, Enschede, Netherlands
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Oskar Smolokowski (CEO)
Products Instant film and cameras
Website impossible-project.com

The Impossible Project (stylized as IMꟼOSSIBLE) is a Dutch photography company and manufacturer founded in 2008 by Florian Kaps, André Bosman and Marwan Saba. It manufactures instant film for select Polaroid instant cameras as well as its own instant camera, the I-1.

History

The Impossible Project was founded in 2008 after Polaroid announced in February 2008 that it would stop producing film for Polaroid cameras.[1] The founders are Florian Kaps, André Bosman and Marwan Saba. In June 2008, Kaps and Bosman met at the Polaroid factory’s closing event and decided to found a company to produce materials for Polaroid cameras. In October 2008, Impossible bought the production machinery from Polaroid for $3.1 million dollars[2] and leased a building, called Building Noord, which was formerly part of the Polaroid plant in Enschede, Netherlands. The company has offices in Vienna, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. It leased the Polaroid production plant and developed new instant film products for use in some existing Polaroid cameras, beginning mass production and sales in 2010.[3] They generated USD270,000 in profit on USD4 million in revenue[2] and sold 500,000+ units.[4]

In January 2012, the company announced that it and Polaroid would launch a range of collectible products, called The Polaroid Classic range, that originate from different periods of Polaroid's history. Between six and ten products will be released each year. In July 2013, Florian Kaps announced his 'retirement' from the project[5] and Creed O'Hanlon took over the role as CEO.

In December 2014, The Impossible Project announced that Oskar Smolokowski would be their new CEO and Creed O'Hanlon would become the Executive Chairman of Impossible's management board.[6]

In May 2017, Impossible's largest shareholder acquired the brand and intellectual property of the original Polaroid corporation.[7]

Impossible has licensed its name to stores in Germany, Spain and London.

Products

Instant film

Polaroid SX-70

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PX 100 Silver Shade First Flush Sepia 100 8 February 2010 ??? First flush, first supplied to artists,[8] then to regular customers [9]
PX 100 Silver Shade Sepia 100 8 ??? ??? Second generation film
PX 100 Silver Shade Cool [10] Sepia 100 8 September 2012 [11] ???
PX 70 Color Shade First Flush Color 125 8 ??? ???
PX 70 Color Shade Push! [12] Color 125 8 ??? ???
PX 70 Color Shade [13] Color 125 8 June 2011 ???
PX 70 Color Shade Cool [14] Color 125 8 April 2012 ???
PX 70 Color Shade V4B Test Film Color 125 8 August 2012 [15] August 2012 Introduction of an Opacifier
PX 70 Color Protection [16] Color 125 8 ??? ???
Color Film for SX70 Gold Frame Color 100 8 ??? N/A
Color Film for SX70 Silver Frame Color 100 8 ??? N/A
Color Film for SX70 Color Frame Color 100 8 ??? N/A
Cyanotype for SX70 Color 100 8 ??? N/A Cyan Color
B&W 2.0 Film For SX70 B&W 100 8 April 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film For SX70 Black Frame B&W 100 8 ??? N/A Black Frame
Color Film for SX70 Color 160 8 October 2013 N/A
Color Film for SX70 Black Frame Color 160 8 ??? N/A Black Frame

Polaroid 600

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PX 600 Silver Shade First Flush Sepia 600 8 February 2010 ??? First flush, first supplied to artists,[8] then to regular customers [17]
PX 600 Silver Shade v05 Sepia 600 8 May 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade v06 Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ [18] Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Black Frame [19] Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Grey Frame [20] Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Gold Frame [21] Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 600 Silver Shade Cool [22] Sepia 600 8 June 2010 ???
PX 680 Color Shade Beta Color 680 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Shade Beta 2 Color 680 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Shade First Flush Color 680 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Shade Gold Frame Color 680 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Shade Cool Color 680 8 June 2012 ???
PX 680 Color Shade Gold Frame Color 680 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Shade Block Party Color 680 8 ??? ??? Urban Outfitters Exclusive
PX 680 Color Shade V4B Test Film Color 600 8 July 2012 July 2012
PX 680 Color Protection Color 600 8 ??? ???
PX 680 Color Protection American Woods Color 600 8 ??? ??? wood border
PX 680 Color Protection Gold Edition [23] Color 600 8 December 2012 ??? Gold Frame
Ltd Edition Generation 2.0 Color 600 Film Color 600 8 ??? N/A
Cyanotype Film for 600 Color 600 8 January 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 [24] B&W 600 8 March 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Black Frame[25] B&W 600 8 March 2015 N/A Black Frame
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Hard Color Frames[26] B&W 600 8 ??? N/A Hard Color Frames
B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Round Frame[27] B&W 600 8 October 2014 N/A Round Frame
Skateistan B&W 2.0 Film for 600 [28] B&W 600 8 ??? N/A Geometric Afghan Design Frame
Third Man Records Edition Black & Yellow Film for 600 [29] B&Y 600 8 ??? N/A Black Frame, Black and Yellow Film
Color Film for 600 [30] Color 600 8 ??? N/A
Color Film for 600 Black Frame [31] Color 600 8 ??? N/A Black Frame
Color Film for 600 Color Frames [32] Color 600 8 ??? N/A Color Frames
Color Film for 600 Round Frame [33] Color 600 8 ??? N/A Round Frame
Color Film for 600 Gold Frame [34] Color 600 8 ??? N/A Gold Frame
Color Film for 600 Silver Frame [35] Color 600 8 ??? N/A Silver Frame

Polaroid Image/Spectra

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PZ 600 Silver Shade Sepia 600 8 ??? ???
PZ 600 Silver Shade UV+ Sepia 600 8 ??? ???
PZ 600 UV+ Black Frame Sepia 600 8 ??? ???
PZ 600 silver Shade Cool Sepia 600 8 ??? ???
PZ 680 Color Shade Color 680 8 ??? ???
PZ 680 Color Protection Color 600 8 December 2012 ???
Color Film Color 600 8 October 2013 N/A
Color Film Black Frame Color 600 8 ??? N/A Black Frame
B&W 2.0 Film B&W 600 8 May 2015 N/A
B&W 2.0 Film Black Frame B&W 600 8 2015N/ABlack Frame

Impossible Hardware

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
B&W Film [36] B&W 600 8 October 2013 January 2015 Type-600 film without battery
Color Film [37] Color 600 8 October 2013 January 2015 Type-600 film without battery

8x10 Film

Discontinued Current
Film name Type ISO EXP Release Discontinued Characteristics
PQ Silver Shade [38] B&W 640 10 August 2012 [39] Late 2013
PQ Silver Shade B&W 640 10 Late 2013 [40] Late 2013 [41] Second generation
B&W 8X10 Film [42] B&W 640 10 July 2014 [43] ??? Third Generation [44]
B&W 2.0 Film for 8X10 [45] B&W 640 10 ??? N/A
Color Film for 8X10 [46] Color 640 10 ??? N/A

Future and other formats

The Impossible Project has stated that they cannot produce 4x5, Type 100, or Type 80 films, Polaroid 500 film [47][48] and I-Zone film even if they wanted as they do not have the production machinery. These were disassembled along with the factories that used to produce the film when Polaroid filed for Chapter 11.[49]

They have said that after Fuji discontinued FP3000b and FP100b they had periodic discussions with them and others in the industry about popular formats that are at risk. They have approached Fuji on this (regarding purchasing their machinery) and have yet to receive a solid response.[50] They have stated their preference to focus on doing a limited number of things very well, so their focus is Integral rather than peel away (although they offer a 8x10 peel away solution).

Hardware

Instant Lab

In October 2013, the company began sale of the Instant Lab, a new camera-like device that could expose digital images from an iPhone onto analog instant film. It supports the iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5c and 5s, as well as the iPod Touch.

The device was produced after a successful crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter. It also introduced a new battery-less film cartridge design for use with the Instant Lab, which–unlike vintage Polaroid cameras–is internally powered.[51]

The cartridge itself is a 600-type cartridge stripped of the battery, so that it can use 600-type film.

Customers will have the opportunity to exchange their current Instant Lab cradle for a new one that supports many phone sizes in one.[52][53]

Instant Lab 2.0

In September 2014, The Impossible Project announced at Photokina that they would release a second generation device.

The biggest, if only, change appears to be that it now supports more than iPhone 4 through 5s as iPod Touch 4 and 5. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be supported along with iPad with Retina Display, the Samsung Galaxy S III through S5, and Galaxy Note II and 3.[54]

Impossible I-1

In 2016, Impossible started manufacturing its own instant camera, the Impossible I-1. It is a part of the company's original I-Type system.[55][56] It was designed by Teenage Engineering.[57]

References

  1. ↑ Sean O'Hagan (5 April 2010). "The Polaroid revival". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Finding a Place for Polaroid in the Digital Age". BloombergView. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
  3. ↑ Sarah Gilbert. "Picture This: The Impossible Project That Kept Polaroid Film Alive". DailyFinance. Retrieved 2016-01-01.
  4. ↑ https://static.the-impossible-project.com/resources/press_releases/2010-12-13.pdf
  5. ↑ Olivier Laurent (4 January 2012). "Polaroid and Impossible to release stream of "collector's items"". British Journal of Photography. Incisive Media Investments Limited. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "A New Chairman, A New CEO For Impossible". Impossible Blog. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
  7. ↑ Zhank, Michael (2017). Polaroid Acquired by The Impossible Project’s Largest Shareholder, PetaPixel.com, 10 May 2017
  8. 1 2 "taken on the very first film materials leaving the factory of the Impossible, proclaiming a future of analog instant photography.". March 2010. Archived from the original on June 26, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Date first available at Amazon.jp: April 23, 2010". April 2010.
  10. ↑ "PX100 Silver Shade Cool Product Page". 2011.
  11. ↑ "Date first available at Amazon.com: June 11, 2012". June 2012.
  12. ↑ "PX70 Color Shade Push Product Page". 2011.
  13. ↑ "PX70 Color Shade Push Product Page". 2011.
  14. ↑ "PX70 Color Shade Cool Product Page". 2011.
  15. ↑ "Review: Project PX-70 V4B Opacification Test Film". August 2012.
  16. ↑ "PX70 Color Protection Product Page". 2011.
  17. ↑ "Date first available at Amazon.com: August 26, 2011". August 2011.
  18. ↑ "PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Product Page". 2011.
  19. ↑ "PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Black Frame Product Page". 2011.
  20. ↑ "PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Grey Frame Product Page". 2011.
  21. ↑ "PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Gold Frame Product Page". 2011.
  22. ↑ "PX 600 Silver Shade Cool Product Page". 2011.
  23. ↑ "PX 680 Color Protection Gold Edition Product Page". December 2012.
  24. ↑ "B&W 2.0 FILM FOR 600 Product Page". November 2015.
  25. ↑ "B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Black Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  26. ↑ "B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Hard Color Frames Product Page". November 2015.
  27. ↑ "B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Round Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  28. ↑ "Skateistan B&W 2.0 Film for 600 Product Page". November 2015.
  29. ↑ "Third Man Records Edition Black & Yellow Film for 600 Product Page". November 2015.
  30. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Product Page". November 2015.
  31. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Black Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  32. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Color Frames Product Page". November 2015.
  33. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Round Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  34. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Gold Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  35. ↑ "Color Film for 600 Silver Frame Product Page". November 2015.
  36. ↑ "B&W Film for Impossible Cameras Product Page". October 2013.
  37. ↑ "Color Film for Impossible Cameras Product Page". October 2013.
  38. ↑ "8x10 Silver Shade Page product page". August 2012.
  39. ↑ "Blog entry introducing PQ 8x10 Silver Shade". August 2012.
  40. ↑ "Late last year, we introduced an all-new B&W integral instant film based on a new formula developed by Impossible's R&D team based in Monheim, Germany". July 2014.
  41. ↑ "the last of our 2013 production run of B&W 8x10 Instant Film was available at a reduced price. (...) We will not produce a new B&W 8x10 film until later this year.". February 2014.
  42. ↑ "B&W 8x10 Page product page". 2013.
  43. ↑ "All-New Impossible B&W 8 x 10: Bigger Is Now Better". July 2014.
  44. ↑ "There is a lot more to this film than new packaging.". July 2014.
  45. ↑ "B&W 2.0 8X10 Page product page". 2015.
  46. ↑ "Color 8X10 Page product page". 2015.
  47. ↑ "The type 500 film is an original Polaroid film and will not be reproduced. Sorry, I have no better information for you.". September 2010.
  48. ↑ "I asked this before. Id LOVE if they made it again but I guess they dont have the equipment anymore..". May 2010.
  49. ↑ "We won't be able to produce 4x5, Type 100, or Type 80 films, as we don't have the production machinery. These were disassembled along with the factories that used to produce the film when Polaroid filed for Chapter 11.". May 2010.
  50. ↑ "We have periodic discussions with Fuji and others in the industry about popular formats like these that are at risk. BTW - we have approached Fuji on this and have yet to receive a solid response". October 2014.
  51. ↑ "Introducing the Instant Lab" (PDF). Impossible. 1 October 2013.
  52. ↑ "Customers will have the opportunity to exchange their current Instant Lab cradle to a new one that supports many phone sizes in one.". October 2014.
  53. ↑ "The cradle on the Instant Lab 1.0 can be upgraded to a Universal cradle (to be bought separately) when the product becomes available later this year.". October 2014.
  54. ↑ "Additional devices will be supported in the future.". October 2014.
  55. ↑ "Impossible I-Type". Impossible Project. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  56. ↑ "The Future of Instant Cameras is Impossible". Format Magazine. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  57. ↑ "teenage engineering – impossible i-1 analog instant camera". Teenage Engineering. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
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