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Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital

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RamonAstacus
07/16/09

In reply to Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital
I had both an earlier Polaroid camera and an SX-70. The earlier cameras required you to wait a few minutes and then peel back a sticky coating to reveal the photograph.

The SX-70 film simply developed right in front of your eyes. It was like magic.

And, no, it wasn't just for porn, although I'm sure there was some of that going on too.
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YankBoffin
07/16/09

In reply to Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital
The durability of analog tech is undervalued here, versus digital media. Drives corrupt. Computers crash. Even optical discs degrade over time. When a disc degrades, that information is lost entirely. When a printed photo or recording on vinyl degrades, it's still very recognizable. The information is still there, still usable, unlike a corrupted file or old archived DVD-R.
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Clem-Clone
07/16/09

In reply to Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital
The SX-70 was the most technically advanced consumer product you could but at the time, combining electronics, chemistry, physics and advanced optics all in one package.

I had 2 of em, used them a lot. I have tons of pics still. I've scanned a lot to share them, and yes, took lots of nudies with gf's. They loved it.
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ajpen
07/16/09

In reply to Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital
>> "The "original" is preserved forever, even as digital wholly obliterates the concept of the original." <<

- This does not account for compression. As soon as the user moves the image from the acquisition device (camera, camcorder) to their computer, they are able to change those bits that "are the exact same."

i found this out when i first experimented with iMovie and found that after a few exports and re-imports, there was pixellation and degradation in image quality. "But it's digital!" i cried!

Resize the image: the digital original is altered. Select "medium" compression in your JPEG settings... the original is altered.

If the original photo is preserved in its original format (i.e. RAW, JPEG... maintaining the original dimensions and bit depth, etc.) then yes, it is "preserved forever."

It is interesting to note that the process of aging has shifted from the physical world (fading, "scars", the temperature manipulation mentioned here) to the virtual world; the process of image degradation is driven by the choices that the user makes regarding how they archive and share their photos. This time the archive comes from Western Digital or Seagate... as opposed to Nike or Adidas (how many shoe boxes of photos are in your parent's attic?)

aj
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matt buchanan
07/16/09

@ajpen: Good points. I'm assuming raw data, uncompressed, uncorrupted. Transmission doesn't alter the original bits, and they don't age, though the media they're stored on might.
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Curves
07/16/09

In reply to Polaroid SX-70: The Joy of Instant Photography Before Digital
My mom had one of these, and there was some funky stick of a gelatin like substance that you had to smear on the picture after it came out. Back in the day, pretty much any time you saw anyone with a Polaroid, you knew they were taking naked pics, because back then photo developing places (like Photomat) would actually refuse to develop any pics they found inappropriate. And they found everything inappropriate.
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USB_Humping_Dog
07/16/09

@Curves: Umm. What was that substance? Not KY, right?

Anyway, was it to help the developing process or to ensure picture durability?
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marythegr8
07/16/09

@Curves: Does that mean that your Mom took those type of photos?
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tande04
07/16/09

@USB_Humping_Dog: It was a fixing agent to keep it from fading. The later cameras didn't need you to do it anymore since it was in the pack.
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Curves
07/16/09

@marythegr8: OMG, I hope not, espcially since that means my dad was in them too (at least I hope it was my Dad anyway). If she did take them, I PRAY she has destroyed them so that I never have to find them when she is dies and I clean out her place.
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USB_Humping_Dog
07/17/09

@tande04 mile island in the sun: Ah, thanks for that. Anything to do with the "Shake it like a Polaroid picture?"
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