Polaroid (formerly Polaroid Originals and The Impossible Project) is producing SX-70 film stock again today. After the last original Polaroid manufacturing facilities in Enschede, Netherlands closed in 2008, The Impossible Project took on the task of reviving instant film production. In 2017, The Impossible Project was renamed Polaroid Originals and later simply Polaroid to revive the brand and continue production of instant film and cameras.
The differences today and before 2008
Here are significant differences between today’s SX-70 film stock and the films produced before 2008:
Chemical composition: The chemical composition of the films has changed slightly. The new films use a modernized chemistry based in part on the original Polaroid formulas, but also includes adjustments and improvements to improve durability and performance.
Color fidelity and saturation: Colors on the new films may differ slightly from those of the original films. The new films often have slightly different color fidelity and saturation, which can result in images looking slightly different.
Development time: The development time of the new films can vary. While the original Polaroid films were usually fully developed within a few minutes, the new films can take a little longer to fully develop.
Durability: The new films are designed to last longer and are less susceptible to aging and chemical changes that could affect image quality.
Availability and price: The new films are usually more expensive than the original films, due to the higher production costs and lower production volume. Availability can also vary because production is in smaller quantities.
Overall, Polaroid has made great efforts to bring the quality and performance of the new films as close as possible to the original Polaroid films, while at the same time taking into account modern requirements and standards.
The bad news
The new SX-70 films from today are not able to be manipulated like the original Polaroid SX-70 film.