Polaroid cameras a technology of the past! Digital takes over.
By ctrymuziklvr
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
United States
February 27, 2008 10:08am CST
I've forgotten about the Polaroid camera until I ran across an article in our Boston Globe online this morning. I know their film is still sold at a couple of stores in my area and whenever I noticed it I wondered why since most people use digital cameras today. What I didn't know was that Polaroid played a big part in helping our police departments.How can a digital picture be transmitted immediately from areas with poor cellphone and radio reception? Police could be 60 miles from a police statation and we have to take a picture of a car accident or a farm accident or a gunshot wound, and you're a good distance from a computer hookup."In a shooting involving a death with polaroids the medical examiner slips the picture into an envelope along with the corpse. But with Polaroid's announcement this month that it is halting production of instant film. Now thousands of police forces are forced to hunt for alternatives.
Polaroid sold thousands of cameras to police organizations during its heyday; a Massachusetts company had a separate business unit devoted to law enforcement photography.
Polaroid also makes large film sheets for giant cameras used by portrait and landscape photographers, and fine-grained, black-and-white films used by scientists to capture images from their electron microscopes.
What are you or did you do with your old Polaroid Camera? Did you use it often and find it convenient to use? When was the last time you used it?
8 people like this
8 responses
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
27 Feb 08
I never thought of the different uses for Polaroid cameras, interesting.
Would you believe my first camera was a Polaroid - I loved it, was always taking pictures of my sisters, friends, and the dog we had then. Hum - not much has changed with the digital although I do like it much more, if I don't want the photo just delete it and nothing lost. The film for Polaroids was rather expensive.
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I was surprised when I read the article too. Who would have thought that polaroid pictures were such a help to police and landscapers! I guess there are a lot of things we just don't know!
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Really, my digital camera I can take like 500 pictures and I figured everyone in the world could/would access a computer. Gee I even know most of the missionaries from our church have computers and internet. I would think all police would have it available.
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
27 Feb 08
I used to have a polaroid camera. I hate that I depended on it so much when taking pictures of my kids. It was the only camera I had at the time and I used it for every single picture. Now when I look at the pictures I took with my polaroid they are all faded and look awful. I'm glad I have a digital now! Not only is the picture quality excellent, but I can also upload the pictures to the computer and snapfish for safe keeping. Of course I also get the ones developed that are really good so that I can put them in an album.
3 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I have a couple of very old poloaroid pictures and I'm surprise that they are in as good condition as they are.
1 person likes this
@bimmer999 (1158)
• Philippines
28 Feb 08
i have never owned a polaroid but nowadays i have a DSLR and a canon selphy printer which prints pictures on the go, its really convenient and makes for good instant photographs that rival photo lab quality prints.
digital cameras is the way to go, it combines all the best features of film and polaroid cameras plus you don't waste any media at all like films, you just use batteries and if you use rechargeable batteries then the cost of operating would significantly drop.
my two cents :) cheers!
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
16 Mar 08
I have one of these cameras stored away in one of the bedroom closets, I think. 
LOL My dad, a retired police officer nonetheless, bought one for me around my 10th birthday so the darn thing will be an antique soon. 
The last time it was used was about 5 years ago, as I got my first digital camera around that time. The Polaroid film was costly, so I only used it from time to time anyway and was so happy when I finally made the switch to digital.
I never knew police used Polaroid's to take pictures, though it makes sense. I find it interesting that Polaroid will stop making this film. I can understand why they are, but at the same time it is like an end of an era. 
LOL My dad, a retired police officer nonetheless, bought one for me around my 10th birthday so the darn thing will be an antique soon. The last time it was used was about 5 years ago, as I got my first digital camera around that time. The Polaroid film was costly, so I only used it from time to time anyway and was so happy when I finally made the switch to digital.
I never knew police used Polaroid's to take pictures, though it makes sense. I find it interesting that Polaroid will stop making this film. I can understand why they are, but at the same time it is like an end of an era.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
28 Feb 08
INteresting topic! I had a poloroid for a short time and went back to my handy dandy kodak instimatic really quick.The cost of the film was greater than the cost of developing and so for my personal use, it was worth it for me to wait for the pictures to be developed. I would love a digital and will someday have one when my budget allows. I really never gave polaroids much thought as to their value in police work. Maybe the police all ought to pull together and do something to keep polaroid in business.
2 people like this
@bagumbayan (2705)
• Philippines
28 Feb 08
I have not read about the polaroid issue. But I am sorry to hear that. I also like the polaroid instant camera. I use it whnever we go out or attend some concerts and events. I used it last few years ago tho. But I am keeping it if not for use as part of my collections of old but reliable tools.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
13 Mar 08
I still have a polaroid camera and still use it a lot. I don't have a digital camera although I do want to get one, one of these days. But right now there are more important things I need. My daughter has one and since she lives in another city she takes a lot of pictures of herself and send them to me, at my request, on the computer and I love it and think that this is the best way to go. My son had his wedding pictures taken with a digital camera and I have all his wedding pictures on my computer. But I still like that I have physically, pictures of them also. I keep pictures of them in my house in very nice frames and I like to look at them, not just on my computer.
@dancinman (119)
• United States
16 Mar 08
Hey girl , I've still got one . and I can still buy film at walmart for it
but it is getting more than a dollar a picture now.
