The Polaroid Camera Returns. Sort of…
Eight years after the Impossible Project rescued and refurbished the last original Polaroid factory in Enschede, Holland – saving over 200 million Polaroid instant cameras from becoming useless – comes the launch of the I-1 Instant Camera.
The I-1, which is the first camera designed, engineered and produced by the team at Impossible, focuses on the brands’ mission of re-designing instant photography for a digital generation, preserving the physical memory.
“We’ve been dreaming of our own camera since day one, and are thrilled to release the I-1 to the market. When designing this camera, we didn’t want to rely on nostalgia – we believe that an instant camera rightfully belongs in 2016. At the same time, there were technical realities we just couldn’t change, leaving a clear connection to the past which feels right.” says Impossible Project CEO, Oskar Smolokowski.
Impossible Project teamed up with Teenage Engineering founder Jesper Kouthood to co-design the I-1 paying homage to the iconic silhouette of the Polaroid camera in an updated modern matte black finish. A one-of-a-kind ring flash provides diffused light with soft shadows, allowing for perfect shots and beautifully lit portraits.
This unique ring flash is comprised of eight LED’s and functions as a film count indicator – alerting users how many photos are left on their Impossible Project film. In addition to the exclusive ring-flash, the I-1’s magnetic viewfinder is easily collapsible and detachable allowing for future Impossible technological integrations.
User will be able to connect to the camera remotely through an iOS app. By connecting through a smartphone, which links directly to the I-1, users can experiment freely with creative tools such as double exposure, remote triggering, and light painting. The I-1 app allows for complete photographic control of aperture and shutter speed. Once the perfect image is captured, consumers are then able to upload directly to their social channels.
The I-1 instant camera retails for $299 and will be available exclusively at the MoMA Design Store, colette, Paul Smith and Selfridges in the UK, as well as on www.impossible-project.com starting today.
