Polavision
Polavision was an instant movie camera system launched by Polaroid in the late 1970s.
Unlike other motion-picture film stock of the time, Polavision generated color using an additive process. It consisted of (essentially) a black-and-white film base and three-color filter layer.[1] In this sense, it was somewhat similar to the much earlier Dufaycolor process.
Due to the light-loss caused by the filtering layer (only one of red, green or blue was let through for a given portion of film), the resulting film had relatively low light sensitivity (40 ASA) and the resulting footage was much denser than with other processes.[1] As a result, Polaroid designed a standalone table-top viewer, which was intended to reduce the problems inherent in projecting such dense film.[1]
In addition to the density problems, the process was late to market and had to compete with upcoming video-based systems. Polavision was not commercially successful, and most of the manufactured equipment was sold off as a job lot.
Former Polaroid freelancer Paul Giambarba remarks
- "I tried using the product but it was obviously a turkey compared to anything I was using that Kodak offered [..] Instant movie film was an engineering achievement but it's precisely what separated Polaroid techies from Polaroid pragmatists. There just weren't enough customers out there on whom to work the magic."[2]
Polachrome and Polapan
Polaroid's instant transparency system for still photography was introduced in 1985, and was based around the AutoProcessor.[3]
Polachrome was an "instant" 35mm color transparency film. It was descended from the Polavision system and used the same additive color (filter) process. One difference was that with Polavision, the negative layer remained as part of the film after processing. It was intended to turn transparent after a short while, but the process was reportedly imperfect, reducing contrast. With Polachrome, the black negative layer was discarded after processing.[1]
Polaroid also produced a black-and-white instant slide film called Polapan.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d The Land List -- Film Index, The Land List. (Sections: "Type 608", Additive process, density problems; "Polachrome CS", Polavision/Polachrome negative differences.) Article retrieved 2006-12-01.
- ^ Giambarba, Paul, "The Last Hurrah – Polavision, 1977", "The Branding of Polaroid 1957-1977". Article dated 2004-09-01, retrieved 2006-12-01.
- ^ Polaroid 35mm Instant Slide Film: Introduction and Overview, Jim's Web. Page no longer exists, accessed via Google cache. Article retrieved 2006-12-01.
- ^ "Self Service Polaroid Bravo Slides, Center for Instructional Support, University of Hawai‘i. Article revised June 1996, retrieved 2006-12-01.
External links
- "The Last Hurrah – Polavision, 1977" by Paul Giambarba.