Using Expired Polaroid Instant Film

Old Polaroid 600 Film

Is expired Polaroid film usable ? Now This is a question which repeatedly asked by newbie Polaroid instant camera users. Specially ever since Polaroid has stopped making film for old Polaroid instant cameras like Polaroid 600 series and Polaroid SX-70 series, all Polaroid instant film now available in stores are already expired.

Well stores will say these expired Polaroid instant film work which is true but not always.  There are several things you should know before buying old Polaroid film. Or you will endup with 600 Polaroid film or anything other type of Polaroid instant film which won't work.

These Polaroid instant film such has 600 Polaroid film should be kept in cold storage. Otherwise film probably won't work if those have been kept in warmer temperatures. But Polaroid Instant film must not put in Deep Freezers or froze. Very bad for instant film.

Black & While expired Polaroid instant film will give you better result than Color expired Polaroid instant film. Colors might look pretty dull. These Polaroid instant film has something called "caustic goo" inside the film and when these Polaroid film expired and keep in dry storage this start to dry and won't spread properly on film.

Another problem with expired Polaroid instant film is, Since these instant film have battery inbuilt to the film those batteries could be depleted. Film will be useless with dead batteries. So make sure you buy good quality Polaroid Film even if you are buying expired Polaroid instant film. Buying from Amazon could be a good choice since they their sellers are usually professionals who store and handle these instant film properly.

Other choice is buying Instant film which made by The Impossible project group. These are cheaper but quality wise very good too. These film won't cost you like old film. But still it's expensive like $3 per photo.  They have film for Polaroid 600, Polaroid SX-70 and Polaroid Spectra cameras.

But there are plenty of new instant cameras which you can buy for cheap. So unless you are an collector of these old Polaroid cams there's no need for buying these even if they are very cheap. Buy a Fuji model like Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 which is one of the best instant cameras in market or Cheaper model like Instax Mini 8 or Instax 210. They have this brand new Limited edition camera called Fujifilm Instax Mini Hello Kitty camera which cost you around $170 - $250 on various stores. But still it's hard to find.

Polaroid do have new cameras too. Their instant digital series is pretty impressive. They have Polaroid Z340 which take 3 x 4 size Zink photo paper and also Their latest release Polaroid Socialmatic Camera which let you upload photos to your social media sites directly from the camera.