The famous company Polaroid has come a long way of development, experiencing a lot of ups and downs. The history of modern photographic technology begins with her instant-print cameras. And even in 2016, Polaroid confidently kept afloat, delighting users with quality products and competing with the advanced giants of digital technology.
A bit of history
Polaroid was established in 1937 by the American scientist and inventor Alvin Herbert Land (Edwin Herbert Land). From childhood he experimented with a kaleidoscope and stereoscope. As a student at Harvard University, Land invented the world's first synthetic polarizing material, the idea of ​​which formed the basis of the company.
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Initially, Polaroid was engaged in the manufacture of sunglasses, as well as polarized glasses for various purposes for instruments and military equipment. But since 1948, the era of those same cameras with snapshots began. The incredible popularity of such devices quickly made the company the leader in its field.
In the 70s-80s, the turnover from the sale of photographic equipment and Polaroid components reached $ 3 billion a year.
The most successful Polaroid products were the Swinger cameras (because of its cheapness) and the SX-70 * . This is a complete SLR camera, made of steel and glass, with inserts of genuine leather. In the 70s, this camera was the benchmark of industrial design.
Polaroid Advertising
In the 90s, the success of the company began to fade away. Actively developing digital photography, which is gradually replacing film cameras. But Polaroid made a breakthrough in 1999 when it released the I-zone * digital camera. The model sold over 10 million copies. True, after the release of this camera for the company came the difficult times.
From 2001 to 2008, Polaroid declared itself bankrupt three times. But in 2013, the situation changed again for the better when powerful Polad Americans (owned by the Marquette Companies investment fund) became the owners of the company. Since that time, the Polaroid seemed to be “reborn”. And in the world of photography, an interest in the technology of instant printing has reappeared.
Modern Polaroid Cameras
In the tenth years of the XXI century, Polaroid released a number of brand cameras that attracted the attention of users.
In 2013, the company presented the first camera with interchangeable lenses, running under the Android operating system - Polaroid iM1836 * .
For technical specifications, the camera offers: a matrix of 18.1 megapixels, a lens with 3x optical zoom, a 3.5-inch multi-touch touchscreen display, an HDMI connector, and a microSD memory card slot (support up to 32 GB). The device can record video in Full HD.
Last year, the company launched the Polaroid Snap * compact (132 mm x 132 mm x 30 mm) instant print camera. At its core, the device is a modern prototype of the first Polaroid cameras that take snapshots.
Camera features include: a 10 megapixel camera, a 4.5-inch touchscreen, support for the Android OS, built-in LED flash, the ability to shoot in various modes, transfer pictures via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB cable. Record is made on microSD memory card.
Polaroid Snap - bright, convenient and easy to use. He shoots in digital form, has a built-in printer, with which you can immediately get high-quality images. For printing using proprietary thermal paper Zink (86 mm x 54 mm).
The next model is the Instagram-camera Socialmatic * , which has become the transition of the social network from the Internet to real life. The design of the camera is made in the form of an application icon, and the printed color images are in square frames. The project's draft is: “Shoot. Print. Share "(" Take off. Print. Share ").
For technical specifications, the camera provides a resolution of 14 megapixel matrix, a 2 megapixel front camera, a 4.5-inch touch screen, 1080p, 720p video recording formats and VGA. Built-in memory - 4 GB. Works with Android OS 4.4.2. Supports GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. In Polaroid Socialmatic, as in Snap, there is a built-in printer.
For those who are active and in constant motion, the company has launched the action camera Polaroid Cube * .
The model is incredibly compact and miniature (only 35 mm), but with a durable, shockproof and waterproof case. The resolution of the matrix is ​​5 megapixels. The camera has a wide-angle lens with an overview of 124 °, a focal length of 3.4 mm. There is the possibility of video shooting in Full HD mode. The amount of internal memory reaches 32 MB, but it can be increased to 32 GB.
In the Polaroid Cube there is a magnetic mount, with which it is possible to attach the camera to metal objects.
This concludes the review of the most popular photo equipment Polaroid. But the company's activity continues and for the first time it will present its products at the annual CES exhibition. So in the future we are waiting for interesting and budget news from Polaroid.
By the way, we are now playing the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 instant print camera. Join now .
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