POLAROID, THE HISTORY

Polaroid instant film

Polaroid Corporation pioneered and released instant photography products in 1948. Their film was initially made in house, but soon after many components was manufactured byKodak. In 1969, Polaroid built their largest facility for manufacturing negative film in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Their Waltham based plant was also expanded. At the time, the newly built Norwood plant was for industrial and eyeglass polarizing material along with transparent instant films. By 1970 Polaroid started to manufacture a majority of their film products in house. Intergral film was manufactured in the Waltham (US) or in Enschede (Netherlands). Packfilm was manufactured in Waltham, Queretaro (Mexico), and Vale of Leven (Scotland). 4x5 sheet film was manufactured in Waltham.

Contents  [hide]  1 Rollfilm 2 Packfilm 3 Sheet film 4 Polavision 5 PolaChrome 6 Integral film 7 Misc film 8 Literature

Rollfilm

Type 20 series for the Swinger and Swinger II

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
20	3000	B&W	1965-1970
20c	3000	B&W	1970	coater-less

Type 30 series (2½" × 3¼") for the Highlander 80 / 80A / 80B & Polaroid J33

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
31	100	B&W	1954-1958	Coating
32	200	B&W	1955-1959
32	400	B&W	1959-1979
37	3000	B&W	1959-1979
38	75	colour	1963-1969

Type 47 rollfilm image by Orionid (Image rights)

Type 40 series roll film (3¼" × 4¼") 8 exposures per roll

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
40	100	Sepia	1948-1950	Coater-less
41	100	B&W	1950-1959	Coating
42	200	B&W	1955-1992
43	200	B&W	1955-1958	Acetate based negative
44	400	B&W	1956-1963
46	800	B&W	1957-1964	transparent film (2¼ × 2¼")
46-L	800	B&W	1957	transparent film (3¼ × 4)
47	3000	B&W	1959-1992
48	75	Colour	1963-1976	6 prints per roll
410	1000	B&W	1961	PolaScope
413		B&W	1964-1969	infrared film

Packfilm

Type 100 series often called type 660, 10.8 × 8.3 cm; (4.25 × 3.25 inch) Film was initially in the 100 series, but in the late 1970's professional / industrial versions of similar films were released in the 600 numbering range. Later the consumer versions of the film became discontinued, but the 600 number films remained.

image by joanseda (Image rights)

image by joanseda (Image rights)

image by joanseda (Image rights)

image by joanseda (Image rights)

image by joanseda (Image rights)

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
T64	64	Colour		Tungsten balance
084	3000	B&W	1977-1998	CRT (Pro 107), 15 sec dev, requires coater
105 PN	Negative: 32 Print: 75	B&W	1974-1977	B&W print with usable negative renamed as 665 in 1977
107	3000	B&W	1963	requires coater
107C	3000	B&W	1978-1998	Coater-less
107-667	3000	B&W	1976-1977	(Pro 107C) replaced by 667
108	75	Colour	1963-1976	requires print mounts
108	75	Colour	1975-1980s	Polacolor 2 w/o print mounts
108	80	Colour	1980s-1990s	Polacolor ER, 8 exposures
108	80	Colour	1990s-2001	Polacolor ER, 10 exposures, replaced by 669 in 2001
125i	125	Colour		non-USA, Passport and document
125i Silk	125	Colour		non-USA, Passport and document, matte finish
606	200	B&W		Sepia
611	200	B&W	1979	low contrast for photographing video displays
612	20000	B&W	1981-1998	high-speed and high contrast for photographing oscilloscope traces
661	80	Colour		ER ID film replace by 671
661W	80	Colour		ER ID driver license film
663	800	B&W		sold in Japan
664	100	B&W		Polapan Pro 100
665	Negative: 32 Print: 80	B&W	1977	PN film, has a reusable negative, 8 exposures
665	Negative: 32 Print: 80	B&W	2003-2006	PN film, has a reusable negative, 10 exposures
667	3000	B&W	1977-1990's	Coater-less (Pro 107C), 8 exposures
667	3000	B&W	1990's-2008	Coater-less (Pro 107C), 10 exposures
668	75	Colour	1977	Polacolor 2 (Pro 108)
669	80	Colour	1980's-1990's	Polacolor ER (Pro 108), 8 exposures
669	80	Colour	1990's-2008	Polacolor ER (Pro 108), 10 exposures
669 Silk	80	Colour		(669S) Matte finish
669HS		Colour
671	100	Colour		Special Events Film
672	400	B&W		Polapan Pro 400
679	100	Colour		Polacolor Pro 100, true to life colours. Replaced by 690
679 Silk	100	Colour		Matte finish
681	80	Colour		PolaPress, plastic base print.
689	100	Colour		ProVivid - saturated colours
690	125	Colour	2002-2004	Replaced by newer 690 with ISO 100
690	100	Colour	2005-2008
691	80	Colour	1985	Transparent film
ID-UV 100	100	Colour		non-USA, ultra violet security imprint (passport, documents)
ID-UV	80	Colour		Ultra violet security imprint (passport, documents)
Studio Polaroid	125	Colour		non-USA, passport and document, replaced by 125i
Polacolor Pro 100	100	Colour		sold in Europe
Polapan 3200	3000	B&W		sold in Japan
100 Chocolate	80	B&W		Brownish tone film, sold by unsaleable
100 Sepia	1600	B&W		Sepia tone film, sold by unsaleable
100 Blue Silk	80	B&W		blue & white tone (matte finish), sold by unsaleable

Type 550 series, 4 × 5 inch, for Polaroid 550 film backs. Introduced in 1981. 4x5 pack film was manufacture in Waltham untill 1999, but moved to Scotland afterwards.

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
552	400	B&W	1981
553	800	B&W	1986	Coaterless
554	100	B&W		Polapan Coaterless
558		Colour	1981
559	80	Colour	1981	ER
559 Silk	80	Colour		(559S) Matte finish
572	400	B&W		Matte finish
579	100	Colour

Type 80 series, 8.3 × 8.6 cm, (3¼ × 3⅜ inch) Introduced in 1971 (re-introduced in 2003).

Type 88 image by joanseda (Image rights)

viva and chocolate Type 80 film image by Christopher Paquette (Image rights)

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Plant	Other Information
84	100	B&W	2003-2006
85	Negative: 32 Print: 80	B&W	2003-2005		B&W print with usable negative
87	3000	B&W	1971-		1974 -USA
87	3000	B&W	2003-2006	Scotland
88	75	Colour	1971-1976
88	75	Colour	1976-1981		PolaColor 2 replaced by 88 ER
88 ER	100	Colour	1981		Polacolor ER
88	80	Colour	2003-2006		10 exposures
89	100	Colour	2003-2006
Viva	80	Colour			non-USA
Viva Color	125	Colour		Scotland Mexico	non-USA
Viva Color	125	Colour		Scotland Mexico	non-USA matte finish
Viva 3000	3000	B&W		Scotland Mexico	non-USA
Chocolate	100	B&W			Chocolate/brownish tone

Sheet film

Type 50 series sheetfilm for 4x5 inch cameras introduced in 1958.

Type 59 dated 1987 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
51	Negative: 80 Print: 640	B&W	1967	High contrast B&W print with negative
52	200	B&W	1958-1961	paper negative
52	400	B&W	1961	paper negative
53	200	B&W	1958	acetate negative
53	800	B&W	1986
54	100	B&W
55	Negative: 25 Print: 50	B&W	1961	B&W print with negative
56	200	B&W		Sepia
56	400	B&W		Sepia
57	3000	B&W	1961
58	75	Color	1963-1976
58	75	Color	1976	PolaColor 2
59	80	Color	1981	Polacolor ER
72	400	B&W		PolaPan 400
79	100	Color		PolaColor Pro
510	10000	B&W	1965-1967

Type 800 series sheetfilm for 8x10 inch cameras. 81-05 holder, and Processor 81-01 / 81-02 8x10 film was manufactured in the US Waltham plant.

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
803	800	B&W	1987
804	100	B&W
808	75	Colour
804	100	B&W
808	80	Colour	1977	Polacolor 2
809	80	Colour	1981	Polacolor ER
811	200	B&W
879	100	Colour
891	80	Colour	1980	transparent film
TPX	N/R	B&W		translucent prints; for radiography

20x24 for 20x24 camera introduced 1977.

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W
20x24 P3 PolaColor ER	80	colour
20x24 P7 PolaColor	100	colour
20x24 PolaPan 400	400	B&W

Polavision

image by davidgsteadman (Image rights)

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W
Polavision Phototape Type 608	40	colour
Polavision Phototape Type 617	125	B&W
Polavision Phototape Type 618	40	colour

PolaChrome

PolaGraph image by Leslie Lazenby (Image rights)

35mm instant negative slide film, introduced in 1983. It was manufactured in the US Norwood plant.

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
PolaBlue CN	8	white-on-blue	1987	12 exposures
PolaChrome CS	40	colour		24 or 36 exp
PolaChrome HCP	40	colour	1986
PolaGraph	400	B&W		12 exp
PolaGraph HC	400	B&W		24 or 36 exp
PolaPan CT	125	B&W		12 or 36 exp

Integral film

SX-70 Film 1977 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

SX-70 series 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" ISO 150 Colour

[hide]Type	Year	Other Information
SX-70	1972 1976	processing temperature, glare reduction
SX-70 Time-Zero	1978	reduced development time
SX-70 Time-Zero High Definition	1990's
Type 778 Time-Zero	1978	Pro version
Type 708 Time-Zero	1977	no battery for Face Place booth

600 Wild Sides image by Lydia Marcus (Image rights)

600 series 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" ISO 640 Colour

[hide]Type	Year	Other Information
Type 600	1981
Type 600 Plus	1988	improvements from Image/Spectra
Type 600 High Definition	1991
Type 600 Platinum	1997	(Glossy), 600 Extreme
Type 600 Extreme	1997	(Glossy), 600 Platinum
Type 600 AfterImage	1998	600 Mat /t/e - Europe 600 Mat - Japan
Type 600 Mat /t/e	1997	600 AfterImage - US
Type 600 Mat	1997	600 AfterImage 600 Mat /t/e - Europe
Type 600 Classic (B&W)	1998	600 Extreme Mono -Europe 600 B&W - Japan
Type 600 Black & White	1997	600 Classic - US 600 Extreme Mono - Europe
Type 600 Extreme Monochrome	1997	600 Classic - US 600 B&W - Japan
Type 600 Note Pad	1998	2 ruled lines on border
Type 600 Copy & Fax		B&W
Type 600 Write-On		2 ruled border, write-on mask
Type 600 Wild Sides		colourful borders, write-on mask
Type 600 Greeting Card		with cardboard holders
Type 600 Lego Land		600 Platinum, Lego border
Type 600 6-shot		6 exposures
Type 779		Pro 600 Plus
Type 780 Turbo		non-USA South Africa?
Type 600 Barbie		pre-exposed character film
Type 600 Loony Tunes		pre-exposed character film

Spectra/Image ISO 600 3 5/8" x 2 7/8" colour film.

Spectra Image 2pk exp 10/2007 image by Studioesper (Image rights)

Spectra film 3pk exp 6/2009 image by Studioesper (Image rights)

[hide]Type	Year	Other Information
Image	1986	Spectra
Image Extreme	1997	(glossy), Spectra Platinum
Image Wild Sides
Spectra	1986	Image
Spectra High Definition	1992
Spectra Platinum	1997	(glossy), Image Extreme
Spectra 700
Spectra Grid film	1988	pre-exposed grid lines
Spectra Note Pad		two ruled lines on border
Type 1200	2000's	12 exp
Type 909	1986	Pro Spectra/Image
Type 990		Pro Spectra/Image High Definition
ColorShot	1998	no battery ColorShot printer

Captiva/Vision for Captiva and Joycam

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year
Captiva95	640	colour	1993-1998
Vision95	640	colour	1993-1998
Type 500	640	colour	1998-2007

i-Zone

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
i-Zone Pocket Film	640	colour	1999
i-Zone Sticker Film	640	colour	1999	adhesive back
i-Zone Fortune Film	640	colour	1999	adhesive back
i-Zone 200	640	colour	2003	i-Zone200 adhesive back

330 series Autofilm
3¼ × 4¼ inch (no battery) for CB33 backs. Autofilm was manufactured in the US Waltham plant.

[hide]Type	ISO	Colour or B&W	Year	Other Information
Type 331	400	B&W	1984
Type 337	3200	B&W		high speed print film
Type 339	640	colour	1984
Type 339 Plus	640	colour		has battery

Misc film

[hide]Type	Year	Other Information
Type 1001 radiography film		10 × 12 in, 10 sec development.
Type 3000X radiography film	1961	10 × 12 in, 10 sec development.

Literature

• The First 30 Years 1948 - 1978 A Chronology of Polaroid Photographic Products, Polaroid Corporation, 1979-12
• Polaroid Access 50 Years, Access Press Ltd. Richard Saul Wurman, 1989
• Polaroid Film Guide, Polaroid Corporation, 1999-08-16
• Polaroid Film Identification and Manufacturing Information, Polaroid Corporation
• Polaroid Film Codes, Polaroid Corporation, 1998-08.
• Pocket Guide to Polaroid Professional Film, Polaroid Corporation, 1999-06

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