The Polaroid Lab is a technical device for transferring digital photos onto analog instant film. It was released in 2019 by Polaroid Originals, formerly known as The Impossible Project. The device serves as a link between smartphone photography and the classic chemical development of instant photos.
Unlike mobile thermal printers or printers using ZINK technology, the Polaroid Lab uses real instant film chemistry. Its operation is based on an optical system. The smartphone is placed face down on the top holder of the device.
Through a lens system of 3 elements, the image displayed on the screen is exposed onto the film beneath. After triggering, the picture is ejected from the housing and develops within about 15 minutes using the film's integrated chemical chambers.
The housing is made of plastic and weighs about 655 grams without a film cartridge. The dimensions when closed are approximately 150 by 115 mm. Power is supplied by a rechargeable battery that is charged via a USB port. The system is compatible with i-Type film cartridges as well as the 600 series. These films offer the typical square format with a white frame.
To operate, a special app from the manufacturer must be installed on the smartphone. The application optimizes the brightness and contrast of the display for the exposure process.
The app also offers various functions such as creating collages, where 1 digital image is split onto up to 9 individual instant photos. Another function is the integration of augmented reality, where a short video is linked to the printed picture and can be played back via the smartphone's camera.
The Polaroid Lab is aimed at people who want to preserve digital recordings in physical form on analog material. It requires no wireless connection like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for image transfer, as the process is purely optical via the screen display.
