Polaroid and instant film photography startup The Impossible Project has launched its own iOS app to help users scan their favorite analog prints and use the upcoming iPhone-compatible Impossible Instant Lab printer.
Similar to Lomography, The Impossible Project is capitalizing on the renewed interest in analog photography and the surreal, dream-like colors produced with experimental film and light leaks.
The company is known for its range of instant film materials, but ventured back into digital photography with the Impossible Instant Lab – a successful Kickstarter campaign that enables iPhone owners to print their digital images as traditional Polaroid prints.
The Impossible Project app gives photographers the ability to choose any image saved in the Photos app, or snap a new one there and then using the handset’s built-in camera. After cropping the shot down to a square format, the user can set the required exposure for their chosen The Impossible Project printing paper.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
For those who still prefer original Polaroid film, or just want to experiment with the Impossible Instant Lab, the app also supports custom exposure times in milliseconds.
The Impossible Instant Lab is expected to ship on August 29 for $299, but analog film enthusiasts can still use the app to ‘scan’ their favorite prints. The feature is available from the side-menu and uses the iPhone’s built-in camera. There are couple of options to crop around the original print and specify which Impossible Project film was used, but otherwise it’s a little basic.
Once finished, users can choose to share their print to Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr, as well as upload the photo to The Impossible Project gallery. This is a separate part of the app similar to Instagram, which shows prints uploaded by other users in a simple vertical feed. Here Polaroid enthusiasts can like, comment and share each other’s work, as well as review their own profile and look at prints from users they follow.
The app also offers users a mobile version of The Impossible Project store – where the startup makes most of its money – for quick purchases of various instant film and cameras.
The iOS app from The Impossible Project is pretty ingenious. While the company will always be grounded in analog photography, its core business is to sell film – rather than Polaroid cameras. If the team can find a new niche with the Impossible Instant Lab, why shouldn’t it continue to develop its iOS app and digital storefront?
Image Credit: ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty Images
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.