Polaroid Lab Review
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- čas přidán 6. 08. 2024
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Photos are ubiquitous today. It used to be you needed to go to a photographer to get a good picture, but now taking pictures from a smartphone is easy, and we photograph everything from our milestones to our meals, and everything in between.
But how often do you get time to enjoy your photos? When was the last time you looked at the pictures of your last vacation trip? Usually, those pictures serve no other purpose than to eat your phone’s memory. Do you ever print them so you can see them every day?
What is Polaroid Lab?
The Lab is what Polaroid calls a ‘private desktop darkroom’.
The idea behind Polaroid Lab is simple: take the digital photos from your phone and turn them into tangible Polaroid pictures. How you do it is a bit odd, but the overall effect is designed to use digital technology to create retro analog photography.
You might think this machine is merely a printer, but what it actually is, is a unique photo transfer machine that captures and scans the photos off your phone’s screen and turns them into legitimate Polaroid photos. There’s no wireless connection between your phone and the Lab; it needs to be in physical contact with the Lab for it to work.
The Polaroid Lab uses a 3-lens system to project the screen image from your phone, exposing it onto authentic, vintage-style Polaroid film. A unique chemical process then develops the image into a Polaroid picture.
Setting up Polaroid lab
Currently Polaroid lab only works with two types of Polaroid film; Polaroid I type, and Polaroid 600 type film.
You can pick up the film anywhere you would buy film or paper, generally speaking. It comes in small packages of eight sheets. Surprisingly, this film is best stored in the refrigerator, just like the advice they used to give to vintage photographers back in the day. And in case you are wondering, the new I type film is not compatible with the vintage Polaroid cameras.
Setting up the Polaroid lab
Before you get started, charge the camera fully then download the Polaroid Originals app. This device only works with this app.
Because this device prints photos from your phone screen, it works best if you remove any screen protectors or other films on the screen. Cracks and scratches on the screen may also influence your picture quality.
To get started, remove the cover from the platform and turn the Polaroid lab on by pressing the platform release button on the right side of the lab. The phone platform will automatically lift into the ready position.
Why the Lab method?
The big question I had about this device is, why? If you’ve seen stuff about other instant photo printers, you may know you can just use an app and print your photos directly to the printer. No need to fuss with cases, covers, lenses and phone screens. The Polaroid Lab actually seems to be making printing out a photo more complicated.
What do the photos look like? I got both good and not great results. The first couple photos I printed were great; just like vintage Polaroids, with their colourwash haze, papery white borders and the square shape that was around way before Instagram.
The next couple were streaky and hazy, and it seemed like the film was almost scratched somehow.
Features: Add AI effects
With the Polaroid Originals app, you can bring static pictures to life. The app can add augmented reality (AR) features to your pictures. You choose a photo, then in the Polaroid app, choose a video you’d like to imbed in it (and you can make the video public or private). When the photo is exposed, there’s a barcode imbedded onto the photo, and when you use the Polaroid AR viewer inside the Polaroid app and hold it over the photo, you can see the video. That’s kind of neat.
Except when I tried to do this I’d say it only worked about one in three or four times. With the price of the film, that’s an expensive glitch to try to re-print.
Overall review of Polaroid Lab desktop darkroom
I have mixed feelings about this device. On one hand I really like Polaroid film format, but I feel like this device unnecessarily complicates the printing process. While I had some good photos print, I also had some duds.
I think the AR abilities are neat, but the process seems flawed. Plus, this device is expensive and it’s not very versatile, in that it can only be used one way; you can’t also print wirelessly. It sells for about $169CAD while a pack of film paper sets you back an astonishing $25 for 8 sheets, or just over $3 per photo!
In short while I get the nostalgia, I don’t know if this device is the best way to get it, particularly when you can get those same polaroid-style photos from other printers. - Věda a technologie
Erin should be a tv reporter
Hi Chloe, Once upon a time ... I was!
Lmao she sounds like it I kept getting confused for every split seconds I thought I was watching the news at some points where this lab came on the news or something lol she would definitely nail it if she was on the news though!! Thanks for all the great explanations I didn’t get my questions answered in other tutorial videos but you definitely did!! ❤❤
Expertly covers all of the points you'd expect in a product review such as this, thank you for your work.
Thanks Erin have a good weekend 💐
thanks a lot, definitely buying this. really helpful
Hi Erin, As always, I appreciate your honest review.
I wanted to get one but needed to check if it is the the type I wanted to pay for but I am grateful for this review helped me choose on what I wanted to get. Thank you for being honest
You are very welcome. I am so glad it helped you
Hi Erin! thank you so much for this. This is very helpful. I was wondering how do I turn it off?
polaroid should mimic what Kodak did with the Kodak mini shot.
Aka a camera that works as a direct print camera, but also has the ability to print your Mobile phone pictures using wifi and an app.
My interest is solely in emulsion lifts. The why for me is the ability to do this to my non Polaroid photos. I have been approximating the look with waterslide paper, inkjet prints, and an acrylic spray to create an sort of emulsion but it’s not quite the same. Any ideas? Thanks
such a great and extensive review, thank you
Much appreciated!
Thanks for such an intensive review !
Glad you enjoyed it!
You just saved me a ton of money and frustration. Thank you
Glad it helped you!
I love the AR technology but I don't understand why they can't make it so that you can just Bluetooth your photos over to a portable printer using the I-type film.
how much does it affect if you do have a screen protector?
Some of the issues in the film printing look to be the rollers being unclean and the brown areas are most likely due to the film being expired
I found this video looking for an alternative to my Instax Share SP-3. The Instax prints are annoyingly small compared to Polaroid originals. I got my hopes up looking at the lab, but now I see that it's a big step backwards from wirelessly connecting the phone and just doing edits and prints in phone to then send to the printer for final image...GAH! Polaroid need to up their printing game. Lets hope that a V2 comes around with more sensible features. Thanks for the honest review.
It’s not a step backwards, just a niche product. I loved looking at Polaroids from my childhood (I’m a 90’s baby) and bought an old polaroid camera to start taking vacation and holiday photos with my fiancé but the thing is, they’re not very light sensitive and most indoor shots even with flash turn out pretty dark and the film is NOT cheap! With this, I can just take the photos on my phone and make sure they turned out good before wasting a $1.50 print.
I love the idea of this but my photos keep coming out looking dim and i can not figure out why for the hell of it.
Hi I have a question how do you turn it off?
How would I get good quality color ?
I was able to adjust the position of the photo on the app. You do this when selecting your photo, before the preview. I also had absolutely no trouble with my phone case on and think it’s very user friendly. I don’t think its “an inconvenience” at all. Although, a Bluetooth option does seem easier. Overall, I really like the Polaroid lab. It allows me to capture something closer to my expectations. Whereas with the camera, sometimes my subject is too far or the entire result is overexposed. Perhaps that’s just a learning curve I’m still winding through. But I do appreciate your review as I agreed with some other points you made and thought you produced a helpful video. For instance, I think I’m going to break it every time I load the film. 😅 Anyway, thanks for sharing!
And thank you for sharing!
Hey Erin pl suggest big prints camera pls
"The "strange black cover sheet" is known as a "frog tongue". It's used to shield the polaroid's from light upon initial ejection or while developing. This is because the film that polaroid's are using now are a best guess recreation of what the formula was using left over materials from the last decommissioned factory which made the film. It was saved by private investors via the "Impossible Project". After 10 years of backwards engineering this is what they've come up with. Its hilarious we've come full circle and polaroid has officially merged with impossible project after realizing the kids might like that instant photography hipster stuff after all, but unfortunately the original film formulas and manufacturing process is still lost and the formula they've come up with is super sensitive to light. For best results you NEED to make sure the photos are developed hidden from light, either under the frog tongue, upside down, in the box the film came in, your pocket, etc. I wish they could just rip off whatever fujifilm is doing with their instax film. Their film is better, but I prefer polaroid size format more."
"Cool story Grandpa, can I go out and play now?"
Thanks for the great information, appreciate your comment!
You're wrong about a lot of what you said.
Impossible didn't merge with polaroid, they acquired the rights to the name.
Polaroid went bankrupt in 2007 or so.
Also, the old method isn't lost. Ita harmful to the environment so a new method was made.
@@jordanlayfield Yes, that's much more accurate. Many of the chemicals used previously are now illegal because of that.
Yes, good question, WHY🙄
It's a handful task.
Great review Erin👌
Thank you 😊
you can adjust the crop in the app before printing
you can also adjust the exposure and color saturation in the app
Great review. Thanks
Very welcome
Is it flat or does it have the actual Polaroid frame around the photo?
So basically we turned new school in Old School and we make Our Beautiful sharp pictures look like pictures from 1980 I think this is something new you only a few people will buy it's like 3D you can't find it on any television now
Good comparison Patrick.
How can I make the photo no vintage ?
Just found your channel, great stuff.
Yay! Thanks!
Great review!
Thank you!
Thanks for the heads up. You mentioned other printers that give a Polaroid style photo. Could you name a few?
Best, V
Fujufilm's printers use more original Polaroid film in different sizes. czcams.com/video/5teY7o-N6WM/video.html
I wish I watch this video before I bought my polarioid lab. Because I really thought it was a Bluetooth where u can actually print out from your phone. I have Samsung Fold 2 which won't work 🙄😒 anyways, Thanks so much for the video!
Yeah same. My parents got it for me and we all knew nothing about which ones worked better.
Thank you for this informative video
Thank you for watching!
Can someone explain how I can see to take the picture?
Why is exactly right 😂 got my Polaroid Now camera just now, wish me luck 😅
The only thing I have a problem with now that I’m trying to print some pictures out is the coloration of them. What settings do you use to get a good clear printed picture that looks like the one on your phone?
That's almost never going to happen since we are using "older" technology or techniques to get the photo
Buen video, gracias por la información :)
Gracias y de nada!
Gracias a usted por viendo mi video!
Thanks from Brisbane
When I get finished playing with the Polaroid Lab I'm going to go out and get a typewriter. Or not.
Hi erin i just bought my polroid lab do i need to push back the lid to put it back down or no?
It doesn’t seem to do much aside for make it more compact.
Very spot on. Like why bother putting phone over the top of the thing
"Polaroid One type" lmao
how much it will effect the the picture if i had a screen protector on my phone?
I think it depends both on your phone and on the type of screen protector used. I tried it with a simple plastic screen protector and it badly blurred the photos when they came out
Hi, I receiveid it as christmas gift but when I try to print what comes out are white photos, someone know how to solve this problem?
I’m having the same problem
It’s kind of a shame that Polaroid didn’t keep up with the times but after seeing something like this I’m not really surprised.
Good informational Video Erin but honestly I don't know who this product will be a good fit. Old school retro complicated with average finished product.
Exactly! Thanks for watching the video
Will Dust particles under screen protector affect the film dramatically?
Probably...
I wish I saw this review before buying it
Sound like not a great device. Maybe the they will improve in the future.
Yeah, sounds like an awful lot of trouble to go through for a Polaroid pic, especially when they have their own hybrid cameras that allow you to choose which pics you want to print....
@@dakotawainwright Which camera is that? The one where you can choose what you print. Don’t want to waste money on this one lol
What if your phone screen is cracked and shattered?
You will get very poor results
I was excited when you announced that you picked it up for review, which took ages, just to get disappointed by the printer itself. Yep the Polaroid is a thing that belongs to the past (I don't think millennials fancy it, they like super 8 cameras).
Sharing on social media or storing on cloud servers is the best way right now.
Great review by the way 😊
Thanks Andre!
Very non practical it's sooooo much cheaper just getting them printed of on a site or in a store where they allow you to connect either using a wire or Bluetooth at a small fee
More like Bi-Polaroid 📸
What if my phone screen if broken ?
You won’t have good results
@@ErinLawrenceTV ah okay.. so I will try with my sister phone haha thanks
cool idea not practical enough.
They couldn't just connect the thing with Bluetooth? what a stupid way of printing.
I’m so annoyed that I wasted my money on this piece of crap