[Photo credit: Oliver Blohm]
PRESS RELEASE
Impossible B&W 600 Generation 2.0: new formulation makes it faster, sharper, better.
In late 2013, Impossible introduced a range of new b&w instant films for classic Polaroid 600, SX-70 and Image/Spectra cameras, as well as for its Instant Lab. For the first time, these films used chemistry entirely developed by Impossible. The film delivered markedly better sharpness, contrast and stability, as well as faster processing speeds than any previous Impossible b&w film.
Eighteen months later, Impossible is set to release B&W 600 Generation 2.0, the first entirely new b&w formulation developed under the supervision of Polaroid’s former chief technical officer, Stephen Herchen, at Impossible’s R&D facilities in Monheim, Germany, and Enschede in the Netherlands. B&W 600 Generation 2.0 films raise the bar on all b&w instant films in the market today, being faster, sharper and with better tonality than anything seen before, even from Polaroid in its prime.
‘This is our first truly instant film,’ says Oskar Smolokowski, Impossible’s CEO. ‘With image emergence at 20 seconds, we are now making the fastest analogue instant film in the market! Contrast, tone and ease of use are also significantly beyond what we’ve delivered before – I’m really proud of our team for this achievement.’
He adds: ‘We’ve held off labeling any of our films “next generation” until we felt they truly were. Now, after three years of intensive development, we are proud to call this film Generation 2.0. Only two other milestones in Impossible’s brief history are as important: the very first pack of usable film we produced in March 2010, and the first Impossible film that didn’t need to be shielded from light, in September 2012.’
Impossible B&W 600 Generation 2.0 film will be released on Friday, 20 March, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the production of the very first Impossible instant film – also a b&w film! – on 22 March at the former Polaroid factory in Enschede. The film will be available from Impossible’s own online shop at www.the-impossible-project.com, as well as its global network of partner stores and other retailers.
B&W 600 Generation 2.0 film is only for classic Polaroid 600 instant cameras and Impossible’s new Instant Lab Universal, which transforms images on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets into real instant photos. Versions of the b&w Generation 2.0 formula for Polaroid-format SX-70 and Image-Spectra cameras, and for large format 8 x 10 cameras, will be available worldwide in May.