Topic: Zink!

[Francois]

Yep, this is Polaroid's answer to all their former glorious products:

READY FOR THE ZINK-O-LUTION?


Dear Polaroid Master

This is nothing less but an heartily invitation to apply for maybe the most thrilling job/project in today's creative business.
Polanoid has just received a small box stuffed with a fine number of something that we think has the potential to be another revolution in the history instant photography.
Yes! We are talking about ZINK! The magic Photo Paper, based on some of Edwin Land's last outstanding inventions. A revolutionary paper with embedded color crystals, ready to be activated by heat.
This is what we learn from the official website and the official Polaroid statements
BUT:
(Even before discussing about 'good' or 'bad' or 'cool' or 'hot' or if this new media has a chance to be the successor of analog instant photography)
We think that NOW is the time to find out the real, yet undiscovered secrets of this brand-new media. After more than 10 years of scientific development, this paper has never been in the hands of real Polaroid masterminds, spending 26 hours a day to investigate new analog techniques for new breathtaking pieces of unique art. Never before was this paper put into colored acid solutions, never before did this it pass the legendary microwave tests or experience the pleasure to getting scratched with passion and manipulated with tender loving care.

If you are ready to be among the very first ZINK EXPLORERS worldwide, investigating this amazing new Polaroid tool, a complete new generation of photo paper, please send an email with the subject ZINK EXPLORER, your complete postal address and one sentence of 'why you are the best ZINK EXPLORER ever' to zink@polanoid.net.
The best 100 applicants will receive a ZINK PAPER STARTER PACK within the very next days. Supplying them with all the material needed to dive into ZINK PAPER and enter the next polanoid project 'ZINK DIFFERENT'

Hope you are ready for the Zinkolution

The full article and a few pictures is available on the Polanoid website

[Ed Wenn]

[Fintan]

I zink I'll pass on this revolution  but I'm wondering about this bit

The magic Photo Paper, based on some of Edwin Land's last outstanding inventions.

Didnt Land die in 1991, how is this close one of his last inventions?

[Francois]

I have no idea but I wonder what the heck is a blue smartsheet?
And if he died that long ago... how come the product didn't come out earlier?

I saw it working on Sunday Morning (the tv show) when they announced that they were getting out of the film business... the Youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yqaj-t1FyM
It's at the end of the segment.

Reminded me of when I got my first printer, the sheet doesn't come out in one shot.

I don't know, but it doesn't have any "magical" quality to me...

[Francois]

They have a website of their own
http://www.zink.com/

[moominsean]

i read awhile ago that the company was started by ex-polaroid employees (or a department within polaroid that was bought by another company), and that polaroid has nothing to do with it other than licensing the technology.

while i think the printer has its place (and will soon die a quiet death), i'm not interested in it. i'm surprised polanoid is pushing it. i mean, if that counts, why not upload shots taken with polaroid 35mm film?
someone, i think dave dunn, made a good point about how meaningless it is to take a photo with your cell phone, print it with the zinc, scan it and upload it to polanoid. why not just upload your cell phone shot straight to the website?

i've often wondered about polanoid and its affiliation with polaroid, if it is owned by the company or what. that and unsaleable, which has a direct link with polanoid.

[kuru]

Polanoid was started by the three guys that run Unsaleable and all three are Lomographic Society people.

[Francois]

I know I feel the product has a certain "redundant" feel to it...
Does anybody need to carry a printer in his shirt pocket?
They say it gives new artistic possibilities... but fail to describe anything.

I remember a while ago, Polaroid had put out a state of the art optical printer that output real 200DPI continuous tone prints on 600 film. The product, while being very innovative (it was basically a light jet printer that was the size of a zip drive) failed miserably on the street.

Until I see a zink with my own eyes, I don't think I would rush out to buy one... especially since I can get 1 hour (actually more like 30 minutes) digital prints on Fuji Crystal archive for 19 cents a print...

[traskblueribbon]

please let me have nothing to do with it.