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Color Shade
PX 680 Color Shade FF for Polaroid 600 cameras
PX 70 Color Shade for Polaroid SX 70 cameras

Color to the people
Impossible Color Shade Films

Our Color Shade films introduce a magical new color palette within the classic white frame.

PX 70 Color Shade ist the latest and much improved material for SX 70 cameras.

PX 680 Color Shade is our latest color film for Polaroid 600 cameras (as well as SX 70 camera equipped with ND filter).

PZ 680 Color Shade is our latest color film for Polaroid Image/ Spectra cameras.

PX 70 Color Shade PUSHfilm is an experimental color film for all Polaroid SX 70 cameras.

Quickstart
Step-by-Step Slideshow
8
Steps to bring color into your world
Using Color Shade

  1. Store unopened filmpacks at 5 to 18°C (41°F - 65°F)

    Choose the right film for your camera
    PX 680 Color Shade First Flush has 600 ASA and works in all Polaroid 600 camera models as well as in SX 70 cameras equipped with a neutral density (ND) filter.

    PX 70 Color Shade is around 125 ASA and is optimized for usage in Polaroid SX 70 cameras.

    Polaroid Image, 1200, or Spectra camera? - Choose PZ 680 Color Shade film.
  2. Adjust the lighten/darken wheel

    When using PX 70 film with your Polaroid SX 70 camera adjust the lighten/darken wheel to the darkest setting.

    For PX 70 PUSH! you will obtain the most colorful images when setting the lighten/darken wheel of your camera to the lighter area. Illuminating your object very well and using the film in warm surroundings will also reward you with very colorful photos.
  3. Hold camera stable, especially at low light levels
  4. Press the shutter release to shoot your image
  5. Shield the Picture from light
    As the camera ejects the picture, do IMMEDIATELY shield it from light (e.g. with your hand, a darkslide, shoot into a box, etc...) - the first half second is crucial!

    Let the image then develop upside down/shielded from light for up to 4 minutes.
  6. Take a deep breath, turn the picture over and enjoy your Color Shade shot
  7. Initial spots or other anomalies in the picture will disappear after 24 hours - please allow the color pictures to take their time to exhibit the best results. The quality of the image will change even days after the moment was captured.
  8. Store your Color Shade pictures in a dry place.

How to use PX 70 Color Shade

Truth be told, the speed (light sensitivity) of this film is not totally where we expected it to be for the average SX 70 camera, and especially in bright summer light, the tendency for overexposed images is high. So please make sure to adjust the lighten/darken wheel of your SX 70 camera to the darkest setting. With a little experimentation, you will find the right darken setting for your camera.

This slightly high film speed will yield simply amazing color and tones in your correctly exposed SX 70 pictures, but it also opens up the amazing possibility to use this magic material in your 600 camera without the need of any additional filters! Simply insert the film in your Polaroid 600 camera, if necessary, add a little lighten adjustment and surround yourself with colors!

See more tutorial videos

Shade Your
Color Shade

We love being on the sunny side as much as the next guy, but with Color Shade film being super sensitive to light after exposure, pictures have to get shielded from light IMMEDIATELY as they get ejected from the camera - the first few seconds are crucial!! There are several tricks how to shield the image from light upon its ejection from the camera. You can either cover it with your hand, a darkslide or your shoot directly into a box.

Insufficient shielding will typically result in very light, low contrast images. With the PX 70 PUSH and PX 680 film, poor shielding will also result in a strong pink or orange haze over the picture.

See more tutorial videos

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

 The answers below open on clicking
  1. Why are my pictures not very colorful ?
  2. Why is my picture covered in funny spots ?
  3. Why are my pictures so light ?
  4. Why are my pictures so dark ?
  5. Why do I have imprints on my pictures ?
  6. Why don't I get any picture ?
  7. Why is there an undeveloped patch at the top of my Pictures ?

FAQ #1
Why are my pictures not very colorful ?

With all PX and PZ films you will have to shield your image from light IMMEDIATELY as it ejects from the camera.
Visit the tutorials section of our online blog for videos explaining the best shielding techniques.

The PX 70 PUSH color characteristics are very dependent on good lighting conditions. The more light you are shooting in the more colorful your pictures will get.

PX70 PUSH film will also always have a certain pink/ purple stain. This can be minimized by meticulous shielding of the image immediately as it ejects from the camera, and by slightly overexposing the film.

FAQ #2
Why is my picture covered in funny spots ?

With the PX 70 film Initial spots or other anomalies in the picture will improve after 24 hours - please allow the color pictures to take their time to exhibit the best results.

PX 680 First Flush images may show tiny lighter spots that will also not disappear after the picture has fully developed. See also the sample images in the onlineshop for examples of this characteristic.

FAQ #3
Why are my pictures so light ?

Check Light Shielding
Poor light or Check lighten/darken wheel
Check Light Shielding

Make sure that you IMMEDIATELY shield the picture as it comes out of the camera: covering it with your hand or a darkslide, put it in a pocket or turn it upside down. The first 10 seconds are crucial! Otherwise the photo will only show very light results, especially in the area of the bottom of the picture which leaves the camera first. Do then let the image develop upside down/ shielded from light for up to 2 minutes.

Also see the tutorials section of our online blog for videos explaining the best shielding techniques.
Poor light or Check lighten/darken wheel

The best results with SX70 cameras are achieved by keeping the wheel in the middle position, 50% white 50% black.
When using the PX70 First Flush film in type 600 cameras, please set the lighten/ darken wheel to the lightest position.

FAQ #4
Why are my pictures so dark ?

Poor light or Check lighten/darken wheel

You will always need to shoot in sufficient light conditions. Indoor shooting is recommende with flash only.

The best results with SX70 cameras are achieved by keeping the wheel in the middle position, 50% white and 50% black.
When using the PX70 First Flush film in type 600 cameras, please set the lighten/ darken wheel to the lightest position.

FAQ #5
Why do I have imprints on my pictures ?

Check Rollers

Please be aware of the fact that the camera you are using can have a huge influence on the pictures - most importantly, different cameras have different distances between the rollers. To prevent imprints from showing up on your pictures, always keep the rollers of your camera clean.

FAQ #6
Why don't I get any picture ?

Check Camera
Check Camera

If you are not sure whether your camera is still working, please test your camera with an empty cartridge. If no mechanical noise can be heard after repeatedly inserting the cassette, your camera is not be working properly.

FAQ #7
Why is there an undeveloped patch at the top of my Pictures ?

Impossible Films are based on completely new chemicals with different properties from the ones used in traditional Polaroid film. Thus, in some cases (also depending on the camera used), the chemicals may not spread evenly to the top of the picture.

This dark patch is caused by uneven spreading of the film emulsion within the image due to a combination of roller pressure in folding type cameras, which varies from camera to camera and the viscosity of the film emulsion. There is an easy technique that helps avoiding this problem with folding type Polaroid cameras (SX-70, SLR-680, etc): Add slight downward pressure to the latch of the film compartment of your camera while the image gets ejected from the camera. This slightly increases the roller pressure and thus ensures even and complete spreading of the film emulsion.

Pushing
the PX 70 Color Shade PUSH!

The PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! is a greatly improved film that takes the next step from the First Flush Edition into the ongoing development of a colorful future. Its newly developed color system (a highly complex ensemble of chemistry) allows achieving much more defined, fine colors and a unique overall color performance.

Please carefully read these instructions to make the most colorful instant pictures:

Read on

1. Push Up the Light

To reward you with the coolest palette of colors since the beginning of Impossible, the PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! asks you for one simple, yet essential favor: LIGHT! Use it mercilessly, twist the lighten darken wheel/slider of your camera to the lightest area and overexpose your images, flooding your objects in excessive light.

Light will help you to squeeze as many color shades out of this film as possible. Our princess of color, friend and photographer Zora Strangefields, discloses the secret of her magnificent PX 70 PUSH! images: "I illuminate my colorful subjects so brightly that they throw up their arms and scream 'Aaah - I'm going blind!'".

Indoor

One fact that comes in quite convenient given the approaching cold and dark winter days is that PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! is ideal for indoor-usage. Plenty of artificial light will reward you with beautiful color images.

Outdoor

Of course you can also take the PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! outside into bright sunlight and enjoy its vivid play of colors.

2. Push your Creativity

PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! film is the perfect test object for your creativity and invites you to discover all kinds of artistic and creative manipulation techniques.

The Traditional Manipulation Technique

The classic manipulation technique that we all know and love from original SX70 film material will also work with images taken on PX 70 PUSH! film. Apply rounded tools to move the emulsion under the foil as well as using heat and cold to create different tonal ranges. Utilize different tools in order to change the outcome of your strokes and patterns (pencils, wooden sticks, etc) which don't harm the foils surface. Start manipulating the film gently and repeat it over the same area in order to achieve the classic SX manipulation result of twisted, artistic, watercolor-like effects.

The Peeling Technique

Images taken on PX 70 PUSH! film are very easy to peel apart. Not only will the peeling apart provide you with unique artistic results, but it will also prevent any further chemical reactions and thus alterations within the image

Play with Camera & Light

Even though optimized for usage in SX 70 cameras only, PX 70 PUSH! film invites you to be used and played around with in different cameras by applying different lenses, filters and light situations. This image was taken by Rommel on PX 70 PUSH! film used in a Pinhole Camera (f132) with .6 ND filter and Polaroid CB70 back at 2.5 minutes exposure.

3. control the push

With the new and latest chemistry of the PX 70 PUSH! film Impossible arouses new and broad possibilities for a colorful analog instant photography.

The PX 70 PUSH! is though still a very experimental film and a may in some cases show an ongoing chemical reaction makes images shift to blue with time.

There are several ways to circumnavigate this issue
or to apply it in the most creative and artistic way:

  • -LOTS OF LIGHT
    • will not only help create the most colorful images, but bright images will show less of the images's tendency to turn blue over time. The more exposure, the less fading into blue will occur.

    ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
    contains a high percentage of red light. Exposing the PX 70 PUSH! film to artificial light hinders the blue diffusion and helps to achieve neutral results in the long term
  • -TEMPERATURE
    • also shows effects on the colour performance of this material. fridge storage delays the shift to blue effect. After taking the picture out of cooled storage the fading process will continue. Our latest tests also showed great results when developing and storing the pictures on a warm object like a radiator.
  • -Peeling
    • the image apart is the only proven measure to completely stop the chemical reaction, avoiding any fading or alteration. Learn all details about the Instant Image Peeling below

How to Peel
Your Impossible Image

1. 2.

PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! images are very easy to tear apart without destroying the photo. Open the picture by cutting the edges of the white frame with a knife. Then gently remove the white frame of the picture, including the silver parts on the left and right side.

As soon you got rid of the white frame, you may simply and carefully separate the back layer from the image. As images taken on the PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! film are very easy to peel apart, you can decide whether you prefer the image to stick on the back or the front layer.

1. Cut the white frame and remove it from the image's back and front (including the silver parts)
2. Pull apart the layers. Pull gently but determinately

Peeled apart PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! images are eternally stable as no further chemical reaction can occur. Because of their peel-ability PX 70 Color Shade PUSH! shots are also the perfect basis for the popular emulsion lift technique

Sample Gallery
The Beauty and Variety of Color Shade

Add your own pictures

PX 70 Color Shade

PX 680 Color Shade

PZ 680 Color Shade

PX 70 Color Shade PUSH!

PX 70 Color Shade FF

 
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Thank you for your understanding.