Hi just saw on NBC World News that Polorid is no longer going to produce film for it's instamatic camara. How will this effect future long distant ride's like the Iron Butt or the Minuteman 1000?
Hi just saw on NBC World News that Polorid is no longer going to produce film for it's instamatic camara. How will this effect future long distant ride's like the Iron Butt or the Minuteman 1000?
The thing about traveling is, you never want it to end and you can't wait to get home.
I answer to Roy, Chief, or Sarg.
04 R-1150-RT current bike. 94 R-1100-RS74,383, Sold, 78 R-80/7, K.I.A by a D.U.I
www.OceanStateBMWriders.com
Would not a digital camera serve the same purpose? And the digital camera is much smaller and lighter. Time and technology move on. Well, digital camera technology at least.
Well obviously everyone has a laptop with photoshop installed.
Correct, but many of the indurance rides do not allow for digital. may have to chance that rule in the future.Originally Posted by PAULBACH
The thing about traveling is, you never want it to end and you can't wait to get home.
I answer to Roy, Chief, or Sarg.
04 R-1150-RT current bike. 94 R-1100-RS74,383, Sold, 78 R-80/7, K.I.A by a D.U.I
www.OceanStateBMWriders.com
Someone's seriously still using Polaroid film? That's interesting. . . .
Anyone not accepting digital images in preference to Polaroid images is out of sync with the times. The problem is not availability of instant film.
I went to the dentist on Thursday (for the first time in a long time) and my X-rays were even digital.
Who knew?
Tom Moran
On the Road with SNC 1923
I was looking at the MN1000 rally site and they don't accept digital, either. I was perplexed at first then I thought about the abilities I have to make people look like Spock and such with Photoshop and I get their idea of trying to prevent fraud, but there are certainly ways to lessen the chance of it...tell people they have to turn in their flashcard. Any changes made to an image and then reloaded onto a card would be noticeable by a variety of indicators that are imbedded on the cards.
Well obviously everyone has a laptop with photoshop installed.
I thought you knew Rob Nye! Only NASA packs more electronics into a smaller space.
The topic has been discussed, cussed, and re-cussed amongst the long distance rally masters and riders for several years. Polaroids were stone simple. Take picture. Verify it shows what is required. Stuff in envelope to turn it at the checkpoint. Within the rally scoring format, going digital (as most big changes) poses some problems. For the most part they are not about honesty and cheating: they are about logistics.
Logistics of going from electrons in the camera to evidence for the scorers to look at. Does each rider need a laptop and printer to turn in prints instead of polaroids? Will there be several computers and printers so each rider prints his photos before going to the scoring table? Does each scorer (I scored at both the middle and end of the '07 Iron Butt Rally) have a computer and card reader or USB connection to the camera and verify from the screen - print for archival purposes later? Or does each rider turn in the digital media card? Which cards will be acceptable: SD, XD, CF, mini XD, others? Which?
None of these things are insurmountable by any means, but Polaroids were stone simple. Many rallies would also accept photos the rider had printed from a film camera at a "One-Hour" photo place. But that chewed time, added running around, and imposed stress at the bonus and again just before scoring: "Did my photo come out?" With Polaroid you knew what you got within minutes.
So the world marches on and so will endurance rallying. But it is going to take some "working out" of details to make the transition.
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
Well, yet again, I learn that I don't know what I'm talking about.
I still think it's ridiculous, but I see the apparent problems that it presents and that the debate predates me and has been hashed through by greater minds than mine.
Thanks for schooling me.
Tom Moran
On the Road with SNC 1923
It's interesting to see the different reactions to this news from Polariod here vs some of the forums specifically devoted to photography (such as the Photo.net Large Format and Medium Format forums). Over there, some folks are truely in denial about this....mostly because they shoot Polaroid Type 55 4x5 film for "arts sake" and not just for practical reasons. I have shot some Polaroid Type 55 (a fine grain BW "film" that creates both an instant print and a BW negative at the same time) and enjoy doing so now and then, but it doesn't surprise me in the least that Polaroid is getting out of the business. Of course, like others, I'm stocking up before the existing supply is gone....but it can't be frozen and has a relatively short shelf life, even stored in the refrigerator, so in a year or two....that's probably the end of it.
If you're interested to see some creative photography done on Polaroid Type 55, there is a group on Flickr devoted to just this film.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/polaroid55/
Gary Benson
Eagle River, Alaska
How about a rubber stamp stored at a location like a geo cache? The rider carries a passport like document and stamps the passport. OK the stamp goes missing. Then
A gasoline receipt which have a time and date and location stamped on receipt. Choose a couple of those open 24 hours a day gas stations for verification. Riders are going to stop and get gas and seek relief and a cup of coffee or another can of Red Bull.
And I thought those prices were high ...
A couple of years ago there was money to be made picking up used Land cameras and reselling them on Ebay just for this purpose. I don't recall which model, but the buyers were very specific about which ones they wanted. I could get a camera at GoodWill for $25 and tell it on Ebay for over $100.
Gas receipts are often used. But many bonus locations - a lighthouse down a long winding road on a rocky coastline for example, simply are not amenable to getting a receipt as proof of being there. But the rally masters I know are smart enough to know how to work this out. I have a hunch that $5/gal. fuel will change rallies as much as the end of polaroid film does.How about a rubber stamp stored at a location like a geo cache? The rider carries a passport like document and stamps the passport. OK the stamp goes missing. Then
A gasoline receipt which have a time and date and location stamped on receipt. Choose a couple of those open 24 hours a day gas stations for verification. Riders are going to stop and get gas and seek relief and a cup of coffee or another can of Red Bull.
And I thought those prices were high ...
Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russell
http://www.bigbend.net/users/glaves
I hate change, but what can you do but adapt. Waiting to see what they come up with. I'm sure its being debated at this time by the powers that be.
The thing about traveling is, you never want it to end and you can't wait to get home.
I answer to Roy, Chief, or Sarg.
04 R-1150-RT current bike. 94 R-1100-RS74,383, Sold, 78 R-80/7, K.I.A by a D.U.I
www.OceanStateBMWriders.com
Good News
It turns out that the making of Polaroid film is going to be licensed. So the film will still be made and it will still carry the Polaroid name but it will be made under license. I don't know where but I would guess - off shore.
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