Finding Cheap Polaroid FIlm
I know from first hand experience that shooting film is a very expensive hobby. Especially if it is instant film! I know when you first start out it may be hard for someone to swallow buying $20 600 Film for the “free“ camera you got as a hand-me-down. However if you keep your eyes open you can find some good deals for not just 600 Film or i-type film but even for special edition film too!
In order to find these deals you’re almost always going to have to buy in bulk. Yep in order for us to save money and keep the cost of creativity bearable for the pocket you’re going to have to save up to buy a fairly large amount of film. The postive is if you store the film correctly you can make sure that the film is in good condition when you finally go out and take pictures. Lets begin with the explanation.
Step 1: First find the best deal for which ever film stock you will be shooting rather it be 600, i-type or even GO or SX-70 (These two’s prices do not flucate as much but still worth finding the best deal). Once you find the bundle of film that brings the best cost per exposure that you are comfortable with buying, order it.
Step 1a: Side notes to consider when buying your film. Amazon will often have the best price. However, with an Amazon warehouse you will not know the conditions the film is being stored at and for how long. For this reason I recommend not using Amazon or any store that might not be local to your area. If a store IS local to your area you can make a visit and see the condition of the film on the shelf. Do whatever you can to ask to see the Manufactoring Date. This is important because Polaroid film is only good for one year after being manufactored. This is why I only ever buy film from a store that I know does not have old film on its shelves.
Step 2: You may have just bought 96 exposures, maybe you bought multiple packs of 16 exposures. Whatever the case maybe you should have more than just one pack of film. In order to make sure this film remains in the best possible condition until the time comes for you to shoot it, store it in the refrigerator! Yes Actuatually the refriderator. Polaroid’s website says,”Polaroid film packs should be stored in their unopened, sealed packaging in a cool and dry environment. We recommend storing our film flat inside a fridge at a constant temperature between 4 – 18°C / 41 – 65°F. Do not freeze your film packs!”.
Step 3: Enjoy shooting your film knowing that with each picture you could be saving up to 37% each time you press that shutter button. These savings can amount to hundreds of dollars per year if your addiction is severe enough.
PS: If you have a 600 Camera the film is always more expensive than the i-type film beacuse of the battery in each pack. Follow to learn how to save money while shooting 600 film.
