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from the group: Instant (Internal Dye Diffusion Transfer)

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Pre-photographic

Intaglio
Planographic
Relief

Photomechanical

Collotype
Letterpress
Offset Lithography
Photogravure
Rotogravure
Woodburytype

Photographic

Albumen
Ambrotype
Bromoil
Bromoil Transfer
Carbon
Carbro
Chromogenic
Collodion POP
Cyanotype
Daguerreotype
Direct Carbon (Fresson)
Dye Imbibition
Gelatin Dry Plate
Gelatin POP
Gum Dichromate
Instant (Diffusion Transfer)
Instant (Dye Diffusion Transfer)
Instant (Internal Dye Diffusion Transfer)
Matte Collodion
Platinum
Salted Paper
Screen Plate
Silver Dye Bleach
Silver Gelatin DOP
Tintype
Wet Plate Collodion

Digital

Electrophotography
Inkjet
Thermal

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Notes on this view:

This instant color photograph was made on a Polaroid integral film using a process known as internal dye diffusion. Polaroid’s first integral film, Type 778, was released in 1972. It became popularly known as “SX-70,” the brand name given to the film formula and newly designed integral film camera. This new technology was deemed “absolute one-step photography” by inventor and Polaroid cofounder Edwin Land. Unlike peel-apart films, the integral film unit was designed to be in its final format from start to finish. The photographer only needed to load the film pack into the camera, focus the image and press the shutter release. The camera and film were fully automated. The final print developed within 90 seconds (and as little as 15 seconds in later formulas) in daylight and did not produce any waste.

Polaroid integral prints are easily identified by their unique format: a square 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 inch image is surrounded by a white plastic rectangular frame with a wide border at the bottom to make the overall print 3 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. Though this format varied in some later films, all film types had a wide border containing a foil pod that held processing chemicals.