How long do Polaroids last?

Question

Before they start fading significantly? How does this compare to consumer grade 35mm and digital film prints?

Answer 1

Prints from Polaroid SX-70 type cameras (and Polaroid cameras using related self-ejecting prints) should do as good or better than 35 mm and digital prints made at commercial photo labs over the past decade. Polaroid made a selling point of using metal based dyes/pigments in the SX-70 and later type technology, in an effort to reduce long term fading. I have some from the late 1970s and early 1980s that are doing well.

The prints from earlier technology Polaroid cameras that make "peel-apart" pictures don't do as well. You'll have to make sure that the pictures are stored as much as possible in folders away from the light, and stored with acid free paper and non-chemical bleeding plastic over sheets. The black-and-white Polaroid photos seem to be spcially sensitive to atmospheric pollution. Again, this is from experience over the same time frame.

Answer 2

Polaroids last a long time I've got some from the 70's that still look fine as for how they compare with 35mm prints I'm not sure except for the different sizes you can have in prints as 3x5 or 5x7 etc.

Answer 3

I have prints from the 80's and they are still ok. But saying that 35mm is better though they both have to be kept in the dark and dry if you get my drift.

Answer 4

I have some that are still fine 30 years later

Answer 5

i dont think they should fade with the technolgy we have.