the instaxx: a note from the past

Does the name Dr. Edwin Land ring a bell? He's the inventor of the Polaroid camera that everyone seemed fascinated with back in the 1950s. See, this unique apparatus actually took pictures that developed before your very eyes! In 60 seconds, no less! No longer was it necessary to finish your roll of film, carefully extract it from the camera without allowing any light from any source ever getting on it (for fear of "over-exposing" your pictures, and thereby ruining them). and then run to the drug store to drop it off with your "print order". You'd return two weeks later to pick up your pictures, all printed nicely for you and placed in a small envelope.
 
But Dr. Land’s “polarizing film” did away with all of that. It was truly a breakthrough. In fact, it's been said that he was a visionary, seeing things others didn’t.
Well, here we are on the cusp of 2020 and I just bought my granddaughter a neat present for her 9th birthday: her very own Instax Mini 9 camera in ice blue. What does it do? Wait for it: it’s an instant print camera! Takes a pic and spits it out where it “develops” within a minute. Just like Dr. Land originated 70 years ago.
Why the return to a fine old invention? I’m told it’s a response to the fact that everyone takes photos these days using their phones for the most part, and most of the pics stay right there, on the phone, where they are rarely seen by others. With the Instax Mini 9, everyone will get to see Ryleigh's handiwork right away.
Now, how cool is that!? And what’s that they say: what goes around comes around? (Yeah, I know, wrong context, but it works).

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