"One Step" Back By Popular Demand

When Polaroid announced it was shedding its beloved One Step Polaroid insta-cam, a nation mourned yet another fragment of a bygone era when life was as simple as a "click." No doubt you've got a stash of Polaroid pictures detailing momentous occasions of yore. It appears the beleaguered company had to discontinue the kitschy pop artifact to compete with digital cameras.

Now, nearly two years later, Polaroid announced last Tuesday it will re-launch the One Step and produce limited edition products under the Polaroid brand next year, as well as launch their own film line. They insist it was brought back by popular demand.

Who brought "The Passion of the One Step" to the company's attention? A dedicated group of fans, entrepreneurs and former Polaroid employees in the Netherlands working under the name The Impossible Project. The group has since been commissioned by Polaroid to develop and produce limited edition Instant Films for 2010.

Since switching management, Polaroid seems to be getting with the program and is ready to meet consumer demand. "We were really ecstatic to see that there was a strong community of enthusiasts that were more than requesting new film - they were demanding it," said Polaroid spokeswoman Lorrie Parent.

I'm just glad they finally recognized nostalgia, and that the world is big enough for both the 10 mega pixel ultra zoom digital camera and the "stand right there, don't move! you got it? now shake it! shake it! ah crap did you touch it? lets do it again..."  novelty of the One Step.

Yay for analog, redefined.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com.