Polaroid camera

Polaroid is an American brand synonymous with instant photography. Founded in 1937 by Edwin Land, the company became a household name with the release of the Polaroid Land Camera in 1948. Throughout the mid-20th century, Polaroid dominated the instant film market, though it faced significant financial turmoil following the rise of digital photography, leading to its first bankruptcy in 2001.

After a series of ownership changes and the discontinuation of original film production in 2008, the brand was revitalized through 'The Impossible Project,' which purchased the last operational Polaroid film factory in the Netherlands. In 2017, the brand underwent a significant consolidation when the main shareholder of The Impossible Project acquired the Polaroid brand and intellectual property. Today, the brand is owned by Polaroid B.V., an entity based in the Netherlands that transitioned from the Impossible Project legacy to unify all products back under the original Polaroid name. Manufacturing primarily takes place in the Netherlands for film products and China for camera hardware.