It's hard to imagine a world without the Polaroid camera. It's been around for so long, and it's such a staple of popular culture that people forget it was ever new. But in 1948, it was.
Edwin Land created Polaroid
Polaroid cameras were first introduced to the world on this day in 1948. The camera was created by Edwin Land, who had just graduated from Harvard University and was working as a professor at MIT when his daughter asked him why photos could not be seen instantly.
He began researching the problem and eventually created the world's first instant camera: one that allowed you to see your photo immediately after taking it.
It cost about $1,100 in today’s prices
The Polaroid camera cost about $1,100 in today's prices and sold out immediately. The company went on to create its own film for use with the cameras, which was sold in packs of 10 or 20 sheets of film at first and later developed into a roll of film that could be used in multiple cameras.
It sold out immediately
It was an instant success with photographers everywhere who were looking for an easier way to take pictures without having to wait for their picture to develop before seeing what they had captured.
