Polaroids provide an immediate and unique record for visual data collection.
The immediacy and convenience of Polaroid photo systems has made them popular for documenting crime scenes, insurance claims and injuries. Though digital photography provides similar features, a Polaroid photo offers the advantage of being a unique document. It cannot easily be altered or reproduced, ideal qualities for recording evidence, but Polaroid photography has some weaknesses that can't be worked around.
Light Sensitivity
The hallmarks of Polaroid photography have always been simplicity and immediacy. One of its most popular camera lines summed this up in its "One-Step" brand name. For this reason Polaroid materials and cameras have few adjustable options compared to 35mm and digital single-lens reflex cameras. SX-70 and 600 film was only available in ISO 150 to 600, requiring flash to illuminate dark crime scenes. Polaroid Cameras have only on-camera flash, leading to flat lighting that may not show evidence to its best advantage in the resuling photo.
Focus and Depth of Field
As a result of the need to provide consumers with easy-to-operate cameras, Polaroid focus controls are limited or non-existent. Their apertures are fixed and shutter speeds have a narrow range of control in most cases. Thus, Polaroid cameras have limits as close-up cameras. The SX-70 family of cameras did have some close-up accessories, but without those they could focus no closer than 10 inches. Depth of field is not adjustable, as the cameras use fixed apertures. For this reason, photographs containing small bits of evidence may not show them effectively.
Image Quality
Polaroid's integral films, those which develop upon being ejected from the camera without intervention by the photographer, have some image compromises in terms of sharpness. Lenses on Polaroid cameras also tend to be inexpensive and not sharp, and therefore the amount of fine detail a Polaroid can capture is limited. This may not produce sufficient resolution to effectively represent and portray crime scenes.
Availability
In February 2008, Polaroid announced that it would no longer manufacture film products. The Impossible Project has begun to manufacture and market new film for use with Polaroid cameras, however this film is currently marketed as a creative product, and may not be suitable for evidentiary use. Fujifilm makes instant film for its own line of instant cameras, though it too is reducing its involvement with the instant film market.
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