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Berlin

Instant photo gratification

Since the discontinuation of Polaroid in 2008, hipsters and nostalgic grandmas alike have struggled to maintain their retro camera habit, but now Mitte's new Sofortbild-Shop in Mitte is here to save instant photography, one frame at a time.

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Photo by Veronica Jonsson

Instant analogue photography addicts may remember their horror when, back in 2008, Polaroid announced that they would cease production of their beloved medium.

Yet instant photo developing survived thanks to the Impossible Project, launched in 2008 by the nostalgic duo of an Austrian businessman and a former Polaroid engineer in the Dutch city of Enschede, where they relaunched the manufacture of analogue film for the cult cameras.

It took them a couple of tries – their first product was too instant, causing photos to disappear after a few months – but the most recent attempt was just right, and Impossible has just found a new exclusive outlet in Berlin, in a semi-basement in Mitte’s Mulackstraße (also NYC, Tokyo, Warsaw, Vienna and Paris, among others).

The Sofortbild-Shop run by Simone and Jörn Freitag, stocks the full range of Impossible products as well as Fujifilm Instax cameras and films, vintage Polaroid cameras (which they also rent out), instant photography books, while hosting exhibitions and workshops. Enthusiastic hipsters and nostalgic grandmas pack into the small space to line up for the latest hot item: the B&W film for 600-type Polaroid cameras.

At eight exposures for €20, it costs a lot more than Instagram, but it’s worth it for the great tones – and the chance to have your arty insta-creations sold in the shop’s “Space Regal”.