Polaroid Type 47 was an instant roll film, introduced by Polaroid in 1955 as part of its 40 series films.
The 40 series was Polaroid’s first type of film and was introduced with the Type 40 film in 1948 along with the Model 95 Polaroid Land camera, the first successful instant camera system.
All 40 series films produced images that were 7.2 cm × 9.5 cm (the prints were larger than this, but had a border).
Type 47 was a high-speed film (3000 ISO) that was available in black and white (some other 40 series films were available in colour). Because of its speed, the camera needed a dark filter to take photographs outdoors, bringing the speed down to 200 ISO.
Loading Type 47 film was complex but instructions were printed on the backing paper. There are two rolls, one tightly rolled with a spindle (the negative side) and one without (the print side, not light sensitive) and both are placed in the camera body in opposite chambers and a flap closed over the negative side, followed by closing the back of the camera and pulling out some of the backing paper. After taking a photo, more of the backing paper is pulled out of the side of the camera, the negative and the print are loaded together, a chemical gel is spread between them, and the negative image is transferred chemically to the print. A flap on the back of the camera is opened after a suitable length of time for development (15 seconds is suggested for 1970s Type 47 film) and the resulting print peeled out. The negative can then be pulled out and this draws the next negative into place. Type 47 film came with a tube of print coater fluid and a felt pad to wipe over the photo to stabilise it and prevent fading after development.
Later pack films, followed by integral films, made taking instant photos much easier.
The cameras that used Type 47 film ceased production in 1963, but the film continued in production until 1992.
Figures
Image dimensions: 7.2 cm × 9.5 cm