Polaroid Thread

[dallard]

Originally Posted by HLing

Sorry about that.

Don't be. Heck, I don't even shoot much 3000b. I just get irritated every time film choices get pared back again. For the most part I've been shooting my remaining collection of 664 which I bought from Impossible a while back. I love the way it looks so I'm trying to make it last.

664007 by daviz121, on Flickr

664004 by daviz121, on Flickr

664003 by daviz121, on Flickr

664001 by daviz121, on Flickr
Shot on my 420 Land Camera. The prints look SOOO much better than my scanning can bring across.

[Ezzie]

Very good thread this. Maybe the fact that each frame burns a $1 hole in you pocket makes you think twice before pushing the button helps. Rather like the MF and LF syndrome Roger talks about (the more expensive the frame, the more inclined your are to make it a keeper)

Really like the look of that 664 film, if the scans are anyway near the prints in tonality, it certainly is much less contrasty than FP3000B.

This is FP100C however, Land Camera 250

Field of blue (colour) by Eirik0304, on Flickr

[dallard]

Originally Posted by Ezzie

Very good thread this. Maybe the fact that each frame burns a $1 hole in you pocket makes you think twice before pushing the button helps. Rather like the MF and LF syndrome Roger talks about (the more expensive the frame, the more inclined your are to make it a keeper)

Really like the look of that 664 film, if the scans are anyway near the prints in tonality, it certainly is much less contrasty than FP3000B.

This is FP100C however, Land Camera 250

Field of blue (colour) by Eirik0304, on Flickr

Love the blue! I've been toying around with the idea of picking up a 250. Metal build and a glass lens are very tempting...
I just got my prints out and they look less contrasty and darker than my scans, with more highlight detail and better tonality. I should really re-scan them. If you can find some 664 you should definitely try it.
On the subject of fp-100c, I'm finding that mine get what looks like pitting on the surface after they dry. Do you have this problem?

[Ezzie]

Thanks.

Pitting of the surface? Yes, that does happen. I´ve seen it on Fp100C and 3000B. Especially if I wait too long before separating film and negative, or if it is warm (or very cold). I also try to keep the print out of bright sunlight until it is dry.

The 250? It seemed to me like the best mix of features of all the 100 Pack film cameras. Metal bodied, glass lens, Zeiss finder, no development timer. I love mine, its great fun.

[HLing]

I liked the Auto 100 for slowing me down to focus in one window and compose in another, but it's nice to have the Auto 250 where it's all in one.

Pardon the scanning.

[Ezzie]

To be quite honest, why should Polaroids be be classified alongside Dianas, Holgas and other toy cameras?

The 100 series auto Pack film cameras are rangefinders as good as any, yes some may have plastic lenses, none the less a rangefinder.
The SX-70's are SLR's, at least the first versions
Pathfinders, if still in use (and modified) are also rangefinders

Should we open a Polaroid 100 Pack film in the other rangefinder section? Give them their due credit? The SX-70 SLR's under the SLR section?

[dallard]

Some fp100c for a change. I noticed while looking over my old prints that the fuji stuff curls a lot while the polaroid stays flat.

img004 by daviz121, on Flickr

img003 by daviz121, on Flickr
More 664. I really love this film

img002 by daviz121, on Flickr

img001 by daviz121, on Flickr

[pdexposures]

Originally Posted by dallard

I noticed while looking over my old prints that the fuji stuff curls a lot while the polaroid stays flat.

Really? None of my fuji prints have any curl to them. What conditions are yours being stored in?

Also, looking through this thread is making me feel the need to devote more time to my pack cameras.

[dallard]

Originally Posted by pdexposures

Really? None of my fuji prints have any curl to them. What conditions are yours being stored in?

Also, looking through this thread is making me feel the need to devote more time to my pack cameras.

I keep them in their boxes laying flat on my desk. It's not humid where I live at all. I've got 100b, 3000b, and 100c and they're all curly but the black and whites are the worst. But the Polaroid 664, Chocolate, and Sepia films are all perfectly flat. It's not a big deal, just makes scanning a pain.
This thread has made me look over all my prints and I second your sentiment about shooting more pack film.

[HLing]

Interesting. My FP100c and FP3000B don't curl much, except right when I peel them apart. They dry pretty flat.

"Chocolate film"? sounds delicious. Do you have samples, Dallard?

I agree about pack film: let's make a pack film Pack!

Originally Posted by dallard

I keep them in their boxes laying flat on my desk. It's not humid where I live at all. I've got 100b, 3000b, and 100c and they're all curly but the black and whites are the worst. But the Polaroid 664, Chocolate, and Sepia films are all perfectly flat. It's not a big deal, just makes scanning a pain.
This thread has made me look over all my prints and I second your sentiment about shooting more pack film.

[Ezzie]

Woodland path by Eirik0304, on Flickr

[eurekaiv]

I just finished my first pack of FP-100C pack film in a Polaroid 360 I picked up. Not sure if it's me or the camera but both Fuji packs I've run through ate the first few frames when the white tab tore off without revealing the film tab. I might be instructionally challenged but I can't see anything I'm doing wrong and the stuff works fine after frame 3 or so. :shrug: In any case, here's my favorite shot—great looking stuff IMO. I'm going to order some more.


Santa Ana Boxing Club by eurekaiv, on Flickr

[Ezzie]

Originally Posted by eurekaiv

I just finished my first pack of FP-100C pack film in a Polaroid 360 I picked up. Not sure if it's me or the camera but both Fuji packs I've run through ate the first few frames when the white tab tore off without revealing the film tab. I might be instructionally challenged but I can't see anything I'm doing wrong and the stuff works fine after frame 3 or so. :shrug: In any case, here's my favorite shot—great looking stuff IMO. I'm going to order some more.


Santa Ana Boxing Club by eurekaiv, on Flickr

Hi. A well know issue with 100 Series Land Camera (of which the 360 is one). The camera was made for Polaroid's own pack films. These came in metal cases, not plastic as are the Fuji films. The two pronged spring on the back pushing the pack into place puts two much pressure on the film in the Fuji pack. The pressure lets up once there are fewer film sheets left in the pack.

Remedies range from:
- Weakining the springs through pushing them back (as I do). And be careful when pulling the first tabs. Some even open up the back slightly when pulling the first tabs, I don't risk it (light may get in, obviously)
- Removing the spring, the pack sits nicely regardless of the spring missing (allegedly).
- Removing the spring AND the timer

I chose a 250 because it doesn't have a timer. You don't need one with Fuji films, they have selfexterminating developing agents.

EDIT: Liked the pictures though

[dallard]

Originally Posted by Ezzie

Hi. A well know issue with 100 Series Land Camera (of which the 360 is one). The camera was made for Polaroid's own pack films. These came in metal cases, not plastic as are the Fuji films. The two pronged spring on the back pushing the pack into place puts two much pressure on the film in the Fuji pack. The pressure lets up once there are fewer film sheets left in the pack.

Remedies range from:
- Weakining the springs through pushing them back (as I do). And be careful when pulling the first tabs. Some even open up the back slightly when pulling the first tabs, I don't risk it (light may get in, obviously)
- Removing the spring, the pack sits nicely regardless of the spring missing (allegedly).
- Removing the spring AND the timer

I chose a 250 because it doesn't have a timer. You don't need one with Fuji films, they have selfexterminating developing agents.

EDIT: Liked the pictures though

Another, more difficult option is to change the plastic back for a metal polaroid one in a changing bag. Problem is you have to do this for every fuji pack and it's a pain compared to just weakening the springs.

[eurekaiv]

Ahh... thanks so much for the tip guys. I'll have to try those suggestions. As for the model, I didn't really choose a 360, more like the 360 chose me. I found it at the swap meet, and was able to walk away with it for $10. My kind of camera. And it looks nearly new!

[dallard]

Originally Posted by eurekaiv

Ahh... thanks so much for the tip guys. I'll have to try those suggestions. As for the model, I didn't really choose a 360, more like the 360 chose me. I found it at the swap meet, and was able to walk away with it for $10. My kind of camera. And it looks nearly new!

That's a steal! I've got to go to more swap meets.

[paulfish4570]

some lovely photos in this thread ...

[eurekaiv]

Originally Posted by dallard

That's a steal! I've got to go to more swap meets.

Yeah, well it ate another pack of film, this time ruining the whole lot, so its ultimately cost me more then $10 if you care to look at it that way. I removed the spring in its entirety prior to installing the film this time, but the timer unit is clearly putting too much pressure of the flimsy plastic cartridge the Fuji stuff comes in. Looks like I'll have to do some additional surgery.

[pdexposures]

Call me crazy, I have never had an issue with the springs. Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with how you're removing the film? Of the countless packs of film I have shot, the darkslide ripped on me exactly once. This is over cameras with and without the timer.

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

[eurekaiv]

Originally Posted by pdexposures

Call me crazy, I have never had an issue with the springs. Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with how you're removing the film? Of the countless packs of film I have shot, the darkslide ripped on me exactly once. This is over cameras with and without the timer.

I'm not sure. But I don't know any other way to do it. The only other pack film camera I've used prior to this was a Colorpack III. They load similarly but not exactly the same I guess, so I checked my 360's instruction manual before installing the first pack. When I pull the white tab to reveal the film tab, the white is just ripping off, either with very gentle tugging or a stronger yank. Sometimes it has revealed enough of the film tab (is this the darkslide?) that I could get my finger to it to pull it through but I've had mixed results. The last pack tore a white tab and then I somehow ended up pulling two frames through and leaving behind a chemical pack that tore open at the rollers making a huge mess. Prior to that I had been able to wrestle out the first few frames and then it seemed like the last 6 or 7 worked more normally with the last few coming through with ease and spreading the chemicals perfectly even.

[Robert Lai]

My 180 and 250 had similar misbehaviour with the Fuji film packs until I got rid of the springs inside the camera back.

Carefully checking close focus tests show that there is no effect on the film pack seating properly at the film plane without the springs. The paper tabs are a lot easier to pull out now, and they don't tear anymore.

[Penzes]

I used my Hasselblad with the Polaroid back a few times. I was quite pleased with results, but the frame size was disappointing.

So I snapped a Landcamera 350 with some accessory. I modified the battery compartment to take CR123 and cleaned the camera a bit. Got Fuji FP-100C yesterday, so I hit the road to test it. The first pictures came out quite nice.

MG [Polaroid Test-Shot] by Istvan Penzes, on Flickr


Jeep Cherokee Grand Wagoneer [Polaroid] by Istvan Penzes, on Flickr

Polaroid Landcamera 350
Fuji FP-100C
Canon Canoscan 8800F

[ped]

I'm trying the new Impossible Project PX70 COOL film. It's great, the pictures look like paintings:

[Ezzie]

Originally Posted by Penzes

I used my Hasselblad with the Polaroid back a few times. I was quite pleased with results, but the frame size was disappointing.

So I snapped a Landcamera 350 with some accessory. I modified the battery compartment to take CR123 and cleaned the camera a bit. Got Fuji FP-100C yesterday, so I hit the road to test it. The first pictures came out quite nice.

MG [Polaroid Test-Shot] by Istvan Penzes, on Flickr
I

Jeep Cherokee Grand Wagoneer [Polaroid] by Istvan Penzes, on Flickr

Polaroid Landcamera 350
Fuji FP-100C
Canon Canoscan 8800F

Lovely colours.