Fuji Wide instax back for large format

Donald Qualls

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They'll never be super-sharp (because the Instax film isn't), and the reciprocity departure is pretty bad, I hear -- but I'll probably still pre-order one...
 

cjbecker

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It will still be better then the instax camera. Ive made a few exposures on instax threw my graflex and the images are way sharper and look much better.
 

Donald Qualls

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Oh, yes -- you'll be using a good (or decent, anyway) lens and applying your own exposure, instead of whatever the camera electronics come up with -- but it'll never be any better than a Polaroid integral, likely not quite as good. At least it won't be mirrored.
 

cjbecker

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I never shot any of the polaroid but shot a lot of the fuji type 100. Really liked that stuff. Still have 2 boxes of the 100 color
 

tezzasmall

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film_man said:
This new little thing will be available some time from next year https://shop.lomography.com/en/lomo-graflok-instant-back

Really excited about it, I like the Fuji instax films. Being able to shoot them with a proper camera will be amazing.
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You have beaten me to it, not long after I put it on Fad: http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=13386.

I think it sounds likea great idea, and as there has been loads of people on forums mourning the Polaroid' instant film back, I'm sure it'll be a big seller.

Will or will I not get one?... I'm not sure yet, but there is a pre-order price reduction, so maybe...

I will be really interested to read the first few reviews though.

Terry S
 
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film_man

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Well I preordered one, only 7 months till delivery...
 

MattiS

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Well, I had a look at it and I doubt that I´ll order one.

For my kind of LF photography this back has one really weak point. The focusing plane is about 19mm offset in direction to the back. This means that all kinds of RF accessories, wide angle lenses and lenses in focusing helicoids probably won´t work. So you can´t check movements or critical focusing like you did with the Pola backs. Working with the Instax back will be different to what one was used with the old Polabacks. It is no 1:1 replacement.

Here you can see the film holder like spacer (at 00:10).

But I admit that this back makes handling of instax film in LF cameras much easier when the goal is an Instax picture. Grabbing an Instax pic out of it´s cartridge, taping it in a film holder and putting it back in a cartridge to develop it in an Instax camera IS a pita... Yes, fun could start with a 90mm lens in a RFless view camera. Ok, I have to wait for a weak moment... .
 
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Donald Qualls

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It should be possible to mount an "optical spacer" on the Instax back -- essentially a thick optical flat, which is optically shorter than the actual thickness (because of the refractive index). I've seen these used in various adapters before, to put the focal plane where it needs to be to agree with an RF calibration, scale, or ground glass.

IIRC, you'd multiply the actual offset by the index of the glass used to get the actual thickness -- so in this case, you'd have an inch or so of glass poking inside the camera body or bellows, and the glass would need to be optically flat on both sides with near-zero wedge, meaning it's not a cheap device.
 

Ariston

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I sometimes see people hating on Lomography, but they do things for analog that no one else has the resources or desire to do. Good for them.
 

radiant

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I checked prices for Instax Wide cameras - so what if I would tear down one camera to make my own back. But the prices of used cameras are almost 100 euros so the LomoGraflok seems pretty cheap actually!
 

xya

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surely I will order one. I have a modified lomo belair instax back for my 4x5 cameras which has ejection via a crank. I use it a lot since pack film has been discontinued. automatic ejection will be a major progress.

there is an instax back for the mamiya universal. that's even more handy as the mamiya is a rangefinder.
 

Donald Qualls

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Andrew O'Neill said:
Too bad my 4x5 back doesn't accept graflok...
Click to expand...

I don't have any Graflok compatible cameras, either -- didn't stop me from mounting a 405 or 550 Polaroid back. I made a retaining bracket from bent hobby brass that mounted with the screws that held the original Graphic spring back; I've used this on both my Graphic View and my Anniversary Speed Graphic. In this case, you'd need to have a quick-change -- like a reversing back with a spare back -- to allow focusing/composing on the ground glass with spacer, then swapping on the Lomo back for the actual exposure.

No sports photography with this, but it should still work for still subjects.
 

locutus

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I'll be getting one, working with the spacer seems like it'll be a bit of an annoyance but if that's what it takes it's OK.

Sharpness, yes film flatness is definitely a problem with Instax and that will limit whats possible. But keep in mind, as long as the whole system resolves enough for a visually sharp print it's OK.

I think this should be fun enough at the price point given, which is surprisingly low for such a niche item.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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I don't want to go through all that trouble though, just for mediocre results. I'd rather just by the Instax Wide camera and snap away!
 

ic-racer

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I hope this pans out. I hope most people on these forums realize that Instax film is extremely high quality film. Nothing LOMO about it. It is as good or better than any other instant film in the past.
 

ic-racer

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That this Instax film back places the film farther away than a film holder is not anything new to instant photography. The Horseman Polaroid back needed these spacers for the front standard and ground glass.
 

ic-racer

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The Mercury Instax Graflok film back for 6x9cm has been available for a while. Anyone here have one? I have considered it strongly.

 

Donald Qualls

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ic-racer said:
The Mercury Instax Graflok film back for 6x9cm has been available for a while. Anyone here have one? I have considered it strongly.
Click to expand...

The only camera I have that would accommodate that is my RB67 (which has a 2x3 Graflok), but that has no provision for setting the lens back or spacing out the ground glass to correct focus. In terms of ready practicality, that would be limited to 2x3 press type cameras which can accept an infinity stop spacer.
 

radiant

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What if there was a spacer for the focusing glass on RB67? It could be done actually.
 

Donald Qualls

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vedostuu said:
What if there was a spacer for the focusing glass on RB67? It could be done actually.
Click to expand...

I suppose it's possible, but it would have to space up the entire WLF or prism finder assembly. And then it would have to be mounted every time you mount the Instax back, and dismounted every time you remove the Instax back. Possible, but something of a PITA to use.
 

xya

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there are instax sqare backs for the rb67 that have the film plane where it should be, no offset. they have even room for a dark slide. I have the coyote back but there are others. mine is a marvel.
 
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