FYI ...Polaroid 55 and cold weather

[esearing]

Out shooting Sunday I learned something about Polaroid Type 55 film. You can expose film at any temperature, but development (within the film envelope) must be done at 50 degrees or higher. Below 65 degrees one must allow a full 60 seconds of development.

I thought initially my shutter was sticking open at 1/4 and 1/8 speeds, but apparently the prints were merely underdeveloped due to the cold weather. It was only about 45 degrees outside and I even tucked the film under my jacket durring development but I only developed for about 45 seconds at most. Normal is 20seconds.

Live and learn...

 

[rbarker]

Back to the Future - 55

Photographers back in the late 1800s wandered the countryside with "dark tents" - heavy canvas work areas in which they would coat the emulsion onto their glass plates. Winter PN/55 users might well adapt that approach by adapting those little ice-fishing tents into "warm tents" (with little heaters) to process their PN/55s. Naturally, setting up your Polaroid warm tent on a frozen lake is not recommended.

 

[Ed Sukach]

... those little ice-fishing tents ...

I wonder why they call it "ice-fishing"? My sadly missed son-in-law called it by its proper name:"Ice Drinking." I once left one of those on my hands and knees .. not only did I have trouble finding the door - I was having trouble finding the ice!

 

[Landrum]

You hold it uder your underarm inside your jacket.

Greg

 

[Deniz]

just develop them at home.. why bother out in the field?

 

[wm blunt]

Mr. Landrum,
Does one need to make sure "right guard " is used first? Sorry Greg couldn't resist.
Wm Blunt

 

[Landrum]

Bill it works better when your real sweaty and stinky, something about the chemistry of the sweat and how it interacts with the polaroid goo.

Greg

 

[glbeas]

Wonder how one of those chemical hand warmers would work in this situation?

 

[rbarker]

Wonder how one of those chemical hand warmers would work in this situation?

Hmmm. That might just work inside a changing tent - a mid-sized Harrison, for example.