I Want My Type 55

[rwboyer]

Anyone else miss Polaroid Type 55? Every time I run across anything I shot with type 55 I have this compulsion that I absolutely must go shoot some, then I go to eBay and look at the prices for 8x10 Type 55 that expired like 500 years ago and just forget it.

What are you people that miss this stuff shooting instead when you get the hankering?

 

[Vaughn]

I still have my stash of 8 or so boxes of Type 55 in the fridge...all way out of date, of course. One-of-a-kind stuff for me...no replacement. Why do something like the below in 8x10 (my usual format)?

 

[rwboyer]

I still have my stash of 8 or so boxes of Type 55 in the fridge...all way out of date, of course. One-of-a-kind stuff for me...no replacement. Why do something like the below in 8x10 (my usual format)?

Can I be your friend Friends share don't they?

RB

 

[keithwms]

I still have a fair amount of type 55 and 665 in the fridge, but I mostly use panatomic x now. That is still available in fresh 5" rolls...

 

[rwboyer]

I still have a fair amount of type 55 and 665 in the fridge, but I mostly use panatomic x now. That is still available in fresh 5" rolls...

Yea I used to shoot that way back but I have been getting similar results with TMX for 10 years now. Type 55 is so so different (yea I know Panatomic-X is in there somehow) that you tell Type 55 from a mile away even if you don't see the borders.

RB

 

[keithwms]

If you used a monobath with panatomic x, I seriously doubt that you would be able to tell the difference from type 55. Why not try a monobath formula and see what it brings. I think the Haist book might get you started.

Borders schmorders.

 

[rwboyer]

If you used a monobath with panatomic x, I seriously doubt that you would be able to tell the difference from type 55. Why not try a monobath formula and see what it brings. I think the Haist book might get you started.

Borders schmorders.

Have you tried that? If so I would love to see the results before I embarked on one more process - I have too many processes going at the moment.

RB

 

[keithwms]

I have not spent any time on monobath, it is something on my long list of todos! I was planning to try it when I finally ran out of 55 and 665 (I haven't yet). Maybe I will try it this winter. But I think David Goldfarb has done it- you could ask him. But look, type 55 was almost certainly just panatomic x developed in a monobath. We've had various discussion on this here and it's true we don't have the proof... but it is very, very likely.

Look at this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Bottom line is that if you are dedicated to one film type shot at one speed, then a monobath is probably the ticket. They fell out of favour when people started shooting a bunch of different films at different speeds. At that point there would have been the need to optimize the monobath for each... so that was the beginning of the era of the general purpose developer.

Other than monobath, I suppose that rodinal may be another interesting thing to try with pan x.

 

[kompressor]

where do u but panatomic-x in 5" roll?

 

[keithwms]

Kodak still sells it, fresh, in 5" and 9.5" rolls. Look for example at HAS images or B&H in the US or at Tetenal in Europe. It also appears occasionally on ebay.

N.b. the aerial version probably has extended red sensitivity.

 

[keithwms]

P.S. See the post by Philip Jackson in this thread:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Only had an opportunity to shoot one bad out of date box. Still have the holder. Might sell my island nation for a couple more boxes in February if they are to be found. The B&J would love it. And so would I.