Kodak Instant Film Back

[Ima Kyler]

I know Kodak instant film went away in the early 80's. I have just come across a motorized 4x5 Kodak Instant Film back. Could not seem to find much of anything about this item anywhere. Obsolete garbage or rare collector item?

 

[AgX]

I was not aware of it either. But does this fact makes it a collector item ??
There is no longer use for it by lack of fitting cassette/film.

 

[guangong]

Kodak’s instant film was removed from the shelves because of patent infringement of Polaroid patents. If my memory is correct, Kodak actually made film marketed by Polaroid. Such is the world of manufacturing.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The difference between obsolete garbage and collector's items is who wants it and what they'll pay.

That said, it's apparently possible to "use" Instax film in those, with some level of improvisation and effort. Like the original Kodak, Instax exposes through what becomes the back side of the final print, so you get right-reading images (unlike what you'd get with Polaroid integral films). I'd pay shipping for one.

 

[Bill Burk]

Piece of history- bet it’s rare

 

[AgX]

The difference between obsolete garbage and collector's items is who wants it and what they'll pay.

That said, it's apparently possible to "use" Instax film in those, with some level of improvisation and effort..

No, the Instax film, though technically to be a substitute, does not work as it is bigger than the Kodak cassette and the Kodak chamber for the cassette.

 

[GRHazelton]

I recall being given a Kodak Instant camera. An ugly kludge of a camera, IIRC. When the suit went against Kodak, we owners were given coupons toward Kodak film. I was relieved that the KodaKludge was a gift; I doubt that the value of the coupons equaled the cost of the KodaKludge. Kodak really needed better patent lawyers, IMHO.

 

[GRHazelton]

BTW, in the vein of this thread: I have a Polaroid back for my Bronica ETRSi 645 SLR. Will the Instax film work in this back?

 

[AgX]

Kodak really needed better patent lawyers, IMHO.

Not at all.
Instead the respective US court needed a better judge, who would have been able to understand that the Polaroid and Kodak systems were technically grossly different, even needed completely different cameras opticwise.

The decision was a bad joke. But made legal history so to say...

 

[AgX]

BTW, in the vein of this thread: I have a Polaroid back for my Bronica ETRSi 645 SLR. Will the Instax film work in this back?

Instax integral film and Poloroid peel-apart film have different formats, different casettes, different rollers.

And as indicated above Instax and Polaroid integral films are even more different.

 

[MattKing]

Not at all.
Instead the respective US court needed a better judge, who would have been able to understand that the Polaroid and Kodak systems were technically grossly different, even needed completely different cameras opticwise.

The decision was a bad joke. But made legal history so to say...

Yep - created an entirely new cause of action that had no previous support in US patent law precedent.
And while Polaroid was suing Kodak, they left Fuji to proceed with the same technology without hindrance.
Enjoy your Instax - fundamentally it is that same technology.

 

[Donald Qualls]

No, the Instax film, though technically to be a substitute, does not work as it is bigger than the Kodak cassette and the Kodak chamber for the cassette.

There are three sizes of Instax film, of course, but I put quotes on "use" because I understood this was done like using Instax in 2x3 cut film holders, pack film Polaroid backs and cameras, etc. -- extract one print from the Instax pack in the dark and install it some way in the receptor camera, expose normally (for ISO 800), then return the film to the Instax pack and process through an Instax camera. I once owned a bottom-end Kodak instant camera (the one with the hand crank on the side to eject the print) -- ran one pack of film through it before the lawsuit shut down Kodak's film production, and either sold it at a yard sale or trashed it before the end of the 1980s. Given the film loaded endwise, like a Polaroid integral, rather than from the back like Instax, it wasn't easy even to tell if they could be adapted for the next-smaller Instax pack (I'm guessing not, but it might be possible to kludge).

BTW, in the vein of this thread: I have a Polaroid back for my Bronica ETRSi 645 SLR. Will the Instax film work in this back?

If that's a pack film back, it will, in a way.

There are YouTube videos on using Instax film in pack-film Polaroids; they boil down to taping the correct format Instax print to a piece of (very) heavy paper that you then install into a Type 100 (or Type 88?) film pack and load into the camera (still in the dark, or in the light if you have or make a dark sheet like the original Polaroid/Fuji packs used) with the pull strip pre-routed through the rollers, expose (ISO 800, so most automatic Polaroid cameras will have exposure issues that are more or less tractable), then (slowly and steadily) pull the strip to drag the print through the rollers, break the pod, and spread the goo. From there, it's just an Instax print taped to a pull sheet; untape and enjoy the development.

If you have or make dark sheets, it might be possible to load one of these into each of a number of pack shells, and field reload the camera back; otherwise, it's one (per Polaroid back) per darkroom/changing bag session. Not very practical, but "possible."

 

[GRHazelton]

There are three sizes of Instax film, of course, but I put quotes on "use" because I understood this was done like using Instax in 2x3 cut film holders, pack film Polaroid backs and cameras, etc. -- extract one print from the Instax pack in the dark and install it some way in the receptor camera, expose normally (for ISO 800), then return the film to the Instax pack and process through an Instax camera. I once owned a bottom-end Kodak instant camera (the one with the hand crank on the side to eject the print) -- ran one pack of film through it before the lawsuit shut down Kodak's film production, and either sold it at a yard sale or trashed it before the end of the 1980s. Given the film loaded endwise, like a Polaroid integral, rather than from the back like Instax, it wasn't easy even to tell if they could be adapted for the next-smaller Instax pack (I'm guessing not, but it might be possible to kludge).



If that's a pack film back, it will, in a way.

There are YouTube videos on using Instax film in pack-film Polaroids; they boil down to taping the correct format Instax print to a piece of (very) heavy paper that you then install into a Type 100 (or Type 88?) film pack and load into the camera (still in the dark, or in the light if you have or make a dark sheet like the original Polaroid/Fuji packs used) with the pull strip pre-routed through the rollers, expose (ISO 800, so most automatic Polaroid cameras will have exposure issues that are more or less tractable), then (slowly and steadily) pull the strip to drag the print through the rollers, break the pod, and spread the goo. From there, it's just an Instax print taped to a pull sheet; untape and enjoy the development.

If you have or make dark sheets, it might be possible to load one of these into each of a number of pack shells, and field reload the camera back; otherwise, it's one (per Polaroid back) per darkroom/changing bag session. Not very practical, but "possible."

Thanks for the detailed answer. I think I'll stick with roll film; I can use my DSLR for proof purposes.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Thanks for the detailed answer. I think I'll stick with roll film; I can use my DSLR for proof purposes.

Hence why I said I'd pay shipping for the 4x5 Kodak instant back. I'd like to look one over and see if it could be converted, and willing to keep one out of the trash, but not willing to pay collector prices.

Those guys on YouTube will put any film in anything, I think. Sometimes it works okay -- like 120 in a 116 camera, or 35mm in almost anything that uses roll film, by one means or another -- and sometimes it's a stunt. "Look, I did this, and it worked!" Now, if I could afford the Coyote back, I'd shoot Instax with my RB67 on a regular basis -- but I'm unlikely to go buy an Instax camera in order to hacksaw it into a condition that can be glued to a Polaroid adapter that replace the Graflok back.

Nor am I likely to shoot Instax in Graphic/International film holders. Sure, it's cheaper than color sheet film (at least if you buy your prints on eBay), but, um, not practical. I have considered getting one of the cardboard JoyLook cameras, though. Instax mini back, junk camera, about $70. I wouldn't feel guilty about hacking that back to fit on my RB...

 

[AgX]

Hence why I said I'd pay shipping for the 4x5 Kodak instant back. I'd like to look one over and see if it could be converted, and willing to keep one out of the trash, but not willing to pay collector prices.

A right attitude to my mind. But as seemingly that back consists of modified parts of a Kodak instant camera, and as you want to convert that instant back anyway, you also could directly start with a Kodak instant camera and go from there.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I wasn't aware that was a hacked camera. "Made in Germany" -- but I guess that makes sense, same idea as the Instax backs you can buy, if the sellers have any left or you back the Kickstarter.

 

[AgX]

The back is based on the EK8 camera:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...2/Kodak_EK8_Open.jpg/800px-Kodak_EK8_Open.jpg

"Made in Germany" as Kodak manufactured quite some camera models in their german camera works. I guess some never reached the USA.