New to instant photography

fastw · Feb 2, 2015

HI.
I want to get into instant photography. Was thinking of something smaller that LF that's easy to use and gives the biggest film area.
Any advice most welcome.
Cheers, Wojtek.

wiltw · Feb 2, 2015

I presume you are aware that while Medium Format cameras have available backs that take the Polaroid 6nn film packs, the film is no longer available, and the image area was a small 56x56mm or 56x42mm area within the 3-/14 x 4-1/4 instant print!

aRolleiBrujo · Feb 3, 2015

fastw said:
HI.
I want to get into instant photography. Was thinking of something smaller that LF that's easy to use and gives the biggest film area.
Any advice most welcome.
Cheers, Wojtek.

[h=1]Fujifilm FP-3000B Professional Instant Black & White Film (10 Exposures)[/h] B&H # FUFP3000BF MFR # 15200772

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=843361&Q=&is=REG&A=details

aRolleiBrujo · Feb 3, 2015

[h=1]Fujifilm FP-3000B Instant Black & White Print Film, ISO 3200, 3-1/4x4-1/4", Pack of Ten (10)[/h]
Dead Link Removed

aRolleiBrujo · Feb 3, 2015

fastw said:
HI.
I want to get into instant photography. Was thinking of something smaller that LF that's easy to use and gives the biggest film area.
Any advice most welcome.
Cheers, Wojtek.

I have used the film in a 6x6 Rollei 6008 and also a mamiya rb 6x7 back, and whatever area they offered, it was just fine with me! I love to use it, however, I haven't had the ability to I hope they keep it around forever! Good luck on your venture, you will love it! The first 3 were on the Rollei 6008 pro, with its Polaroid back.

Sleep Well, My Love by a.rodriguezpix, on Flickr

aRollei.Brujo.img018 by a.rodriguezpix, on Flickr

La Dama de el Muerte by a.rodriguezpix, on Flickr

a.Rollei.Brujo666-17 by a.rodriguezpix, on Flickr

fastw · Feb 3, 2015

I was thinking of something a bit bigger than MF, without having to deal with all the impracticality of LF. I know of those specialised Polaroid and Fuji cameras that I think use more of the film. Polaroid backs for MF were only really meant as an exposure test, I want something bigger that can be used as a final print. Is anyone using those and how big are the images. Also what about the quality, is it comparable to normal images from, say, MF cameras?
Cheers, W

Kirks518 · Feb 3, 2015

I have an RB67 SD with the Mamiya Polaroid back, and it gives a 7cm x 7cm square image. There is also the NPC Polaroid back, but it gives a smaller image that is not centered. I use the Fuji FP-100C, which has been good enough for me. 3200 ASA/ISO is really fast film, and and I have little use for such speed.

vdonovan · Feb 3, 2015

The only cameras that will give you the full 3.25 x 4.25 image size with instant film are the Polaroid pack film cameras, like the Automatic 100 and the 250. Most Polaroid pack film cameras are rangefinders with automatic exposure, no manual controls. You could also use a press camera with a pack film back, like the Mamiya Universal or the Polaroid 600SE, both of which are fully manual rangefinder cameras with excellent quality lenses. More info here:Dead Link Removed

Another excellent option is to find one of the older manual Polaroids (like the 110a) that has been modified to use pack film. This gives you the full image size with manual controls and an excellent quality lens and shutter. I have one of these and I LOVE it. Here is one source (not where I got mine): http://www.polaroidconversions.com/packfilm/

Polaroid (and Fuji) also made a film back for the 3.25 x 4.25 film that would fit into a 4x5 camera, the pa-145.

Fuji Instant FP-100c is the only remaining instant pack film still in production. It's a color, 100 iso instant film. Fuji's excellent black and white film, FP-3000b, was discontinued about a year ago, though there are still packs available. I don't buy outdated Polaroid film because the results are very unpredictable.

There is a group working on bringing back Polaroid's Type55 black and white 4x5 film. It's not yet in production, but they seem to be getting close. http://www.new55.net/

fastw · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks Vince, I've been looking at the Polaroid 600SE. Very nice and quality should be great too.

fastw · Feb 3, 2015

BTW, can you use something like the 600SE with a 120 film back, that would be really great.

hsandler · Feb 3, 2015

You can pick up a polaroid pack camera for less than the cost of a polaroid back for a medium format camera, and you will get a larger print. I have an automatic 100, the first pack film model, with a glass lens, 3 element I think. Two aperture settings. The prints are ok, but never critically sharp because of the spreading of the image as it diffuses from the negative layers to the print layer. If you bleach the backing off the fp-100c negative, you can get something to scan which is very sharp. Lots of youtube demos of how to do that. You cant get a real neg from the fp-3000b black and white film, although you can scan the paper neg and get an image with more dynamic range than the print, but very grainy. There is another forum on apug for polaroid cameras. Here is an example of a fujiroid.

Madame Rouge by Howard Sandler, on Flickr

cliveh · Feb 3, 2015

fastw said:
HI.
I want to get into instant photography. Was thinking of something smaller that LF that's easy to use and gives the biggest film area.
Any advice most welcome.
Cheers, Wojtek.

If you want instant photography then digital is for you.

M Carter · Feb 3, 2015

Aw, hell- 3000 discontinued?? How did I miss that?

Very fun film in MF, very nice looking too - I've use a .9 ND to get it down to reasonable speed.

AllanD · Feb 3, 2015

A baby Linhof with a polaroid back would give you a 75 x 85mm image with Fuji pack film, plus you would have a versatile 6x9 film camera with movements and interchangable lenses. Unfortunately, it seems that Linhof polaroid backs are rare.

jadphoto · Feb 4, 2015

Another possibility is a 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Polaroid back on a 4x5 camera, either view camera or a Crown Graphic. These do give the full 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 image.

Mamiya Universal, Horseman VH/VHR, and Graflex XL are some other medium format cameras that accept Polaroid backs.

But as others have said, it's kind of a moot point as film availability will probably be nil sooner than later.

Maybe using standard medium format b&w film and scanning the negatives would be a better option.

JD

New to instant photography

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