Packfilm

JGOB · Apr 28, 2016

Last year I decided to stop relying on my iPhone (because it became unreliable ) and bought myself a Fujifilm X100T. It taught me what the word rangefinder meant and since I've been discovering all about film photography. I went from a bunch of rangefinders to an SLR, to a Konica Hexar and an Olympus XA2.
Then I got an Instax printer as a present to use along with my X100T and shortly after I bought a Polaroid Image/Spectra system.
I just went to get a new pack of Impossible film and saw the Fuji packfilm lying behind the counter. It makes me want to try out packfilm before it disappears. I don't think investing in a decent Polaroid is still a good idea. So what's a very cheap camera you can get to try out packfilm?

Alan9940 · Apr 28, 2016

The Swinger would certainly be a good choice for getting in a cheaply as possible. If you wish to invest a little more and get a much better camera, I would suggest one of the 100, 200, 300, 400 series Land cameras. If you decide to go this way, then I'd do a little research because some of these models have a plastic lens and others have a glass lens; up to you which you might prefer. I've had a Land 250 for years and really like it.

But, as you said, I wouldn't advise investing much money in one because the future of packfilm looks very grim at the moment. Fuji has discontinued FP-100C and their B&W film is long gone. You can still buy both on eBay, but the price is getting ridiculous. CatLabs has said they plan to fill the void here, but that's all talk at this point.

Good luck!

vdonovan · Apr 28, 2016

The Swinger (the white one) does not take Fuji pack film! It takes very very obsolete Polaroid instant roll film. There was a pack film version called, interestingly, The Big Swinger, which can only use Fuji FP-3000b black and white pack film. This film is now very expensive and almost completely gone.

A super cheap option is the Colorpack. You can find these in thrift stores everywhere and they can shoot both Fuji color and black and white. They take double-A batteries, which is great because many of the folding Polaroid pack film cameras (which take better pictures than the Colorpack) use a hard-to-find 3.5 volt battery. I've owned many of these and they are fun cameras.

More info here:
http://www.instantoptions.com/landlist/cameras/packfilm/

Alan9940 · Apr 28, 2016

vdonovan said:
They take double-A batteries, which is great because many of the folding Polaroid pack film cameras (which take better pictures than the Colorpack) use a hard-to-find 3.5 volt battery.

The Polaroid pack film cameras can easily be converted to take AA batteries.

iandvaag · Apr 28, 2016

I second the suggestion of a colorpack camera. Saw one locally for $12 just the other day. I'm sure it won't depreciate much even though pack film looks like it's over.

Lee Rust · Apr 28, 2016

Here's another vote for the Colorpack II, especially the early versions with glass lenses. I recently ran across a Reporter, which is very similar to the Colorpack but has a folding lensboard and closes up into a nice compact package.

CatLABS · Apr 28, 2016

vdonovan said:
The Big Swinger, which can only use Fuji FP-3000b black and white pack film. This film is now very expensive and almost completely gone.

...zzz
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/843361-REG/Fujifilm_15200772_Instant_Black_White.html

Alan9940 · Apr 28, 2016

CatLABS said:
...zzz
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/843361-REG/Fujifilm_15200772_Instant_Black_White.html

WOW!! And, to believe I thought I paid a bit too much at $17 per... Glad I stocked up!

BAC1967 · Apr 28, 2016

vdonovan said:
The Swinger (the white one) does not take Fuji pack film! It takes very very obsolete Polaroid instant roll film. There was a pack film version called, interestingly, The Big Swinger, which can only use Fuji FP-3000b black and white pack film. This film is now very expensive and almost completely gone.

A super cheap option is the Colorpack. You can find these in thrift stores everywhere and they can shoot both Fuji color and black and white. They take double-A batteries, which is great because many of the folding Polaroid pack film cameras (which take better pictures than the Colorpack) use a hard-to-find 3.5 volt battery. I've owned many of these and they are fun cameras.

More info here:
http://www.instantoptions.com/landlist/cameras/packfilm/

The Big Swinger only takes FP-100C. I did a mod with a red filter to use FP-1000b but the results weren't the best.

vdonovan · Apr 28, 2016

BAC1967 said:
The Big Swinger only takes FP-100C. I did a mod with a red filter to use FP-1000b but the results weren't the best.

The Big Swinger only took B&W ISO 3000 pack film. You might be thinking of the Big Shot, which only took ISO 100 film (and required a flash cube!). I've owned both cameras and used them extensively.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Polaroid_Big_Swinger_3000
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Polaroid_Big_Shot

JGOB · Apr 28, 2016

The instantoptions link is very useful, thanks!
So far I've got my eye on a Colorpack II. There seem to be a lot of those that aren't getting sold. With any luck I might get one for €10. Is there any way to tell if its a glass lens? I mean if I would ask a seller that doesn't really know. Can you tell by the serial number?
There's also a Land 100 model which has already been converted that might be interesting although I'm not sure what to bid on that one.

Lee Rust · Apr 29, 2016

The glass lenses are coated, so reflections from the lens have a purplish/brownish cast. The plastic Polaroid lenses have no color and tend to be larger in diameter than their glass counterparts. All the Land 100 cameras have glass lenses, but at this stage of the game I wouldn't worry about these details too much. Get a camera and make some pictures before the film is gone.

BAC1967 · Apr 29, 2016

vdonovan said:
The Big Swinger only took B&W ISO 3000 pack film. You might be thinking of the Big Shot, which only took ISO 100 film (and required a flash cube!). I've owned both cameras and used them extensively.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Polaroid_Big_Swinger_3000
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Polaroid_Big_Shot

Sorry, my mistake. I may have to get a Big Swinger now!

JGOB · Apr 29, 2016

OK, I'm picking up a Colorpack II tomorrow for €10 That was fast.

Lee Rust · Apr 29, 2016

The ColorPack is very capable. I've always been intrigued by the clever mirror arrangement that reflects the lens focus scale into the viewfinder.

JGOB · Apr 29, 2016

Can't wait to try it out!
I just hope its not a melon. The battery compartment is supposed to be clean.
It even comes with a couple of packs of flashcubes. And a pack of Kodacolor II film, which they think go with the camera

JGOB · May 22, 2016

It's been a month now. The camera was squeaky clean and it came with it's original box an two packs of flashcubes.
I went to buy packfilm the day after and since then I've been making one exposure a week. The guy at the camera store was excited that he could still show someone how to use one of these camera's and how to save the negatives.
Every now and then I buy myself an extra pack to put in the fridge. It's 20 a pack but I reckon it's still cheaper than impossible film and the quality is so much better.
Also I can't help myself looking out for one of the automatic land camera's. It would be a bit more compact to carry around. Hopefully prices will go down as prices for the film go up. I'll keep my eyes open for a 100 and keep looking around at flea markets.
I hope CatLABS of JP will succeed at making pack film at an affordable price once the fujifilm supplies run out.

Lee Rust · May 22, 2016

One exposure a week? That's some self-discipline!

The 100 series Land Cameras have a rangefinder and they fold up nicely, but they're a half-century old by now and the auto exposure electronics and bellows can be unreliable. The ColorPacks are a bit newer and don't have as many technical issues, plus it's not that hard to find flashcubes. That being said, I have a 100 and it's a very nice camera.

We're all hoping that some qualified entrepreneur will rescue packfilm from oblivion. For all the retro hype about Impossible instant film, there's really no comparison when it comes to print quality.

Vidar · Jan 26, 2017

BUMP

Been searching on the internet. It's been long since any news about packfilm..

The FP-100C is getting more expensive..

Is all hope gone? Can something still happen?

Theo Sulphate · Jan 26, 2017

It's not being made any more and I believe Fuji has dismantled and disposed of the machinery that produced it. It's unlikely Impossible would make pack film for 100-series cameras, but who knows?

Vidar · Jan 27, 2017

Let's hope something happens..

I don't want that Instax plastic..

RattyMouse · Jan 29, 2017

Vidar said:
Let's hope something happens..

I don't want that Instax plastic..

5.7 million people differ.

David T T · Jan 30, 2017

Impossible will not make pack film, as the factory they rescued did not possess that machinery. (I wrote them and confirmed) Cat Labs I believe is the company that is claiming to have plans for making it again. And they claim to be serious.

Vidar · Jan 30, 2017

David T T said:
Impossible will not make pack film, as the factory they rescued did not possess that machinery. (I wrote them and confirmed) Cat Labs I believe is the company that is claiming to have plans for making it again. And they claim to be serious.

It's been months since Cat Labs have released any news about this.. One should think they had frequent updates to keep up the interest. But who knows!

Dinis Figueira · Jan 30, 2017

Vidar said:
It's been months since Cat Labs have released any news about this.. One should think they had frequent updates to keep up the interest. But who knows!

They won't even answer emails about it...

Packfilm

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency