PETITION FOR POLAROID 665 / 55

[Guillaume Zuili]

Hi,

I'm working right now in Paris on a project using as usual my 665 and, day after day, I'm more and more upset about the end of that incredible film.

I'm thinking of launching a petition. I can count on the other photographers from my agency in Paris (VU) and get some friends of Rapho, Magnum and Tendance Floue.

I need you ! The more we can be, the better it is !

Even if it's hopeless, I want to give a last chance.

Best regards to all,

Guillaume

 

[haris]

I am ready to support fight for every film no matter if I use it or not.

But, what about next idea: you and your friends, or better agencies in which you are (VU, Rapho, Magnum and Tendance Floue) buy rights and machines for manufacturing 665 / 55 from Polaroid, and to continue to manufacture those films for yourselves and for selling them to rest of us. Maybe Polaroid don't have financial excuse to continue manufacturing of those films, so you could do that

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

They are still making Type 55, and the website said that the discontinuation of 665 is unrelated to 55, last I checked.

 

[Sean]

there are many free on-line petition services. You could setup an online petition then supply the url so people could sign.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Sean,I'm going to do the online petition.
David, Type 55 is next.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

David, Type 55 is next.

We all speculate that it might be, but do you have any evidence of that? Polaroid says--

Please be advised that Polaroid will be discontinuing 665 film within the first 6 months of 2006 due to the phasing out of components used in the production of this film.
The discontinuation of 665 does not impact the supply or manufacture of 55 film, an alternative to 665.

 

[Christopher Nisperos]

Guillaume,

I support you on this.

Le Grand Format (the Paris "all large format" store), recently told me that the discontinuation of this film would probably effect their business even more than the discontinuation of regular film! Next, type 55? What a catastrophe.

Signing a petition is good, but in addition to that — in order to motivate Polaroid to continue the production of this film (unless it's already too late)—, I think it would be wise to let them know how many packs we are seriously committed to buying (1) immediately, and, (2) on a yearly basis. .. as in the case of Ilford ULF film production. Otherwise they might think of the petition as so much blah blah.

 

[ann]

55 is a totally different emulsion . 665 is cut from a different roll and that is the roll type that is being discontinued

 

[Jersey Vic]

I am with you and will forward the petition to all of my colleagues.

 

[MichaelBriggs]

As David pointed out, Polaroid's webpage (http://www.polaroid.com/global/deta...4302028651&bmUID=1137703415616&bmLocale=en_US)
annoucing the discontinuation of 665 specifically states that the Type 55 is not effected. Unless you have some reliable source that you haven't told you us about, stating without qualifiers that "55 is next" is irresponsible.

What matters more to Polaroid than any petition is the financial results. If you want Polaroid to continue Type 55, then buy Type 55. Vote with your money. That will count with Polaroid ten thousand times more than an internet petition.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Unless you have some reliable source that you haven't told you us about, stating without qualifiers that "55 is next" is irresponsible.

What matters more to Polaroid than any petition is the financial results. If you want Polaroid to continue Type 55, then buy Type 55. Vote with your money. That will count with Polaroid ten thousand times more than an internet petition.[/QUOTE]

Mickael,

It has been 25 years that I am voting with my money, on Tri-X, 665, 55 and Agfa paper. I begin to really feel left alone.
Last week alone I bought and used 25 packs of 665.
I know that 55 and 665 use different rolls of emulsion and, therefore come from two different plants.
Now, there are a lot of rumors concerning the 55. Coming from the same sources that said the same thing, last year, about the 665.
I'm concerned and you can call me irresponsible as many times as you want, I will not care.

 

[ajuk]

Hi,

I'm working right now in Paris on a project using as usual my 665 and, day after day, I'm more and more upset about the end of that incredible film.

I'm thinking of launching a petition. I can count on the other photographers from my agency in Paris (VU) and get some friends of Rapho, Magnum and Tendance Floue.

I need you ! The more we can be, the better it is !

Even if it's hopeless, I want to give a last chance.

Best regards to all,

Guillaume

Is this the stuff than can be manipulated? I had always wanted to try that , Someone told me to do it diigitally!, Some poeple just don't get it, thats up there with Adding grain in PS :rolleyes:

best place to start a petion is http://www.petitiononline.com/, if you start it I will be sure to spread the word around DeviantArt as that is where many of the young film users congregate.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Is this the stuff than can be manipulated? I had always wanted to try that , Someone told me to do it diigitally!, Some poeple just don't get it, thats up there with Adding grain in PS :rolleyes:

665 is B&W positive/negative film. SX-70 film is the stuff that can be manipulated with a stylus to produce a "Van Gogh" effect. Type 669/79/809 is what is usually used for color Polaroid transfers and emulsion lifts. There's some good info on these techniques on the Polaroid website.

 

[waynecrider]

665 is B&W positive/negative film. SX-70 film is the stuff that can be manipulated with a stylus to produce a "Van Gogh" effect. Type 669/79/809 is what is usually used for color Polaroid transfers and emulsion lifts. There's some good info on these techniques on the Polaroid website.

Ajuk, from what I read just last year, the SX70 film was changed and apparently changed in the wrong direction for manipulation. Check the threads on this before you leap.

 

[ajuk]

Ajuk, from what I read just last year, the SX70 film was changed and apparently changed in the wrong direction for manipulation. Check the threads on this before you leap.

I would have thought that most of the sales of SX-70 are by people wanting to to manipulations.

 

[ann]

there were changes made in the time zero film (sx-70) and the result of the change was a difficultly with manipulation. The worked out the problem and the proper type for manipulation was made available.

In Oct. an annoucement was made that by March 2006 that film would be discontinued.

The people who use this film are not happy, but the market is not supporting it 's continued coating. It is not an easy film to coat and the cost high.

At this time there is film available with an expiration date of 12-06. when that is gone, there will be no more time zero film much to many of our heartaches.

Yes, one can use 600 film in the sx-70 cameras, but most people, not all of course, who use these cameras want film that can be manipulated, and 600 won't do that.

When all of my time zero film is gone, i will have a pair of sx-70 bookends on my hands.

And just to cover all bases, this film can not be frozen, and sometimes it will work after the expiration date and sometimes not.

 

[ajuk]

Can it be kept in the fridge?

 

[ann]

yes, and it should be, but not frozen.