Polaroid 545 Film Back

I recently bought a Polaroid film back that appears to be in a little weak condition. The rollers appear to have gotten a little chemistry on them and now have a few spots of corrosion. If cleaned up, will these pitted areas have any adverse affect on my PN 55 negatives.images? I've not used one of these backs before. The rubber roller seems a little weak also. Is is supposed to roll and if so, how easily. Thanks, Bill Barber

Hi Bill

best I can say is clean it up and give it a go, with out seeing the back it's impossible to offer an opinion

assuming you know that type 55 (as with all polaroid instant materials) has been discontinued, I have to ask what you are hoping to do?

are you planning on buying a lot of stock, it stores well if left unopened, I've used 4 year old film with no problems, if you are then surely you should also invest in a good working back as you don't want to waste your precious film on a dodgy back.

enjoy it while you can and if you have any further questions ask away

Bill, let me know if you have any further problems with your 545 back- I have at least a half-dozen sitting unused... They were for pinhole classes, but probably won't be used again.

John

John you might use them for quickloads.... in that case I'd just ditch the unneeded rollers and such.

Bill you don't have to process 55 in that holder, you can do it "normally" e.g. in a tray... just something to consider.

I pickup another 545 back and returned the one in question. Needed the back for a Christopher James workshop in Santa Fe. Have a package of film and another on the way. If I like it, I may try to find a few more boxes of film. Back is going to add $1.45 to each exposure if I don't get any more film. That isn't going to break me. Hey and who knows, maybe someone will decide to start making it again . . . and I'm not holding my breath. Bill Barber