bosco
#olympusboyz
i want to shoot 4x5 polaroids. i think that there is backs similar to the ones that you can get for medium format cameras that shoot the FP100C but they do not fill the full frame. i know about the polaroid land cameras as well but i would like some more control and sharper images. i am pretty sure about the back but what is a good cheap 4x5 camera and normal lens setup? just wanting to try something new.
hamradio
Well-known
The back you seek is the Polaroid 405 or Fuji PA-145. Both are for 3x4 packfilm, which is the only stuff currently available (and soon FP100c will be the only). 4x5 polaroid packfilm has been discontinued.
newsgrunt
Well-known
While backs are easy to find, film will be short dated so you're rolling the dice on that. At least until the New55 people get their product out, whenever that may be.
I have some T55 and it's hit and miss. Fuji FP film for the PA45 back can still be found, just not retail afaik. EBay and such will be the usual place to find this film.
I have some T55 and it's hit and miss. Fuji FP film for the PA45 back can still be found, just not retail afaik. EBay and such will be the usual place to find this film.
bosco
#olympusboyz
oh okay, then i guess i will look for the PA-145 back and i can pick up some fp100c from my local store. but do you guys have any suggestions on cheaper options for the actual camera part...
thanks for your responses
thanks for your responses
3rdtrick
Well-known
Now that you have decided to use the 3x4 films, then the cheapest camera would be an old Polaroid camera. They are cheap and often found at yard sales and the metal bodies have quite nice 3 element glass lenses and rangefinder focusing. The only thing you won't have over a 4x5 is the lens movements, tilt, shift, etc.
Pete
Moto-Uno
Moto-Uno
"Funkydog",that's a nice simple doable DIY,thanks, Peter
donkee
Established
If you want a polaroid camera that gives you some control take a look at the 180 and 195 models. You have manual shutter speed and aperture settings. I have the 180 and love it. They aren't cheap compared to the other polaroid offerings.
The other peel apart pack film cameras, unless I am forgetting something, are all auto exposure and almost all of them require flash cubes or bulbs for artificial light.
If I am wrong on any of this please correct me.
The other peel apart pack film cameras, unless I am forgetting something, are all auto exposure and almost all of them require flash cubes or bulbs for artificial light.
If I am wrong on any of this please correct me.
vdonovan
Vince Donovan
The other choice for a full-frame, manual, better-quality camera is a Mamiya Universal. This is an interchangeable lens press camera that will give you a full frame image on FP-100c. The Polaroid 600SE is basically the same camera, though with a different lens mount and only one lens is available for it (the 127mm).
A Universal will cost you about as much as a basic 4x5. It's very easy to find inexpensive 4x5 cameras!
A Universal will cost you about as much as a basic 4x5. It's very easy to find inexpensive 4x5 cameras!
3rdtrick
Well-known
You are right they are auto exposure but they have a lighten/darken adjustment so you have a little bit of control. The 180 sure is expensive, I saw one at the camera show for $900.
Yes they are set up for flashbulbs but a standard PC cord flash will plug in. Even though it is M sync, the electronic flash still works well. You just need to take your finger of the shutter button so it closes.
If the OP needs more control, check the Polaroid thread for all kinds of options.
Pete
donkee
Established
The 180s are way up there for a Polaroid camera. I wouldn't have the one I do if it hadn't been in a box full of cool old stuff I bought for $50 years ago. Even had a Camerz long roll camera in that box. It was in real bad shape though.
unixrevolution
Well-known
Beg pardon, but there are three lenses available for the Polaroid 600se. They are the 75mm, 150mm, and 127mm lenses made by Mamiya. They are optically equivalent to their Mamiya counterparts from the Press system. Interesting note, these three, in either mount, are the only lenses for the system that fully cover the Polaroid image area.
I believe the 75 requires a viewfinder on the Press.
As for a cheap and good camera that takes Fuji 145/Polaroid 405 backs and film, gives you view camera movements AND handheld capability, a Crown or Super graphic is a good choice. I just so happen to be selling a Super Graphic.
vdonovan
Vince Donovan
Thanks for the correction! I was thinking of the Polaroid 600, which had a fixed 127mm lens. The 600SE indeed had interchangeable lenses. They were made by Mamiya but the mount was different from the Universal, so even though the Polaroid 600SE and the Mamiya Universal were basically the same camera, you could not exchange lenses between them.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Certainly, if you want maximum versatility and ease of use, the 600SE is the best bet. You can also get adapters to use rollfilm on it: I use 6x9 & 6x7. The difficult bit is finding the 75mm lens, which can sost as much as the camera. The even more difficult bit is finding the rollfilm back adapters: see http://www.shutterbug.com/content/classic-camerasbrpolaroid-600-sebra-multi-format-monster
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
gunsmithing
Member
Have try just developing 4x5 neg It is low cost. I have do have a poaroid 545 but have not use it for 20 years just got tire of the cost of one shot. I have found I can scan Black and White neg in most office scaners. Then using photoshop print out the photos.
Dave
Dave
Frank Petronio
Well-known
Taking up Polaroid photography in 2014 is akin to...
Before investing any money into any instant film equipment I'd have a real heart-to-heart talk with yourself about why you want to do this and what your goals are. It's a dead end, with only one emulsion currently being made and that has an uncertain future. The Impossible Project film has been horribly inconsistent to the point of being unusable and it won't come in a larger format anyway. If anything ever is resurrected, the Type 55 material maybe but that's a ways off and it will not be cheap (predicted around $6+ per shot).
While there is a micro-industry and hipster cult follower for Polaroid, you should really ask yourself how the resultant images are somehow any better than using other films or digital processes? Perhaps a simple Cyanotype or other alternative process would fulfill whatever funky, handmade needs you envision... in which case maybe you'd want a larger than 4x5 camera?
Personally I think all this desire to use Polaroid, Kodachrome, Ilfochrome, E6, etc. is misplaced and if people really love it so much then they should have supported it when it was on the market, not years after it's discontinued. Spending a premium price for expired Polaroid products gives you an excuse to not shoot as much and makes an ordinary Polaroid snapshot somehow more precious when, no, it isn't. People made billions of boring Polaroids and there isn't much need for any more!
Make a good picture with an affordable, accessible medium instead?
Before investing any money into any instant film equipment I'd have a real heart-to-heart talk with yourself about why you want to do this and what your goals are. It's a dead end, with only one emulsion currently being made and that has an uncertain future. The Impossible Project film has been horribly inconsistent to the point of being unusable and it won't come in a larger format anyway. If anything ever is resurrected, the Type 55 material maybe but that's a ways off and it will not be cheap (predicted around $6+ per shot).
While there is a micro-industry and hipster cult follower for Polaroid, you should really ask yourself how the resultant images are somehow any better than using other films or digital processes? Perhaps a simple Cyanotype or other alternative process would fulfill whatever funky, handmade needs you envision... in which case maybe you'd want a larger than 4x5 camera?
Personally I think all this desire to use Polaroid, Kodachrome, Ilfochrome, E6, etc. is misplaced and if people really love it so much then they should have supported it when it was on the market, not years after it's discontinued. Spending a premium price for expired Polaroid products gives you an excuse to not shoot as much and makes an ordinary Polaroid snapshot somehow more precious when, no, it isn't. People made billions of boring Polaroids and there isn't much need for any more!
Make a good picture with an affordable, accessible medium instead?
Moto-Uno
Moto-Uno
I fear Frank is painfully correct,,BUT, I started with Kodachrome 25 and have had no regrets about using the Fuji alternatives. So I'm shooting as much E6 as I can, 'cuz I
still can......Peter
still can......Peter
3rdtrick
Well-known
Frank has a lot of good points. The OP originally was looking at 4x5 Polaroid and then settled for 3x4 because of the availability of the film. My feeling is that if you are going to shoot 3x4 Polaroid then there is a plethora of old pack film cameras that can be had cheaply.
So why Polaroid? 4x5 is certainly cheaper and I can shoot much better quality photos with my M9 but are they better? To me it is the fun of resurrecting the old cameras and the thrill of handing someone a print just seconds after taking their picture. People are still fascinated and surprised just as they were 50 years ago.
So Bosco, if you still want to shoot Polaroid (I hope you do), please check the Polaroid thread in this forum and see all the fun things we are doing with it.
Pete
So why Polaroid? 4x5 is certainly cheaper and I can shoot much better quality photos with my M9 but are they better? To me it is the fun of resurrecting the old cameras and the thrill of handing someone a print just seconds after taking their picture. People are still fascinated and surprised just as they were 50 years ago.
So Bosco, if you still want to shoot Polaroid (I hope you do), please check the Polaroid thread in this forum and see all the fun things we are doing with it.
Pete