Camera and Film recommendations please

[j.scooter]

My daughter will be turning 16 soon and wants to do a 365 project to document her year. She does not want to use digital or film but has decided on instant film (something in which I have 0 knowledge about).

I am starting from the ground level and am looking for recommendations for both cameras and film.

The criteria, would be that the camera is small and versatile enough that she can use it everyday. I have a polaroid back for my RZ that I have never used, I thought very briefly of suggesting she used that 🙂

As far as the film, it should be readily available and moderately priced (if at all possible). She would be good with either/both B&W or colour and I am sure she would prefer the regular sized prints rather than the mini.

Also, please make recommendations on best places to buy, I am in Canada (which likely means that I will be doing mail order).


Thanks for your time.
James

 

[defconfunk]

Impossible Project film is $3/shot (plus shipping). I just realized that puts it at $1k for a 365 project... ouch.

B&H is your best bet for buying Fuji instant film, even in Canada. Their $10 shipping to Canada will be a lot cheaper than paying Henry's price for the film. Fuji FP-100 (8cm x 10cm) is $0.80/shot at B&H.

 

[vdonovan]

A basic Polaroid pack film camera (like the Automatic 100) in good working condition will cost you around $100. Use Fuji-FP100c film (readily available online and at the better camera shops), which is about $1/shot.

An alternative would be the Fuji Instax cameras and film. Film is inexpensive (about $1 shot) and easy to find. The cameras are well made and fun to use. Check out the new Instax Mini 90. You just don't get the retro Polaroid vibe.

 

[Frank Petronio]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1009510-REG/fujifilm_16404571_instax_mini_90_neo.html

The most expensive Instax mini is the Neo @ $160 but it has a tripod mount and self timer - and it actually focuses. The cheaper models have fixed guess focusing. The prints are credit card sized and about $0.70 each. You'd also want a tiny table tripod.

So a year's supply plus some experimentation and a camera = ~ $500.

For half of that you could outfit with a cool hipster vintage 35mm SLR and a dozen rolls of 36-exposure film with commercial processing, scanning, and printing....

 

[defconfunk]

I've been thinking of doing a 52 project (one roll per week). I was thinking I'd get two 100' rolls of Artisa 200 EDU (aka Fomapan 200, currently $41 each), the fancy AP loader with 20 cassettes ($90). Add in $60 for cross border shipping (ouch), and $50 for a bottle of Rodinal (Blazinal), stop, & fix from Henry's, and shooting 24 frames a week would cost me $250ish dollars for the year.

I don't know if your daugher wants to develop it herself. But if she does, you can do the full year, complete with a 35mm (SLR, RF, P&S, whatever floats her boat) from kijiji for $300.

It's another option anyways.

i'm really curious to hear what she choses to do.

 

[ruby.monkey]

You could cheat and go for a Polaroid z340 (about US$150 used on amazon) - it is a digicam but has a built-in 4x3" ZINK printer for that almost-polaroid experience.

It might even have an option to make the print-outs look just as crap as genuine Impossible Project results. 😉

 

[DominikDUK]

Instant film is unfortunately a bit expensive. Try amazon Canada they have a Fuji instax 210 kit with 100 exposures for CDN$ 168.48. Just out of curiosity why does your daughter want to use instant film instead of digital or classic film? Okay it's one of the coolest photographic things on the planet but there should be another reason than the coolness factor alone.

 

[j.scooter]

Thanks for all the replies.
After looking at all the available options for instant film, we couldn't find an option that would work for her to do a 365 project.
I tried talking her into using one of my 35mm slr s, but she wants to be able to post a picture every day, I guess that is why she thought about Polaroids in the first place.
We decided on digital, I bought her a used fuji x100 and she signed up for flickr today.
So the plan is to run the 365 project through her flickr account and then do a self published book (blurb?) at the end.

I am not sure who is more excited? Haha
Her birthday is not until the middle of Feb but I couldn't resist giving her the camera the day it came in the post 🙂 🙂

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with me.
James

 

[thegman]

Fujifilm ones are easy to use and the film is not *that* expensive, the mini stuff isn't anyway.

 

[danielsterno]

James- As a Dad to a 15 year old daughter who's turning 16 in Nov. I can understand your excitement….. enjoy the project!….Daniel.