Hassy SWC + Instant Film = Analogue Instagram

[JChrome]

I've never shot any instant film but this morning I remembered I had a Polaroid film back that came along with my Hassy SWC so I busted it out today and went to town... China Town, that is.

I realized after shooting that this combo of wide angle lens with the square format and instant film is the ultimate Instagram analogue. If only I would have realized this back in 2005, created Instagram and then sold it for billions... ahh well. Having these photos is a good consolation.

Film: Fuji FP100c

Note - I know the white frames are distracting... I'll work to remove them.

(Second note - after scanning these I decided to take my scanner a part and clean the inside of the glass so hopefully future scans are cleaner and without hairs).

 

[Fixcinater]

I like the frames, adds to the overall effect.

Handing out Polaroids on the street is a fun way to spend the afternoon, and with FP100C, it's not even that expensive.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I have adapted a Polaroid back to use on Voigtlander Avus with 135/4.5 Skopar. It is pre-war 9x12 camera, so it covers entire picture area of Fuji instant film. It is quite involving to use it, since focus needs to be guessed, but I like it. It produces wonderful images. I have to use it more often. There is a photo of the camera in my gallery, but it was uploaded before the upgrade, so I can't put it in this thread.
Nice images, by the way.

 

[Rayt]

Do the prints also look muddy and out of focus? Have you tried the Fuji Instax? Seems the quality from the Instax isn't bad and more economical.

 

[sc_rufctr]

Great stuff... Old School Cool.

What Polaroid back are you using?

 

[Requin]

I can't see your pix and have no Access to stillthrill.com Any suggestions?

requin

 

[JChrome]

Do the prints also look muddy and out of focus? Have you tried the Fuji Instax? Seems the quality from the Instax isn't bad and more economical.

Instax films are limited by the camera. There aren't any film backs that accept the film that will attach to my 4x5 or Hassy (afaik). You can do some really hacky-things to fit it into the polaroid back but it doesn't seem worth it.

You can of course use the Fuji instax cameras, but they are incredibly simple (fixed aperture and all plastic).

The thought occurred to me that you could hack apart a Fuji Instax wide camera and affix it to a 4x5 film back. That would be fun. And, if you kept the electronics clean and in-tact, you could hit the button and the shot would pop out.

Even more fun would be hacking a Polaroid 110A or B or any of the land cameras to do this.

Also note that I am aware that I am shooting one of the perhaps sharpest wide angle lenses made for a MF camera and using it on crappy film.

 

[JChrome]

Great stuff... Old School Cool.

What Polaroid back are you using?

It's a Polaroid back made for Hasselblad V series.

 

[JChrome]

I can't see your pix and have no Access to stillthrill.com Any suggestions?

requin

Very interesting... *strokes figurative beared*...

There is absolutely nothing obvious as to why visiting my site wouldn't work, so I've got not ideas off the top of my head.

The number one rule of submitting a request for help is that you be very specific and offer lots of detail of the problem you are having. So that said, some of the below questions help fill in that detail:

1) Where are you from? Anything on your network that may block out the viewing of Wordpress-hosted sites?
Furthermore, Can you go to other Wordpress sites like this one -
https://jabcam.wordpress.com/

2) What error is being thrown? What does it say when you go to the stillthrill.com?

3) What browser are you using?

 

[raid]

I can't see your pix and have no Access to stillthrill.com Any suggestions?

requin

I can access the site quickly. I use Google Chrome from a home computer with cable internet.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Instax films are limited by the camera. There aren't any film backs that accept the film that will attach to my 4x5 or Hassy (afaik). You can do some really hacky-things to fit it into the polaroid back but it doesn't seem worth it.

You can of course use the Fuji instax cameras, but they are incredibly simple (fixed aperture and all plastic).

The thought occurred to me that you could hack apart a Fuji Instax wide camera and affix it to a 4x5 film back. That would be fun. And, if you kept the electronics clean and in-tact, you could hit the button and the shot would pop out.

Even more fun would be hacking a Polaroid 110A or B or any of the land cameras to do this.

Also note that I am aware that I am shooting one of the perhaps sharpest wide angle lenses made for a MF camera and using it on crappy film.

I have shot Instax MIni film in plate film holders used in Rolleiflex. The results are excellent.

 

[raid]

I still have such plate film holders somewhere in the closet. Thanks for the tip, Sam.

 

[JChrome]

I have shot Instax MIni film in plate film holders used in Rolleiflex. The results are excellent.

Way cool! Have any shots to share?

I also realized that the Instax Mini is essentially a 6x4.5 frame and would fit any 645 camera (or 6x6 or larger, for that matter).

If someone could remove the lens assembly and faceplate of the Instax Mini then they could 3d print their own faceplate for it, we could affix it to Hasselblads, Rolleis, Pentax 645's...

I would be more interested in that if Fuji had just one more film for the Instax line. Right now there's only an 800 iso color film.

 

[Spanik]

That SWC looks more temping by the day.

If you want to adapt something to use Instax with another camera, take a look at the Lomography backs for the Belair (Instax Wide) or LC-A (Instax Mini).This winter I'm going to have fun with one of those.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I still have such plate film holders somewhere in the closet. Thanks for the tip, Sam.

Raid,
You will have to extend "lips" on the insert to hold Instax film in it. Film itself I pulled out of a pack in a dark bag, then inserted into the holder. Afterwards, I used Kodak Handle 2 camera to squeeze chemicals through.

 

[Godfrey]

Nice!

I have the Polaroid back and plenty of film, but my SWC is 1978 vintage—just before they went to the SWC/M to provide compatibility with the back. :-\ I checked with David Odess and he's out of the kits to convert an SWC to SWC/M specification, so the only way I could use it is to modify mine, which I'm reluctant to do.

G

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Way cool! Have any shots to share?

I also realized that the Instax Mini is essentially a 6x4.5 frame and would fit any 645 camera (or 6x6 or larger, for that matter).

If someone could remove the lens assembly and faceplate of the Instax Mini then they could 3d print their own faceplate for it, we could affix it to Hasselblads, Rolleis, Pentax 645's...

I would be more interested in that if Fuji had just one more film for the Instax line. Right now there's only an 800 iso color film.

Unfortunately, i don't have anything scanned at the moment.
Instax Mini has approx. 6x4.5 image area, however film itself is larger. You can try loading 1sheet into any camera wiith format larger than 6x4.5 in a dark bag, shoot it, then put it into empty instax cartridge, load it in Instax camera, cover the lens and fire the shutter. Camera will eject film, squeezing chemicals.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Instax Wide has approx. 6x9 image size, and I am working on using it in either 9x12 or 4x5 film holders. I think, I shoyld be able to use the same Kodak Handle 2 camera to squeeze chemicals.

 

[JChrome]

I went to K&M camera looking for some FP3000C yesterday but they didn't carry it. I schlepped to B&H this morning and bought ten boxes for the ripe deal of 17.50 per box (it usually goes for 20+ online).

For those not familiar - its 3200 iso and was discontinued last fall by Fuji. A lot of the companies are working their way through the remaining stock.

I shot two packs on the subway today and had a ball 🙂

Note - The tiff files on my comp have so much finer detail than the sad Jpegs you see before you...

This last one had a bit of a light leak around it.

 

[JChrome]

Instax Wide has approx. 6x9 image size, and I am working on using it in either 9x12 or 4x5 film holders. I think, I shoyld be able to use the same Kodak Handle 2 camera to squeeze chemicals.

If Instax had more film choices then I would be more interested in it.

Just to be pedantic, it's 62mm x 99 so a hair under a 6x10.