Polaroid Thread

Mackinaw said:
I really like the new IP 2.0 B&W films. Maybe a tad high in contrast, but a major improvement over their earlier stuff. I photographed a wedding back in June and shot a few packs of 2.0 B&W in my SX-70. Picture-wise, they were by far, the hit of the wedding. People were clamoring to have their pics taken with my SX-70, and didn’t care at all about the pics I took with either of my digital cameras.

Here’s one taken at the wedding.

Jim B,
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That looks great compared to what I got! I may give it another try.

I know what you mean about people loving the instant film - I was the "press photographer" for my daughter's schools 1920's immigration re-enactment. I used a speed graphic with a sunpak bare bulb flash mounted on the graflex handle, and shot Fuji 4x5 B&W. People were really happy to get instant photos to take home, especially from the antique camera.
 
IP special editions: what Godfrey says, some fun when taking photos. I'll try to develop a small project based on the black and yellow film, just for fun.

I agree the B&W.2 is so far the best Impossible film , the other were not bad but you had to be prepared to get some unwanted effect, which in some cases are very good by themselves.

I'll probably will buy another sx70 but tha Land cameras (I have a 340) with the Fuji peel apart film are also very interesting...

robert
 
lynnb said:
Raid, can't wait to see what you come up with using the FP-100c...
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Me too!

By now I'm going on with my low light experiment, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't ...

robert

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Nicely done! I like it.

I decided that I was using Impossible Project 600 speed films too much of the time and throwing away the speed benefit by fitting an ND filter to use them in the SX-70 or SLR670m (on auto, of course I can set manual exposure but then I'm locked to f/8 and whole-step exposures...). So I ordered an SLR670a from MiNT.

G
 
raid said:
Lynn & Robert: You are putting PRESSURE on me !!!:D

Thanks for your vote of confidence.
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LOL! No pressure ... But you're pushing me to pull out my 350 and shoot a pack of film. Or maybe try the Polaroid Big Shot I picked up on Sunday... I need some Magicubes.

G
 
Hi Robert,
Dana's Fuji instant camera will arrive this Friday to our home. I got her also a 20-image film pack for it. It is a cute looking light blue camera with built-in flash and using AA baterries, so all is current. I am interested to see whether Dana will discover in herself an artistic side to using instant film photography.
 
The "Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT" arrived (in record time from Hong Kong! :) yesterday. Loaded it with a pack of the Yellow-Black Duotone Impossible film.

Wow. This is the model I should have purchased, not the SLR670m. Access to the better speed of Impossible Project 600 films counts for so much more than manual exposure capability, for my photography anyway. Oh well, now I have both... which means I have time exposure capability with the 'm' and general use with the 'a'. Also, the new cameras more reliably trigger the flash unit compared to my original 1972 SX-70.

Very pleased... :)

​

enjoy,
G
 
Godfrey said:
The "Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT" arrived (in record time from Hong Kong! :) yesterday. Loaded it with a pack of the Yellow-Black Duotone Impossible film.........
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Glass lens or plastic lens on the SLR 670a?

I recently picked up a 600-series One Step (plastic lens) just so i could use the faster 600-film. Love the extra speed but not exactly impressed with lens.

Jim B.
 
Mackinaw said:
Glass lens or plastic lens on the SLR 670a?

I recently picked up a 600-series One Step (plastic lens) just so i could use the faster 600-film. Love the extra speed but not exactly impressed with lens.
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The SLR670a/m models are built on a Polaroid SX-70 donor (my SLR670a is built on a Polaroid SX-70 Alpha 1 donor). That means these models have the SX-70 4-element 116mm f/8 coated glass lens with through-lens viewing and focusing (approximately 8" to infinity).

G
 
So it’s a MINT-modified camera. I have an SX-70 so know how good that lens is. I do like the idea of using 600-speed film in an SX-70 camera. Maybe someday.

Jim B.
 
Mackinaw said:
So it’s a MINT-modified camera. I have an SX-70 so know how good that lens is. I do like the idea of using 600-speed film in an SX-70 camera. Maybe someday.
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Yes: https://mint-camera.com/SLR670

I have several SX-70s, both manual and auto focusing. My best is the one my uncle gave me, his personal camera since purchased new in 1973. But the MiNT updated SLR670a and SLR670m are significantly better performers: more accurate metering and shutters, etc.

Although not cheap, SX-70s were themselves never cheap. Even in 1972, it was a $180 camera. $180.00 in 1972 had the same buying power as about $1,000.00 has in 2015, so the $650 for an upgraded and refurbished SX-70, with three year warranty, is a bargain.

G

BTW: I'm finding I like the yellow duotone film quite a lot, particularly now that I can take advantage of its 600 speed. I may order another half-dozen packs of it. :)
 
How is your camera compared to a Model 250 Land camera, Godfrey? My 250 Land is a rebuilt and fullly working camera, with a close-up kit and it used AAA batteries.
 
raid said:
How is your camera compared to a Model 250 Land camera, Godfrey? My 250 Land is a rebuilt and fullly working camera, with a close-up kit and it used AAA batteries.
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Raid, your Model 250 uses Fuji peel-apart film while the SX-70 (and variants) uses Impossible Project integral film. Two different animals.

Jim B.
 
raid said:
How is your camera compared to a Model 250 Land camera, Godfrey? My 250 Land is a rebuilt and fullly working camera, with a close-up kit and it used AAA batteries.
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I'm not entirely sure I know what you're asking, Raid.

With respect to design and specification, they're rather different types of cameras. The Polaroid Land Cameras are pack film cameras, typically like a folding press camera with rangefinder focusing. The Polaroid SX-70 cameras are integral film cameras, folding SLRs.

polaroids_1850.jpg


polaroids_1851.jpg

You generally don't need a close up kit with the SX-70 type cameras because they focus down to about 8" with no attachments. I do have a close-up lens (and both wide and tele lens extenders); they're only needed occasionally, but fun to use nonetheless. The SX-70 type cameras require a battery; a fresh battery is part of every film pack.

Here's the original SX-70 promo advertisement: https://youtu.be/5jaiq_ZZ_eM

If you're asking, "How do they perform?" ... Well, both perform very well, but they produce very different results. The pack films are sharper, crisper, more traditional looking photos. The integral films have a look all their own due to their process chemistry.

I like both, but I prefer the integral film cameras as they're easier to carry and use, have less materials wastage associated. But if your preference is for traditional values of sharpness and clarity, the pack film cameras are the way to go.

The sad thing is that Fuji has discontinued all but one (100c color) film for the pack film cameras, and Polaroid stopped making pack film more than a decade ago. Only Fuji knows how long they'll continue making the one film they still do. So when my stock of 3000b and 100c films is gone, the Polaroid Land 350 I have becomes a shelf ornament.

The Impossible Project is continuing to push new film formulations for the SX-70, 600, and Spectra type integral film cameras. With luck (and enough sales) they'll stay in business a good long while. I'm sure they won't last forever either, but I'll enjoy the cameras for as long as I can get film for them.

G
 
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