8x10 polaroid

[Percy]

Hello yet again.

Can anyone tell me if there is a polaroid film in 8x10 that does not require a separate processor and a separate loading tray? I'm interested in shooting b/w polaroids, but am not ready to spend another $1,000+ in order to do so.

Thanks once again.

[RichSBV]

Sorry, but all 8x10 Polaroid film needs the external processor...

But, you can also look at Calumets manual processor. And then there's the auction place. You can usually find a used processor complete for ~$300, sometimes half that. Make sure you get one that includes the loading tray!

And it doesn't end there. You also need the special Polaroid film holders! They only hold a single sheet and must be 'processed' to unload them to re-load. So for prectical purposes, you need more than one, and they 'aint cheap either....

And, there's two kinds of holders. The older model doesn't use the loading tray but is prone to jaming in the processor. The newer model must use the loading tray. The older model number ends in 5 and the newer one ends in 6. I forget the full numbers?

And, don't believe what you may hear about versions of the processor. I talked to Polaroid about that. They have made only one processor and it has never changed. They have used different model numbers though for the processor itself which leads to the confusion. And there's models with a pull chord on the side instead of the hole for a hand crank. But they are all basically the same machine, loading tray or not...

Best bet is to find a complete used system with the machine, loading tray and holder(s).

[David A. Goldfarb]

With people going digital and Polaroid bankrupcy scares, there are plenty of used models around. I think I paid around $150 for the electric processor and an earlier style 81-05 holder, and then I bought a couple of spare 81-05 holders for about $40 each, and I've never had a problem with them jamming (though at $9 a sheet for 8x10" Polaroid film, it could get real frustrating real fast if you did have a problem).

[Mika]

Percy, I just bought, on eBay, a hand-cranked Polaroid processor manufactured by Calumet. My LF-gear is not yet complete so I haven't tested it. Anyway, the hand-cranked versions are your least expensive alternative. Apparently there are two versions, one made by Polaroid, and another made by Calumet. On this forum one user testified that the Polaroid gives more consistent results, but another one said he had consistent results with the Calumet …

My film-supplier here in Amsterdam told me that as of October 1st 2005 all Polaroid products will increase in price with 20%.

[Scott Davis]

I just got one of the older blue ones, on that auction site. I had it plugged in for a half-hour, when I heard a loud POP, and started to smell electrical smoke. Now, it won't run. Does anyone know about repairs for these things? Can it be fixed (I'll assume worst case scenario - blown motor and timer circuits), and is it worth fixing? If it can't be fixed, I think I remember someone saying something somewhere about adding the hand-crank to the electrical model. Does anyone know if this is possible?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Sounds like a blown capacitor. This happened with an old densitometer that I had. It should be easy to identify. It will likely be the one that looks obviously damaged with an oily substance coming out of it. If the damage goes no further, it may be repairable by someone who can do general electrical repair like an old TV/radio repair guy who learned how to fix things before everything became electronic and modular swap-out-the-dead-board-put-in-a-new-one.

[Ralph Barker]

As others have noted, used Polaroid 8x10 processors and film holders can be found on eBay - usually at decent prices. (Just beware of those selling x-ray holders for photo use.) The later models of the processors included a hand crank, but that is often missing from the offering, as it is small and easily lost.

Note, too, that the quality of the resulting print depends, in part, on the consistency and speed of the feed process. Using the hand crank takes a bit of practice to get the speed right, and to avoid variations in feed speed. The resulting prints, while one-of, are sufficently yummy to warrant the effort.

[M_Tovar]

Hello Scott. Seeing this post from 2005. Same thing just happened to me. Same blue model. Curious if you ever got that repaired. Mine was an ebay buy, hoping they accept returns.