Agreed. Type 55 gave you a choice. Expose for a good negative (ISO 25) or expose for a good negative (ISO 50+). So to get a good negative you had to end up with overexposed positives.
Being able to get a developed 4x5 negative in the field was a huge boon. I, too, would love to see this product be a success.
I almost bought a pack the other day as I was stocking up for a vacation. After tax and shipping it was $85 for 5 shots. $17 per shot is just too much. I like all the artifacts and funkiness of the sample shots I've seen people post - it's actually the only reason I'm interested in using the film. I agree with whomever posted before that they should just do an instant negative. I never used T55, it was pricey when I was in college(and had no budget) and then died the year I got out. But there again, I heard the positive was usually rubbish. Nevertheless, what that group of gentlemen did/are doing should be applauded.
At least give us free shipping!!! Especially to in-state residents!
+1 to what Bob said.
I always thought P/N 55 was pretty damned perfect. The stuff they are selling now is pretty much crap.
Wow, a couple of mean spirited people on this one... Good job being positive about new film products in a digital world... Oh wait, that's right, you're being negative...
IMO some of the negative comments here are a bit harsh, however, after having shot several boxes of New55PN I offer my 2 cents:
1. When all the planets align properly and you've been meticulous in your technique (follow their processing instructions EXACTLY), you m-a-y get a really nice negative. However, in my personal experience it comes with a lot of artifacts and the positive is far from great. I don't care about the positive, but I do want a FULL useful negative; which I've never achieved to my satisfaction.
2. The packet is slightly thicker than the original T55 unit which, in both of my holders, makes it somewhat difficult to insert the New55 packet easily into the holder. I have had broken pods upon packet insertion. Not good!
3. It really can't be field processed. If the negative is hit by any substantial amount of light upon pulling apart the packet, the negative will have 'blotches' throughout. Sorry, don't know what else to call it...maybe it's some kind of fogging? Suffice it to say that clean grey areas--like clear blue sky, for example--will generally not be an even tone of grey.
4. Regarding the broken pods and such, I spent a LOT of time cleaning the internals of my holders.
Bottom line for me, it's just too expensive for minimal returns and just too much hassle in my work. Heck, for the price of this film I can shoot 8x10 Velvia 50! I wish the New55 folks great success and do enjoy seeing the work of other photographers that use this film successfully. Over time, I will buy a box here and there to see how it's coming along because it does improve over time.
Originally Posted by Whalen
I almost bought a pack the other day as I was stocking up for a vacation. After tax and shipping it was $85 for 5 shots. $17 per shot is just too much. I like all the artifacts and funkiness of the sample shots I've seen people post - it's actually the only reason I'm interested in using the film. I agree with whomever posted before that they should just do an instant negative. I never used T55, it was pricey when I was in college(and had no budget) and then died the year I got out. But there again, I heard the positive was usually rubbish. Nevertheless, what that group of gentlemen did/are doing should be applauded.
At least give us free shipping!!! Especially to in-state residents!
from what i read there are sometimes specials on the new55 website
so the price lowers down to about $13/exposure.
i hope they succeed in making a great product. i'd buy it if, it wasn't so expensive.
its too bad they don't sell some WITHOUT the pod, as ready loads.
while i know a lot of people nowadays love analog artifacts ( splotches, streaks &c )
there are probably more that would just love to get a beautful negative, and seeing
there are no ready loads being sold anymore, it might be a niche they can exploit to
get more $$ for more R/D to improve their instant-system.
They are selling "ready loads", they call their system 1SHOT. It uses the same holder as the New55 film.
http://shop.new55.net/collections/fr...ant=1194818235
(Not affiliated)
thanks! i didn't realize they did that
they should be advertising THEM heavily and trying to
get people to be buying them, rather than the system
that is a work in progress... $7/exposure isn't too bad
considering ...
This follows the same course as the impossible people..o bought in early and got zip to show for it; however I recently used the 600 b+w and it's great stuff..it's so much easier to bitch and moan about products disappearing. ..right??
I've also used the Impossible 600 B&W, in SX-70 Model 2 and Model 3 cameras, with very good results (turn the brightness dial all the way down, or almost, and it works fine in the 150 speed cameras). The pricing isn't horrible, and the current generation film is really light-safe on ejection (unlike earlier generations). I like it a lot, but my Model 3 is damaged (dropped it one time too many, then used a drop too much super glue and the brightness dial is locked up) and my Model 2 is in dire need of a cleaning, tune up, and new skin; I'll be sending it off to Impossible for that work when I can afford to.
I've got a older Polaroid holder compatible with the 545, and I've wanted to try New 55, but the price keeps putting me off -- not to mention the process required to keep the negative usable. Not very field friendly, especially at $15 a frame plus shipping.
If a contact print at arm's length is too small to see, you need a bigger camera. :D
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