any word on 8x10 polaroid?

[John Bowen]

Do any of the Fuji products work with a Polaroid 545 holder? If so which Fuji products work?

Thanks,

[David A. Goldfarb]

Do any of the Fuji products work with a Polaroid 545 holder? If so which Fuji products work?

Thanks,

No, none of the instant films do (Quickloads will work in a 545, but they're not instant). The current Fuji 4x5" films are pack films.

[Ash]

No Cyrus, I mean a real traditional method. People still Bromoil print when the effect can be made in photoshop, etc. I'm sure there will be a devoted minority group for (homebrew) instant prints.

John, Quickloads will work in a 545 holder (but not perfectly). Fuji instants need a pack film holder.

[John Bowen]

David & Ash

Thanks

[Ron Marshall]

Do any Fuji instant films fit the Polariod 405 holder?

[Frank Petronio]

I haven't been up to speed but a quick look at B&H says that Fuji makes a 100 ISO color and made a 3000 ISO B&W that has been discontinued.

So 100 ISO color pack film for ID cameras and medium format type backs, the 405 back, etc. is going to be it?

Right now Type 52 is over $4 a sheet. I really need to ween myself off the stuff anyway... it's ridiculous. i used to go through a 20 sheet box on one shot back in the day.

[cyrus]

So basically my 545i holder is ... trash?

[cyrus]

[QUOTE=Ash;349104]No Cyrus, I mean a real traditional method. People still Bromoil print when the effect can be made in photoshop, etc. I'm sure there will be a devoted minority group for (homebrew) instant prints.
[QUOTE]

Yes Ash I was joking. I have the polaroid emulsion lift kit to prove it but now, my 545i holder is mere trash.

[Gordon Moat]

Hello Frank,

B&H are wrong with their listing. Fuji currently make ISO 100 colour and B/W Instant, ISO 500 colour (Japan only), and ISO 3000 B/W films. All of the regular varieties of these fit the Polaroid 405 holder, or the Fuji PA-145 holder.

Fuji also make FP100C45 and FP3000B45 which are larger pack film versions of the smaller packs. These fit the Fuji PA-45 holder, or the older Polaroid 550 pack film holder. FP3000B45 has only been available in Japan, though might be coming to North American markets.

Fuji is investigating individual sheet 4x5 films, but it is unknown whether there is enough of a market to alter their production. They have no need to purchase any Polaroid formulations, and (in my opinion) produce instant films that perform better than Polaroid products.

Word has also reached me from a 20x24 shooter I know about Fuji considering special runs of very large instant films. However, it would greatly surprise me if that happened. Anyone who understood the previous Polaroid 20x24 ordering would know this involves a large sum of money and a wait, so if Fuji even decide to offer such a thing, it would also be quite expensive . . . in other words I really doubt it will ever happen.

Getting 8x10 instant is a completely different thing. Fuji do not currently manufacture individual sheet instant films, so they are not set-up to produce these films. It would require dedicated equipment, which would not technically be difficult. Once again though, if they dedicated the equipment, they would likely want to recoup their expenses quite soon into production, meaning that the likely cost would be higher than Polaroid 8x10 products. Considering the possibly much higher selling costs, I would doubt there would be much market for 8x10 instant films . . . probably less of a market than some B/W ULF films now enjoy.

Manipulating Fuji Instant films is possible, but much tougher. What made many Polaroid products easy to manipulate was that they were really not that well made. Fuji make quite good instant films, which works against easy manipulation. So partially some of this art form (which I practice and sometimes exhibit) will diminish. I expect to do some Fuji manipulations, though probably not at the same level as I did Polaroid manipulations. Despite some feelings to the contrary, this is not really something possible with PhotoShop; the randomness is not present. Every Polaroid manipulation is a one-off; even attempts with a Polaroid print can produce similar results, but every single manipulation is slightly different, and unique . . . this is why they have value in the art world.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography