Why does Polaroid look soft?

[Nghi Hoang]

I shot my first Polaroid two days ago and two yesterday (one didn't turn out because I was stupid enough to insert the pack with the side facing the lens facing the back of the 545i holder!). They are both Type 54. My parents were kind enough (or it could be because I was annoyingly persistent) to be test subjects. Camera is a Shen Hao 4x5 with a Nikkor 210mm f/5.6 at the front. I focused under a black t-shirt with a Calumet 7X loupe. Exposure was at f/22 for 1/2 second. My parents commented that the Polaroids aren't as sharp as my 4x6 prints from 35mm negatives (NPH or 400NC) on Fuji CrystalArchive. I agree with them. The Polaroids look a little soft, not as sharp as I'd expected. My father said his past experience with Polaroids had been the same - they are kinda soft. Is this something that is inherent to Polaroids?

[Eduardo Aigner]

You should give Fuji FP-100C a try. Much better.

[Sammy_4293]

1/2 second is too slow to be sharp. Try 1/60 or 1/125 second.

[Alex Hawley]

I don't think Polaroid is inherently soft at all. I've used many different types of Polaroid film over the years. The photos I kept that were taken with an el-cheapo Square Shooter over 30 years ago are still vibrant and crisp. Those were taken with the old Type 108 film. Just a few weeks ago, I used both Type 59 and Type 54 for some baby portraits. Those shots are so sharp you can count the skin pores on her face. Even the the very fine hair on her cheeks can be discerned.

Granted, I have made my share of soft mushy photos with Polaroid films, but the reasons for the softness have always been some measure of operator error.

[Michael S. Briggs]

1/2 s for a portrait is risking some blur from the subject moving. Perhaps try the higher speed Polaroid Type 53?





Very close of examination of a Polaroid print will show that it is slightly less sharp then a conventional gelatin silver print from a conventional negative. This is probably because for the Polaroid print, the silver spreads out slightly as it diffuses through the chemical layer to reach the print. The MTF curve on the datasheet Type 54 (http://www.polaroid.com/service/filmdatasheets/4_5/54fds.pdf) shows that the percent modulation has fallen to 50% at 4 cycles per mm. This is very sharp, but not the ultimate in sharpness detectable by the human visual system.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think it is something inherent in Polaroid print materials, but Type-55 negs are very sharp.

[Nghi Hoang]

I think I have some Fuji FP-100C lying around somewhere in one of my drawers. They are samples I got from last year LF Conference. Can I use them in my Polaroid 545i film holder?

I have only tried Type 54 so far. I'll try Type 55 once I have the fund for another box. These things aren't cheap at $3 a pop!

[Eduardo Aigner]

The Fuji FP-100C requires a Fujifilm pack holder.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=308996&is=REG

[Alex Hawley]

Nghi, the Fuji instant film are pack films. The won't work in any of the 545 holders. In addition to the Fuji holder, you can use a Polaroid 405. If its the FP-100C45, it needs the Polaroid 550.

Type 55 has better reciprocity characteristics, a flatter curve, than Type 54.