Old Polaroid 52

[photonsoup]

I found several boxes of Polaroid 52. April 85 vintage. The pods are still gooey and I get what I consider really good coverage of the film and the receiver. Quite surprised at that actually. Alas, there is no image. Does anyone have any secret tips, I hate to just throw it away.

[richydicky]

I would check the holder. Sounds like the hook to hold the end of the sleeve has not engaged on the metal strip so when you pull the sleeve to open the dark slide as it were, in fact the whole film envelope is being pulled out so the negative is never exposed. This has happened to me. I think the Polaroid instructions suggest to gently feel the marked pod area on the sleeve after pulling it before exposure to check that you cannot feel the pod meaning that just the dark slide part has been pulled out and not the whole film pack.

[photonsoup]

Thanks for the idea. I tried a couple of sheets outside the camera to see if that was the case. No such luck, the sleeves pulled out revealing the film. I only pulled them out about a third of the way then slid them back in and processed. Still just plain white on print side.

[Mark Sampson]

32 years past its sell-by date; should be no surprise that it doesn't work. Too bad though, T-52 could make a nice-looking print... though I only used it for proofing.

[EdSawyer]

should be obvious but presumably you have it facing the right way? Even exposing to white light in your test resulted in no print? chemistry must be dead if that is the case.

[MikeMGB]

Interestingly enough I was given a small pile of Polaroid 55 and Polaroid 59 today, expiration 2006. I expect to get something from the black and white, I'm not so hopeful of the colour though.

Does anyone know of a way to prepare the negatives without using Sodium Sulphite solution? If that really is the best way I'll buy some but I'm hoping something I may have around works just as well.

Incidentally the guy who gave me the film has an entire case of Polaroid 55, all 2006, he was astounded when I showed him what the individual boxes sell for on eBay.