Polaroid slide film?

[Rider]

I have heard of the existence of polaroid slide film, but have also heard that this film requires lab processing, and is not instant.

Does such a film exist, did it exist, and if so, what is the advantage over slide film from Kodak or Fuji?

[MJSfoto1956]

I actually once owned the stuff -- wierd. You would process it without needing to send out to a lab (pure Polaroid). The only film that they offered that was any good was their contrasty B&W stuff which was great back in the 70s when you needed a quickie instant slide. If I recall, we did dupe B&W slides from 4x5 chromes for a client.

Funny you should ask -- I still own the crank-operated Polaroid slide processor!! hahaha. I'll post pictures later...

J Michael Sullivan

[Louie Powell]

I believe that Polaroid made two types of slide films. There was a "self processing" (hard to call it 'instant') film that could be processed in a neat hand-cranked processing box. My recollection is that it was quite expensive, and also that if you examined the image under a magnifier, it was obvious that it was comprised of a series of lines, much like some of the projection screens that also used to be available.

I believe that Polaroid also offered a traditional E-6 film (which may have been manufactured by Brand-X as a private label product). Haven't seen any of this in years.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

I used the 35mm instant color slide film and processed it in the hand crank box. I thought it was kind of neat, in fact I still have an image of some flowers I really like. I believe it has gone to the great processing lab in the sky however, I have not seen it in years.

[BrianShaw]

I seem to remember a standard E-6 film marketed under Polaroid name, but that's only a vague memory.

The Polaroid Instant Slide System was marketed around 1985 - 1987. I played with it for a while but it was expensive, as I recall. At that time I was producing slide-tape training programs; the Polaroid slide media did not dupe well because it had a "silvery" backing so it wasn't very usable for most of our needs. We did use this film rather effectively for generating quick turnaround briefing charts.

Polaroid offered three different slide films:
ISO 40 color - Polachrome CT;
ISO 125 continuous tone, panchromatic, B&W - Polapan CT; and
ISO 400 high contrast B&W - Polagraph HC.

[edit] I also seem to recall a film caled "polablue" that made high contrast slides with a blue background... again, it's only a vague memory.

[Oren Grad]

Here's an entry point to a set of pages with lots of information about the Polaroid Instant Slide System:

http://home.comcast.net/~jrpalma/instant_slide.html

Years ago I occasionally used the PolaBlue film to make presentation slides, a task that today has been entirely taken over by laptop computers, PowerPoint slides and LCD projectors. I may still have the processor unit floating around somewhere.

BTW, the instant slide system was 35mm only.

I think Brian and Louie are right, I also have a vague recollection of E6 film from another manufacturer being relabeled by Polaroid for sale under its own name. There would have been no special advantage to that film except possibly lower price - it was just another ordinary E6 film.

[Daniel Geiger]

I am not sure whether any of those products mentioned are the same as "pola-blue". It allowed to make diazzo-style images for presentations (blue background/white lettering), similar also to Kodak SO139, but while the SO139 is (was?) a negative film without the orange filtration layer, the polaroid product was a positive version. Both only came in 135 format, as far as I know.

All were first eclipsed by the digital film recorders and now by PowerPoint. Temporas mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.

[BrianShaw]

So... much (all?) of what's being discussed above is 35mm Polaroid slide material. I kept having a nagging memory of once shooting Polaroid slide film in 4x5, so I went through my Polaroid files (I'm a helpless saver of odd information) and found a datasheet that might be more true to the original posting.

Polaroid Professional Chrome 4x5 color reversal film (Daylight)
data sheet px2383a, dated 4/85

ISO 100, E-6 processed
"quick-load packaging" for the 545 holder.

In 1985 they were promoting this film by giving away 4 sheets of either daylight or tungsten balanced. I shot the daylight balanced and was quite impressed... but I am easily impressed since this is the only time I've ever shot LF transparency. I might still have the tungsten-balanced film in the depths of a drawer... who knows, I said I save loit of odd stuff!

Now... why can't I find the instruction sheet for how to make fake daguerrotypes using Polaroid's long-gone roll film???

[BrianShaw]

I also have a vague recollection of E6 film from another manufacturer being relabeled by Polaroid for sale under its own name. There would have been no special advantage to that film except possibly lower price - it was just another ordinary E6 film.

Why does 3M keep coming to mind?

[Oren Grad]

OK, Wilhelm's magnum opus mentions a Polaroid Presentation Chrome E6 film manufactured by 3M (Ferrania) in Italy:

http://www.wilhelm-research.com/pdf/HW_Book_18_of_20_HiRes_v1a.pdf

The PMA Film Process Registry mentions, in addition to the Presentation Chrome, a Polaroid High Definition Chrome - go to this page and scroll down:

http://www.pmai.org/pmaiscript/filmprocessregistry/

[Oren Grad]

Brian - the Boston University PRC "color photography timeline (http://www.bu.edu/prc/GODOWSKY/timeline.htm)" mentions Polaroid Professional Chrome as being introduced in 1985. Congratulations, that makes you an early adopter! :)

For some reason I'm recalling that the 4x5 film was made by Fuji rather than 3M. I'll have to try to find some documentation for that. By any chance does your data sheet say "printed in Japan"?

[BrianShaw]

The data sheet says "Printed in USA".

[Oren Grad]

The data sheet says "Printed in USA".

OK, I guess that would have made it too easy... looks like more serious detective work is needed.

[BrianShaw]

OK, I guess that would have made it too easy... looks like more serious detective work is needed.

It's more than a notion for me to actually find the slides, but maybe I can do that sometime today. Do you think there might be notches on the sheet film that will give away the secret? I can't remember if there were any or not.

[Oren Grad]

Ahhh, Wilhelm is a great resource! Table 5.9 in this chapter (http://www.wilhelm-research.com/pdf/HW_Book_05_of_20_HiRes_v1a.pdf) mentions Polaroid Professional Chrome 64T and 100D 4x5 films as having been made by Fuji, albeit from 1987. The table also clarifies that the Polaroid Presentation Chrome 35mm film was made by 3M, but the Polaroid High Definition Chrome was made by Konica.

[BrianShaw]

I found the film, shot in 1986, but I have no scanner where I am... so here's my best attempt at the film notiches:

'.__.' U

Wow... Wilhelm's material is really great. I haven't seen that before. Thanks for the links!

[Donald Qualls]

Polaroid Professional Chrome 4x5 color reversal film (Daylight)
data sheet px2383a, dated 4/85

ISO 100, E-6 processed
"quick-load packaging" for the 545 holder.

I've got a box of that stuff. :eek:

Someday, I'll be able to do E-6 at home, and I'll try it. Meantime, I suppose I should put it in the freezer -- it doesn't have pods to freeze like the 52 and 55 I have (from the same era, but the 55 should still be good as negative-only with darkroom processing).

[BrianShaw]

You still have WHAT, from WHEN???? I just lost the title of "saver of weird stuff", I think.

[BrianShaw]

Okay, Donald... let me 'fess up: I still have a roll of 35mm HP5 in 72 exposure. Remember that dumb idea?

[Oren Grad]

Okay, Donald... let me 'fess up: I still have a roll of 35mm HP5 in 72 exposure. Remember that dumb idea?

I do. That would be 144 exposures in a single load of my Pen FT. Very cool...

[Donald Qualls]

You still have WHAT, from WHEN???? I just lost the title of "saver of weird stuff", I think.

Okay, let me clarify -- I haven't had the stuff for the past 20+ years, but rather it was included with some similarly expired Type 52 and 55 that I got for the cost of shipping (the 52 sort of worked when I first opened it, though the pods have probably finished drying now -- standard process is 15 seconds, but I found 2 minutes gave a somewhat weak image -- so I plan to use the 55 with darkroom development). No idea how the E-6 stock has been stored prior to my getting it, but for the past 4-5 months it's been in an air conditioned room. I *really* ought to bag it and stick it in the freezer to save for when I have E-6 chemistry...

I don't "remember" 72-exposure rolls, but I've read about them. Those plus a high quality half-frame would go a long way toward alleviating the "reload required during peak action" problem... You'd actually get close to 150 exposures, if you load carefully and wind right to the bitter end. Does the Pen F family frame counter permit going that far? :eek: