My new found hatred of Pola 55

[scrichton]

I must admit, when I saw everyone else banging on about polaroid type 55 on various forums newsgroups, even books I was very sceptical.

So to cut a very long story short myself and a friend were gifted 8 sheets that a collegue of his had found in his garage stuck to the bottom of a box, that he had bought for use in college. Dated 9/99.

So we get the sheet overexpose to iso 32 pop it out of the back and it works !!. I hate it for working, even 7 years out of date it gives a great neg. ( although I ripped it trying to get it off the perforations)

So here Type 55 becomes a slight problem.

a: it is extremely dear and not very easy to get a hold of in the UK from any off the shelf suppliers

b: Being instant I have the suspiscion I would shoot it like it was going out of fashion.

c: Once again it is dear and my second job barely keeps me in chemistry let alone type 55.


So in short anyone who hasn't tried it yet a word of warning is don't! You will instantly grow to hate it like an expensive car in a fuel crisis. Not only does it push all the right buttons it knows how to bleed you dry.

BTW... if anyone would like to buy a kidney I have one going spare, low use from occasional alcohol drinker, will swap for 100 packs of type 55 :-D


Steven

www.zuikomedia.com

[Walter Calahan]

Steven

Perhaps we need to create a charity for underprivileged Type 55 users. Someday you might need both kidneys. I do - my brain isn't very strong. Grin.

The film is beautiful.

Bend the metal clip's two flaps out a bit to make it easier to remove. Prevents tearing.

http:www.walterpcalahan.com

[Pete Watkins]

Steven,
You are lucky that your out of date 55 worked. I bought some and it didn't, I couldn't find the bloke who sold it to me either. It's great stuff, but remember, you live in rip off Britain. Silverprint sell it but I won't wreck your day by telling you the price.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Ted Harris]

To add to Pete's post, I use a lot of T55 and can tell you that while it sometimes works years out of date it also sometimes doesn't just a few months out of date. I once had a whole case that worked reasonably well years out of date ....bought the case (that is 10 boxes for $200) and used it for checking exposure and composition mainly but it was a year out of date when I bought it and most of it worked ok. OTOH, I have had T55 that was just a few months out of date that ws good for nothing except checkcing composition becuase the development was so uneven. Add to the the fact that the stuff is very finiky, meaning it doesn't always behave the way it should. I was shooting with it a few days ago outdoors in freezing temperature (around 18 F) and 2 of 6 sheets did dnot remove properly from the holder as I was taking them out for later processing. This i snot uncommon. In fact Polaroid even has a tech bulletin giving you detailed instructions for 'wiggling' the sheet out just right! Nuff said, I love the stuff too but also hate it.

[darr]

If it wasn't for Polaroid 55, I might give up the 4x5 altogether. ;)

[David A. Goldfarb]

You definitely don't want to try 8x10" Polaroid. You'll hate that even more.

[Ted Harris]

David, not to mention 20x24 Polaroid!

[BrianShaw]

... or 40x48! :eek:

[James Walker]

Steven,

I was in Calumet in Wardour Street the other day, and they had Polaroid 55 for £35 + vat a box, but it's fairly short life (couple of months). Slightly less of a rip of though, so I picked up a box...

Cheers,

James

[Pete Watkins]

James,
Wow, when my son gets back from watching the Aussies humiliating England I'm gonna send him down there. Why don't I go, giving that idiot Branson over £100 for a train ticket to save a few quid really don't make much sense.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[scrichton]

hah... I found a much easier solution to all this bother and that is a lovely chinese rollfilm back. Combined with a hand-me-down jobo processor... not exactly instant but perfect in every other respect especially in the kidney retention department.

Plus being in Scotland popping down to calumet isn't an option ... plus branson lining his smarmy little pockets for buying balloon and speedboats isn't my thing either

[Rider]

Rider, happens all the time with out of date Polaroid peel apart film. Not always but not uncommon. You just cannot trust it once it is more than a few months out of date. OTOH, I am surprised you "have to take the whole holder apart" usually the gunk stays in the area of the rollers and that whole assembly flips up easily for cleaning when the lever is in the "L" position.

[Ted Harris]

Rider, happens all the time with out of date Polaroid peel apart film. Not laways but not uncommon. You jsut cannot trust it once it is more than a few months out of date.

[Rider]

Ted, I think you overwrote my post, but that's ok, I can take it :cool:

You may be right about the gunk being in the roller assembly. I just wasn't sure there wasn't some piece of film stuck in there that might cause problems. Do you think taking it apart is not such a hot idea?




Rider, happens all the time with out of date Polaroid peel apart film. Not laways but not uncommon. You jsut cannot trust it once it is more than a few months out of date.