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View Full Version : What polaroid back for polapan 54 pro100?



Michaelf16
5-Sep-2012, 10:33
Was on craigslist and found someone selling a box a film supplies from a few years back. Went through it a pulled out a few items offered them $20 and on my way. What I found was a box of unopened polapan 54 pro100. I just purchased a used 4x5 along with a polaroid 545 Polaroid back so I thought I could try it, has an expiration date of Feb 2004. Not sure if this will work with the film I found. Anyone know? Thanks.

Michaelf16
5-Sep-2012, 10:37
Just realized I probably posted in the wrong area. Newbie.

jcoldslabs
5-Sep-2012, 13:06
Michael,

Welcome to the forum! The 545 back is the correct back to use with your type 54 film. I have shot much older type 54 than 2004 with good results. My only real advice is to pull the film S....L.....O.....W.....L.....Y through the rollers, much slower than you would think you should in order to give the chemical reagent a chance to spread evenly. This is especially true if the ambient temperature is on the cooler side.

Best of luck,

Jonathan

amac212
6-Sep-2012, 04:32
Yes, either the polaroid 545, 545i or 545Pro will all work. I respectfully disagree with pulling slowly. I've been using my old polaroid stock (and multiple backs) for some time now and I have NEVER had luck pulling slowly. Just like the polaroid manual says: "straight and steady at MODERATE speed". You need to burst the packet and pulling slowly risks that not happening across the entire pod. If you don't have a manual, you can find them freely online. Good Luck and enjoy!

jcoldslabs
6-Sep-2012, 05:46
I respectfully disagree with pulling slowly.

Interesting! I used to pull at what I thought was "moderate" speed and I was getting gaps in my reagent. I read somewhere--not sure if this is from Polaroid literature or not--that you should take as long to pull the film through the rollers as it takes to say the word "POLAROID" out loud. I probably pull a bit slower than this, but not by much. To be more precise, I make sure to jerk the leading part of the sheet that contains the pod through the rollers cleanly with a "pop" but then pull the remainder through the rollers slowly so the chemicals have a chance to spread. Faster pulls result in the chemicals clogging up against the rollers and not spreading evenly in my experience. But that's just me.

Jonathan

Michaelf16
7-Sep-2012, 11:59
Thank you for your replies, I am looking forward to testing this on the weekend.

Michaelf16
7-Sep-2012, 12:13
According to the" A Guide to Using Polaroid 4 x 5 Sheet Films" it says "The speed at which you pull is very important" "Pull at a steady moderate speed. Saying the word Poaroid is a good way to time the speed of the pull."

I will have to experiment, but don't have a lot of film to experiment with. Again thanks for your infomation, as I am new to large format and have a lot to learn...