Experience Using New55 Film?

[Max-Schenk]

Has anyone had any experience using the New55 positive print + negative film? http://new55project.blogspot.com . What were your results?

Thanks,
Max

[Fred L]

just got two boxes (not from production run iirc) so will expose a sheet or two when I get a chance, hopefully this week or weekend. I expect the smear to be hit or miss which I'm ok with for now. I just want to see them get over this latest hiccup

[Max-Schenk]

Thanks Fred and looking forward to hearing about (and seeing!) your results.

[GPX]

Here is a New55 print and a New55 negative scan. I find New55 quite tricky to use but I like it.

[Max-Schenk]

Thanks so much for sending the images - they look great! The edges are a little choppy, but the tones are excellent. How was your experience with having to use with fixer and water baths handy? I have a box of my own now and am looking forward to giving them a go.

Best regards,
Max

[mjork]

Here is my very first attempt using the New55 PN film. Given the current price, I very carefully metered the scene with a spot meter to get it right the first time. I based the exposure on some medium shade of grey in the middle of the flower and checked that the brightest white of the flower is at 2.5 stops above that. That gave me an exposure of 2s, so I used the published reciprocity info from their Web site to correct the time to 4s. I also measured the bellows extension factor but can't remember the details (probably 1 stop adjustment).

I'm very happy with the resulting negative. The positive image is ... interesting. It provides a rather impressionistic rendering of the image. Maybe a lower exposure would have retained some more of the details in the flower, but I'm not so sure.
I'm hoping that over time, there will be improvement in the positive image. Right now, I would consider New55 PN an "instant negative" process that also happens to produce a positive image as a side effect. There might be good uses for the positive (maybe portraits), but I don't think it did justice to this particular subject and lighting setup. I also don't know why I got all those spots on the postive and if there is a way to avoid that.

I'm writing this as someone who is very new to large format photography and has never used the original Polaroid 55 film. I am using the Fuji FP-100c and FP-3000b instant films a lot, and the experience with the excellent positive images that I get from those probably spoiled me a bit.

Amaryllis on New55 (negative)

Amaryllis on New55 (positive)

[santoroman]

Although the price seems steep for how many you get...i think I might take the plunge and try out two packs. For the price...I'll def be using my spot meter on the gray card.

[robk331]

I tried a couple of boxes of New55 with varied results.

The positive isn't that good (not even remotely close to Polaroid 55) but can be interesting with the right subject. The negative is quite nice. However, the quality of the sleeve and clip leave a lot to be desired. The sleeve is too thick compared to the old Polaroid 55 and as a result doesn't move smoothly into the holder. The clip doesn't always engage resulting in non-exposures. With Polaroid 55, it is was relatively easy to tell if the clip had engaged, but not so with New55.

Overall, I'd say if you have some cash to spend and don't mind wasting a few shots, give it a try. However, I don't think this product is ready for prime time.

Rob

[Bob Mann]

This is my third sheet of New55 -

Rated at 50ASA - I had a little trouble getting it apart so the development time was close to 3 minutes, I was aiming for a little over two as they suggest. Lens is a 180mm - f24 for 8 Sec. Negative is a little dense, positive was very light - but I do like the tones and holding of detail. It is expensive, but I do like the ability to process quickly.

[Bob Mann]

After a "successful experience" with the first three sheets I have run into a series 5 of failures. They are partly my fault in I misloaded one packet which bent the springs in the holder which then lead to 2 more failures before I figured out the springs were bent. "Fixing" the holder as best as I could, I have gotten images on the last two. One was also my fault in misreading my light meter and underexposing the sheet, the last one is posted below. Not sure why the background is mottled - image is of a white carnation on a white background. Developed just over 2 minutes and fixed in Ilford fixer. I have yet to have a positive that I would consider "keeping" - but I am using this film for an instant negative and would have no real use for the positive except as a proof.

New55 Film - f11 - 1 sec - 2+ minute development