FP-100C Experiment

[MikeN]

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Making-of:



In this short video, I’m showing the Linhof Technikardan 4x5 inch camera with a picture take on Fuji FP-100C. Fuji discontinued the film in 2018 (if I’m not wrong). However, it’s still amazing how easily you can process it. The color rendition is wonderful and nearly perfect considering such film was more or less used for test shots assessing the light, the subject, or whatever. I use it here to perform an experiment which hasn’t concluded yet. If you want to see how it works out, just stay tuned for the second episode about it.

[MikeN]

Experiment concluded




The Fuji FP-100C is an extinct subspecies of instant film. It vanished in 2016, but I still have a bunch.
In this brief experiment, I wanted to see for what else I could use it other than straight shots.

THE EMULSION LIFT

It surprised me how easy it was, and it worked on the first try. However, I guess with original Polaroid one, it would have been slightly different. The Polaroid is likely more fragile. The Fuji is quite heavy duty in terms how you can treat the emulsion. Before I poured hot water on it, I trimmed off the blank edges of the photo. The photo soaked the hot water for about 5..7 minutes. As you’ve seen, the emulsion is quite stubborn and rolls up into a tube, after pealing it off from the base paper. I put it into cold water then. There you may gently unwind it and transfer it onto an alternative paper or where ever you wanna mount it to. Drying (over night) bents the fresh paper likely out of shape. Hence, I used the dry mounting press. After all was dry, I noticed the emulsion was not very sticky. It even detached. In my experiment, I used some paper glue to fix it on the corners. However, for a fine artwork, you would appreciate sticking it plain on the entire surface. I’d suggest an acid-free water based transparent glue of archival quality. Don’t know if such exists, but I did not have any at hand.

I am quite satisfied with the results. The emulsion mounted onto Japan WASHI paper, which has a quite nice organic surface and the photo presented in a distant frame*, gives a pleasant three-dimensional impression of your piece of art.

Conclusion: Experiment passed with a couple of new ideas in mind

*Distance Frame: Distance between glass and rear wall.