Anybody shooting 8x10 Polaroid??

[Gene McCluney]

I keep seeing the holders and processors on ebay going for relatively reasonable prices. Polaroid still make some films in 8x10 size. I was wondering if anyone who reads this forum actually does any work in Polaroid 8x10? What are your experiences?

[Walter Calahan]

Haven't shot an 8x10 Polaroid since June. Not much call for it anymore. I love the creamy prints one gets.

Perhaps I need to shoot a few to promote them to clients. If we don't, Polaroid WILL stop making the stuff just like Type-55.

[Colin Corneau]

Alright...DID they stop making 55, or not?

I keep hearing conflicting reports.

[Ted Harris]

If we don't, Polaroid WILL stop making the stuff just like Type-55.

Walter, not denying that it is possible but what is your source for this? My technical contact inside Polaroid insists they are still making the film. Note, it may not show up as available right now because they have been moving some facilities. I sure hope you are wrong and I'll check again tomorrow.

[Ralph Barker]

I haven't shot a lot of 8x10 Polaroid, but I've done some - Type 804, mostly. Lovely tonality.

If you decide to jump into the pond, watch the film holders and processors to make you get compatible model numbers. Model 81-06 are the later holders, and work with the processors with trays. Although some people still use the 81-05 holders with success, many had problems with them, hence the redesign (one would assume).

The film is expensive, and even more so when shots are ruined by dirty rollers in the processor.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I do some. I look for deals on film and occasionally buy short-dated, but avoid past-date Polaroid, and I meter very carefully to keep the number of shots to a minimum.

I have three of the 81-05 holders, and they all work okay. The clips sometimes get bent, but aren't too hard to straighten.

809 is a beautiful film. This is from a few winters ago--



I haven't tried any transfers yet with it, but that's something I've been thinking of doing for a while.

[Asher Kelman]

David,

Thats beautiful. Don't worry about past dated! Several years old can be fine!

This picture of yours interests me, what's the story behind it. Have you scanned it or do you plan to make ink or silver gelatin prints of it.

Will Thompson has made his 8x10 processor totally portable. It runs on a drill motor! He he even has fitted the thing with the rechargable batteries of the electric drill and it works!

Mine has to be plugged into an AC outlet. He can keep his in his truck and process his pictures in the forrest if he wishes!

Asher

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks, Asher. I find that with past-dated Polaroid, the pods can dry out and produce undeveloped corners. Unless it's really cheap, it's not a gamble I'd want to take with 8x10".

That's the "view from the artist window" that I photographed for about four or five years in our last apartment. The view was lovely, but after Melchi was born, we needed more space and had to give up the view.

I've scanned that one for the web, but haven't planned to make more prints of it. I like the idea that a Polaroid is a unique object.

I have an electric processor. I've seen spring wound adaptations that I think were made for military use. Calumet makes a hand cranked 8x10" Polaroid processor.

Since I have three Polaroid holders, I could take Polaroids in the field and process them at home, but I haven't done that much. I guess whenever it occurs to me, I think that if I'm not processing them instantly, I might as well shoot ordinary film.

[Phil]

Polaroid also made a hand cranked version of the processor - mine is a Polaroid 81-12 8x10 Instant Processor - which has a small black cover on the side of the processor that you remove to insert the hand crank. It also has the electric motor, so you can use it either way. (There is still a listing on the B&H web site with a photo; they have it listed as a discontinued item.) The gearing of the crank spins the rollers almost as fast as the electric motor does.

Phil

[Kirk Gittings]

Walter, not denying that it is possible but what is your source for this? My technical contact inside Polaroid insists they are still making the film. Note, it may not show up as available right now because they have been moving some facilities. I sure hope you are wrong and I'll check again tomorrow.

Wasn't that announced at one point? or was it just rumor?