Which instant film back?

[J. Cole]

Hi Everyone,
I'm just getting into LF and picked up an inexpensive Toyo 45G as a learning tool. For instant feedback I would like to get a polaroid back but there are several models out there and I don't know which would be the best to choose. My concern is camera compatibility and film availability. Does anyone have any recommendations? This is my first post ever on any kind of forum so I hope my question makes sense.
Thanks,
Jerry

[douglas antonio]

jerry,

since polaroid itself has stopped production there is fuji left. they manufacture packfilm in two different sizes. one for 4x5 size and a smaller, cheaper version. the 4x5 film is called fuji fp-100 c45 and the other fp-100c. either polaroid 505 for c45 or 405 for the 100c. both holders work with international backs, preferably if you can take off the gg holder and keep the holders in place with sliding knobs (they are fairly thick).
sorry i don't know the toyo so check first or wait for others to state that these holders fit your camera.

hope this helps,

douglas

[Jiri Vasina]

Hi Jerry and welcome here among us,

your question is very good, and your idea of instant feedback even better.

At the moment there are instant films available only from Fuji in 2 sizes - 3 1/4 x 4 1/4" [I'll shorten it as 3x4"] and 4x5" (I'm not counting the occasional Polaroid, because it's not manufactured new, it's only old stock, or what people have in freezers). And it's available both in color and BW:

FP-100B is 3x4" BW film with ISO 100 sensitivity
FP-100C is 3x4" color film with ISO 100 sensitivity
FP-3000B is 3x4" BW film with ISO 3000 sensitivity
(there some more speed variants that are only available in Japan, or reexported, like FP-400B for 3x4 ISO 400 film)

and then there are the 4x5" ones:
FP-100B45
FP-3000B45
FP-100C45
(and FP-500B45 again available only in Japan).

The 3x4 films fit the Fuji PA-145 holder (and some Polaroid holders, I'm not sure which ones exactly, but not the holders for pack film. I think the correct one is Polaroid 405, but please have someone else answer this). This holder fits any standard ("international") 4x5" camera back.

The 4x5 films fit the Fuji PA-45 holder (and again some Polaroid holders, check with others which are the right ones).

I have the PA-145 holder and shoot the 3x4 film. I'd recommend you also start with the 3x4" size - the film is around half the price of 4x5 instant film, yet the surface area is almost the same (well, something like 80-85%).

Hope this helps...

Jiri

[Jiri Vasina]

Douglas beat me with the answer, but he is more precise with the Polaroid holders. Also I forgot about the thickness of the Fuji holder. It might be a problem for some cameras, if the groundglass can not be pulled back enough. (The PA-145 fits well bellow the GG of my MPP 4x5 camera).

JIri

[Gene McCluney]

Those cameras that have a "graflok" back, have a ground glass spring system that allow the ground glass to be pulled further away from the camera than other styles of backs, and the Polaroid or Fuji holders will slide in just fine.

[J. Cole]

Thanks, everyone. Exactly the information I needed! Jerry

[douglas antonio]

sorry jerry,

there was a typo: it should be polaroid 550 holder for the fp-100 c45 film.
you might check the prices for either polaroid or fuji holders and decide.
to my feeling fuji holders prices are far beyond the polaroids. buy a good used one, check the rollers, check the dark slide! or ask questions if you intend buying online or from auction.

douglas

[douglas antonio]

and of course jerry: welcome to large format!!!! enjoy it to the fullest!
you will see, it's a real PITA and the greatest pleasure at the same time.
don't lose interest when you find you make a lot of mistakes or get poor results in the beginning. sometimes you even see something exciting on the gg which seems to have disappeared on the chrome or negative. i believe all this is "normal" ;-)
all of us make silly mistakes even after a couple of years of shooting. there are a lot of funny threads about that.

[Chris Dunham]

sorry jerry,

there was a typo: it should be polaroid 550 holder for the fp-100 c45 film.
you might check the prices for either polaroid or fuji holders and decide.
to my feeling fuji holders prices are far beyond the polaroids. buy a good used one, check the rollers, check the dark slide! or ask questions if you intend buying online or from auction.

douglas

Hi Douglas,

I've got the Polaroid 550 holder which I've used with FP-100c45 film successfully, do you know if the FP-100c film will work in the same holder?

Regards,

Chris.

[Jiri Vasina]

Chris, not from personal experience, but from what I have read: the smaller 3x4 FP-100C film will not work in the larger 4x5 holders. You have to have the right sized holder.

Jiri