troubleshooting fuji instant 10pack with Polaroid 550 holder - annoying stripe!

[R Flanders]

Hi,

I've recently purchased a Polaroid 550 pack film holder for use with Fuji FP-100c45, the 10pack of instant film that seems to be the only readily available instant 4x5 film left. My understanding was that the holder would work with this type of pack but I'm getting some very spotty results.

Almost but not quite all shots contain a light vertical stripe down the middle of the image. At first I thought it was a fog stripe from a bent gasket, but duct tape changed nothing. The stripe is about the width of the tabs that are used to pull each sheet out of the holder, so I suspect that the wad of tabs inside the holder is pressing on the film and interfering with the flow of the chemistry somehow when I pull them through the rollers. Maybe I'm loading the film pack improperly, though I keep trying to do it differently. It just seems there's no good place to put the tabs.

There is a little plastic gasket in the front of the holder which is bent as if to receive these tabs, but loading them so that they stick out here does not seem to solve the problem. Neither does duct tape. The rollers seem fine. Some images are perfect.

Anybody experience this? Any suggestions?


attaching a pic of bad to worse striping showing incomplete dispersal of chemistry,
then one of the end of the holder pointing out the "bent gasket" that I'm talking about.

[vinny]

You've loaded the holder by just opening it and placing the film pack inside, right? No sticking the pull tabs where they shouldn't go? I've never seen that issue with mine. Something the width of the pull tabs is interfering with proper development, if that's not obvious. Someone with more know how than me should know the answer.

[Gene McCluney]

That "bent" gasket is where the white pull-tabs are supposed to stick out. You have loaded the holder wrong.

To load the holder, you open the holder completely up on a flat surface like a table. You take the fresh film-pack and making sure the tabs are not folded up underneath, you lay the pack into the holder with the tabs sticking out. (Note..no threading of anything). You then fold the back of the holder over the film-pack and fold up the clamp that holds the back. The only thing sticking out will be the black cover-tab. You pull this completely out and you are presented with one white pull-tab that should be sticking out where your "bent" plastic gasket is.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is never any "threading" of anything when loading a filmpack. The tabs all find their correct place by themselves. You just lay the film in. and close up the back. The only thing you have to be aware of, is to make sure the tabs are not folded in under the film back, which would prohibit you laying the pack flat into the holder, if they were. It may seem like you are clamping the holder onto the black tab, but you are not, and it will pull out just fine.

[R Flanders]

wow, ok, these are the kind of instructions I spent fruitless hours googling for when I bought the holder (used, from Japan . . . maybe it originally had instructions?). I totally thought I needed to thread the first tab though the same slot where the film comes out.

Thank you Gene, and for being so specific. I will try this as soon as I get a fresh pack.

[Gene McCluney]

wow, ok, these are the kind of instructions I spent fruitless hours googling for when I bought the holder (used, from Japan . . . maybe it originally had instructions?). I totally thought I needed to thread the first tab though the same slot where the film comes out.

Thank you Gene, and for being so specific. I will try this as soon as I get a fresh pack.

You don't need to wait for a fresh pack, if you have a darkroom. You can open the holder in total darkness, and re-do it.

I think there are no instructions because it is so easy. Most people try to make it harder, for some reason.

[R Flanders]

I finally got a chance to try it out, and it works perfectly. Thank you thank you!

[chachi]

You don't need to wait for a fresh pack, if you have a darkroom. You can open the holder in total darkness, and re-do it.

you can even do it in daylight and will only lose the top exposure.