QuickLoad -vs- QuickChange

[Gavin Walker]

So, I went to my local camera shop to look at getting a Polaroid film back, a bo x of Polaroid film and some some Fuji QuickLoad film, perhaps some of the scarce Fuji B&W. Anyway, it's not a major store, so I failed to find a 545 back (they only had the 550) and the choice of film was limited, so I came away empty hande d. They also only had two kinds of Fuji film in QuickLoad, but had a couple more in QuickChange format. Anyone know if this is a good system? I've never heard of it before. I had a search around the Internet and found this link to it. Seems to be an 8 shot version of QuickLoad. Cost is about 4000 Yen for 8 shots as opposed t o 8500 Yen for 20 sheets of QuickLoad.

[john g]

Check the date it might be new old stock OTOH it might be grey market film. Since the B+W readyloads are not available as a U.S. {if you are writing from the U.S.} product I would assume that they are selling grey market. Ask! Grey market can be like playing russian roulet. You know there is a bullet somewhere in there and eventually you will end up with a bad experience.

[fw]

Quickchange is really only readily available in Japan, and is worth considering, as, if you're careful, you can reuse the cartridge and refill it with loose sheet film. However Quickload is probably the most convenient option overall.

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

If you look at the hompage of the english photographic dealer Robert White www.robertwhite.co.uk there are photographs and information on this system as he is now selling it in Britain. I seems to be the Grafamtic reborn in a Japanish edtion a great holder refined by the Japs.

[Gavin Walker]

I ended up getting the Polaroid holder (which came with a box of Type 55) and a couple of boxes of Fujifilm B&W Quickload. Seemed like the best all round solution, as the QuickChange system just seemed a wee bit too proprietary, and there are only a couple of emulsions on offer. ('Jap'? Is this 2001 or the 1940s?)

[Rick Moore]

Actually, according to the Robert White web site, the QuickChange system is reusable, and you can use any 4x5 film for the reloadings. You're only limited to Fuji emulsions for the first eight shots.

[David Bradley]

You might want to check how well your Polaroid holder works with the Quickload film. My 545i doesn't hold the Quickloads flat. The film flexes up about 1/8 inch in the middle. The "official" Quickload holder holds the film flat. (This is easily checked by loading a sheet of film into each loader without attaching the loader to the camera. Simply look at the film, touch it, etc. to see if it's flat. This requires the sacrifice of one sheet of film but it is worth it.)