It's an Instant 'Thang - Polariod One Step Flash

I dig instant photography, as you might expect if you've read any of this blog.  I like the immediate feedback and the ability to hold the finished product in your hand.  I primarily use them in my studio for behind the scenes shots during model or fashion shoots.

Recently I pulled out of my stash this Polaroid One Step Flash.  Pretty simple.  Like most 600 styled Polaroids it's simply point and shoot.  The only option is the light / dark slider which I always tend to keep in the middle.  I loaded this with a pack of Impossible Project Color 600 film, and used it during a shoot with model Kat Scott.

A few of the images taken against a black backdrop

One thing I do because I generally have 2-3 Polaroids loaded at the same time with different films, I write what I have in the camera just in-case I forget.  I know, very OCD-like.

Alas, my last shot of the pack got jammed in the camera, but magically popped out after I gave the camera a reasonable smack.  Uh, this doesn't look like my model

OK, does this have any practical value, nope, but it's fun.

End of An Era - FujiFilm FP-100c

If you are an instant film shooter, you know that FujiFilm has pulled the plug on their "peel-apart" pack film.  I wrote about it on an earlier blog post.  The FP-3000B was discontinued about 2+ years ago, and then this past month the color FP-100c.  I liked the B&W version of the 2 the best, so I was sorry to see it go.  However, I still shot the color version regularly.  As a matter of fact it was one of my go to's for behind the scenes shots during my model / fashion / portrait studio photography.  

It was an expensive novelty / fun genre that I've done for a number of years.  I picked up 5 packs recently and will slowly use them.   Sad to see this film go, but am not surprised at FujiFilm's decision. Oh well, I still have my Polaroids.  I'll focus on using Impossible Project film in my 600, SX-70 & Spectra cameras.   I'll shelve all of my Pack cameras.

Holga 120N Is Beautiful

Yes, I have a Holga 120N.  I got it as a freebie gift from my niece who lives in Prague.  Not sure where she got it, but she knew I still shot film. She said, "Uncle Steve, you want my Holga and a bunch of expired film that I have?"  It took me about 3 seconds to respond to that email.  The Holga is a cult, toy camera.  A medium format beauty!

Literally, the day I got the camera in the mail I saw the announcement the Chinese (Hong Kong?) manufacturer was stopping production.  A sad day, but hey, I got mine.  Soon after I got the camera I loaded it with a roll of Ilford XP400 Super 120.  And took it on a road trip out east and then another roll about a month ago.

The Holga 120N is simple to use.  There is really nothing to it.  It is a classic toy camera.  Very flimsy, plastic, plastic lens, minimal controls.  On my version it has a 60mm lens, 4 zone focus options on the lens, a sunny / cloudy setting (f/8 & f/13), and a N / B selector on the bottom.  The N mode is 1/100 second. What you also have (which screwed me up on one roll) is a 16/12 shot selector on the back.  Really, just a slider over the red window that tells you if you have the included in box insert for 16 shots.  

You'll note on the photos that they have that classic Holga toy camera vignetting and softness around the edges.  

I also did a roll with the 16 image selected.  Unfortunately, I forgot to put in the insert for 16 shots and it screwed up the roll.  However, it's kind of cool effect.  Semi double exposures.

The Holga is a fun camera to play with, but toy camera enthusiast already know this.  Get yourself one and enjoy.  Next for me is to try it with a roll of color film or sprockets on a 35mm roll.  Dig it.

Time To Soup Some Film

I've been shooting film off and on since I was about 15 years old.  That means I've been shooting film a LONG time.  Although, 95% of all my photographic work is now digital, I still shoot film. I have over 100 film camera of all types from TLR's, medium format, SLR's, point & shoots, toy cameras, etc.  I always have one in my bag.

What does that mean.  Yep, that means $$$.  The dark underbelly of my love of film is the cost (and of course the longer workflow).  I would normally turn in 2-5 rolls at a time and end up with $20-$50+ expense depending on the film type.  

Well, lets change that a bit.  I'm actually increasing the length of my workflow, but I'm lowering the unit cost.  That's right, I'm going to start developing my own film.  I bought a C-41 & an E-6 chemistry set from The Film Photography Podcast store.  I normally, shoot C-41 but was given about 50 rolls of E-6 recently.  I'll see how it goes, and then reassess my decision to soup my own film.  At minimum it will be interesting.  I'll keep you updated.

Tri-X Find

I'm going to start developing my own film again.  I have the equipment (inherited from my Dad) and just got both C-41 & E-6 chemistry.  

Well the other day I was rummaging through a box that had some of the equipment and I found in the bottom 2 rolls of "hand rolled" Tri-X film that my Dad rolled himself.  He shot so much film that he was rolling his own to save $$. Some of the equipment in the box was several film rolling devices & about 50 empty reusable 35mm film canisters.

This film is dated 1985 so it's WELL past it's used by date.  Also he simply labled it "3X" & "20E"  Not 100 sure what the ASA is, but I suspect it's 400.  I recall that's what he normally shot.

We'll I'm going to dig up his old Nikon SLR and run both rolls through.  I'll process them both in the stainless steel developing tanks that he used to own that are now with me.

Should be nice, and fingers crossed the film is still good.

Peel-Apart "Pack" Film is No More

If you are a film photographer, especially someone who shoots instant cameras like the old-skoolie Polaroid 600 line, SX-70, Polaroid Pack cameras, etc., you may have heard FujiFilm has decided to pull the plug on it's last pack film, FP-100c.  I'm one of those photographers.  Every model shoot I do in studio (yep, that's what I do as my main photo gig) I use some form of instant camera for behind the scenes shots and give-aways.

Actually, as news came out it was clear FujiFilm actually discontinued production earlier, and has simply been selling out it's stock.  The day the announcement circulated prices shot up on all online outlets.  That was expected. The same thing happened when FujiFilm off'd their B&W version over a year ago.

The uproar was quick by all types of film enthusiast.  Why FujiFilm, why?? Obviously, no word from FujiFilm except for the expected corporate PR flack. Again, that was too be expected.  My day job is as an exec at a huge corporation, and I know by experience any news put out is going to be glowing, moving up, love our customers, blah, blah, blah....  Add the cultural component and you get flack with smiles & no comments.  Again, expected.

There are several efforts ongoing to convince FF to rethink their decision, sell their equipment or licence the technology for peel-apart film.  Personally, I think this will go no where, but fingers crossed.

What does this mean to me as a photographer?  Honestly, not a lot.  While I love playing with my Polaroid pack cameras they were more of a novelty.  I have about 6 of them, and regularly used the ColorPack III.  

I enjoyed the process, and the look on my model's face when I pulled the film out of the camera and showed them the results a few minutes later.  I would often post online scanned copies of the photo.   However, I never did a themed project with the film, nor was it my primary creative outlet.  

The film quality was almost always top notch which was always nice.  While I really enjoy Impossible Project film, the quality of peel-apart film was always superior.  It will be missed and the end of an era for both the film type and the multitude of cameras still in use.  Lets face it, no digital camera will last that long.

Well, I have about 4 packs left and about that many packs of flashcubes as well. I'll use those over the next few months and then that will be that.  I'll still use my Instax cameras (until of course FujiFilm kills off that film) and my Polaroids using Impossible Project film.  In the meantime I hope the efforts to save the peel-apart film is successful.  I'll contribute to the cause as I can.

Fun With Polaroids - Scanning a Negative

A Positive Negative of Model Kiona Waters of LModelz Model Management

Sometimes you just have to have some fun.  "But, how do you have fun Steve?" Well, one way is to pay around with Polaroid cameras.  I almost always take one to a photoshoot and snap behind the scenes shots.  Film is still available through FujiFilm (for Pack cameras), FujiFilm for Instax cameras & The Impossible Project for Polaroid cameras.

Last weekend I used a Polaroid Colorpack III.  A plastic pack camera.  Here she is:

This photo was actually taken a couple of year ago by SF based street photographer Eric Kim.  This was my "street photography" camera of the day

It takes really nice / crisp images with FujiFilm FP-100c "peel apart" film.  It's "Professional". I mean that's what is says on the box, so it must be true.  For Sunday's model shoot I used a pack of B&W FP-3000B.  Unlike the color version of the film, the B&W version is no longer produced.  Therefore it's pricey.  I think I paid $21 for the pack.  Here it is:

And this is what the back of the peel apart looks like once you pull it from the camera, let it develop and peel off the photo.

The negatives that I used to throw away

Know what I see?  That's right, I see a negative.  For giggles, and that "fun" I mentioned above I decided to scan the backing into Adobe Photoshop and then "reversed" the image.  And - wait for it, a positive image appears as shown above.   Does this have a practical purpose...no, but who said all film photography had to have a practical purpose.  And just to think I used to throw the backing papers away...no more, no sir, no more.

Try it yourself, it's "fun"