best method for shooting polaroids

what is the best long term method for shooting polaroids? i want to eventually be able to

shoot large format polaroids (does this make sense?... i'm new and learning!). my goal is to

explore the whole polaroid medium and want as many options as i can get.

 

so, is it best to get an old polaroid or a camera that would offer a polaroid back?

If you want large format Polaroids (4x5 of larger) you have two options: either get a Polaroid back for your camera OR a Daylab that has a 4x5 or 8x10 base. B+H and Freestyle sells Daylabs... you can check ebaY too. The Daylab is awesome because you can use your high-quality slides and make Polaroids from them. The backs are nice too... but I prefer to use the Daylabs.

I bought a 195 this past summer- my first Polaroid :) I've had a lot of fun with it- and it was well worth the $200, but if you're serious about polaroids you might find a camera with a back offers you more options with lenses- etc.

 

Something for inspiration I found on the polaroid site:

 

http://timothywhite.com/

 

A lot of this work was done with 665 film (or so I read). I do love polaroid film!

kim, in response to your answer...

i am wondering, is the daylab the method for enlarging polaroids? for example,

if i shoot 4x5 polaroids but need enlargements would i use the daylab to do so? or what

other methods do people use? just scanning and printing out digitally?

 

thanks,

tamara

Hi Tamara

 

Tjek out the Polaroid/Mamiya 600 SE.

 

www.micbach.dk.........."Photography workshops in Spain"

Daylabs are used to make Polaroids from SLIDES. You can use a 35mm slide or a 120 slide (with the 120 head) to make Polaroids ranging in size from 3.25x4.25 all thw way up to 8x10" Polaroids.

First let me congratulate you on your choice of Polaroid films as a medium to work with. You can expect excellent results. And of course it makes sense!<p>I shoot a lot of the stuff, both in 665 and Type 55. Both are positive/negative films and give you a print and a negative to work with. Personally, I always work with the negatives.<p>The <a href="http://www.polaroid.com/global/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760007&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023747&bmUID=1095690255113&PRDREG=null">Polaroid 600SE</a> is an excellent camera to shoot the 665 with, if you're lucky enough to find the camera. You can also get a 4x5 back for it from NPC, but they are expensive. And if you're going to shoot 665, better stock up now, because Polaroid will cease production of it in six months.<p>You can shoot the 4x5 Type 55 in any 4x5 camera as long as you have the back...either a 545 or the newer 545i back. You can usually find used backs in good shape from $50-$100.<p>The Type 55 is expensive film, especially if you can't buy it locally...then you have to pay shipping. The 665 is pack film and sells for $15-$18 a pack. You can also shoot the Type 55 in 4x5 pinhole cameras and zone plate cameras.<p><a href="http://www.npcphoto.com/">NPC</a> has also reintroduced the Polaroid 195 camera, making it much better than before.<p>Check the <a href="http://www.polaroid.com/us/index.jsp;jsessionid=D3maKMHklrSVVCZtN2vA8HWwcuqTIumHSWdZsbUCwJI92glNZEoC!1022592839!-1979950377!7005!8005!-1065664777!-1979950386!7005!8005?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760007&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302023747&bmUID=1136076378689&bmLocale=en_US">Polaroid website</a> and you can learn a lot about positive/negative films and how to work with them.<p>You can get hooked on working with the stuff really fast.

If this is the case, won't most older Polaroid cameras become worthless? Even the new 195 from NPC becomes useless. Am I right?

 

I have a cool older Polaroid camera, I can't remember which at the moment. (could be a 110 or something) Anyway I bought it a long time ago, and had it converted from film to 665 pack. I guess this will soon be junk?

John...not sure how that might affect cameras like the 110. Granted you won't be able to shoot 665 film in it any longer. I'm not familiar with the 110, so I don't know if you can get a 4x5 back adapted for it.

 

As far as my old Polaroid 600SE...if I wanted to shoot Type 55 in it, I could get a 4x5 back for it from NPC, so I could at least continue using the camera and lenses. I've got a good bit of money invested in the thing.

 

And it wouldn't surprise me if NPC came up with a 4x5 back for their new version of the 195.

 

As far as the 110 goes, I guess you could shoot just plain print pack film in it, and if you were into other forms of Polaroid creativity, I guess you could do image transfers and emulsion lifts.

I had the 600 SE for a number of years since it was introduced and it's a great camera for the peel apart Polaroid films. It was made by Mamiya and designed for the Polaroid film back. The 4x5 Polaroid backs are good as well but don't fall for the some of the older backs sold on eBuy. They won't work with the current films. Get yourself a Speed Graphic and a 4x5 back. This shot is of an old chimney with the 600 SE, Type 667 film, a long exposure, light painting with a strobe and hand coloring with photo pencils. <p><center><img src="http://www.syzygyst.com/JoePhoto/psychim.jpg"</center></p>