Medium Format Photo Thread

Hasselblad 500 c/m, Planar 80 mm f2.8 CF, FP4+.

Mt. Rushmore, Black HIlls SD. Mamiya 645E 80mm f/3.5 Tri-X in Xtol

Juneau, Alaska

Bronica RF645, 65mm f/4 Zenzanon-RF, 100TMX in HC-110B

OC Surf Cafe, Ocean City, NJ, August 2022. Kodak Ektar 100, Rolleiflex 3.5e

Boulder Falls, CO. Mamiya 645E 45mm f/2.8 on Tmax400 in Xtol

Here is an instant film shot I took today with my Hasselblad 500cm and the 80mm Planar lens. the film was Polaroid FP100c film that expired in September 2018.

I metered the film at ISO 100 and shot one frame. I let the chemicals “cook” for about 5 minutes before peeling the photo, and as you can see it was pretty well washed out. IIRC the setting called for f/8 @ I think 250. (Edit: maybe 125?)

I reset the aperture to f/11, and debated on changing the exposure time but in the end, didn’t.

I took the 2nd shot and let the chemistry do its thing for a little over 4 minutes and voila.

I also shot two other frames on another subject.

This being my first time since I was like 9 for shooting Polaroid instant film, I made the first shot and peeled the pic out straight away. I then called a buddy of mine and asked how long I should have waited- he said at least 2 minutes and also said it wouldn’t hurt to let it cook for longer than normal considering the age of the film.

Thankfully this film has lived its life in a freezer from purchase. I shot the 2nd frame and set the timer for 2 minutes. In the end I feel like it could have gone longer but feel it’s still OK (or better)

Ultimately it was a fun venture, a lark. A somewhat expensive one at that- 80.00 IIRC for the film pack so 8.00 per exposure! Oh the Rexall sign photo was taken with the 250mm Sonnar.

And I still have 6 frames to go yet! whee!

Here is an instant film shot I took today with my Hasselblad 500cm and the 80mm Planar lens. the film was Polaroid FP100c film that expired in September 2018.

 

I metered the film at ISO 100 and shot one frame. I let the chemicals “cook” for about 5 minutes before peeling the photo, and as you can see it was pretty well washed out. IIRC the setting called for f/8 @ I think 250. (Edit: maybe 125?)

 

I reset the aperture to f/11, and debated on changing the exposure time but in the end, didn’t.

I took the 2nd shot and let the chemistry do its thing for a little over 4 minutes and voila.

 

I also shot two other frames on another subject.

This being my first time since I was like 9 for shooting Polaroid instant film, I made the first shot and peeled the pic out straight away. I then called a buddy of mine and asked how long I should have waited- he said at least 2 minutes and also said it wouldn’t hurt to let it cook for longer than normal considering the age of the film.

 

Thankfully this film has lived its life in a freezer from purchase. I shot the 2nd frame and set the timer for 2 minutes. In the end I feel like it could have gone longer but feel it’s still OK (or better)

 

Ultimately it was a fun venture, a lark. A somewhat expensive one at that- 80.00 IIRC for the film pack so 8.00 per exposure! Oh the Rexall sign photo was taken with the 250mm Sonnar.

 

And I still have 6 frames to go yet! whee!

 

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If you did freeze this I'm surprised that it worked at all. Older Polaroid films could be refrigerated but freezing them would ruin the chemicals for developing the image.

If you did freeze this I'm surprised that it worked at all. Older Polaroid films could be refrigerated but freezing them would ruin the chemicals for developing the image.

Freezing was dicouraged because the liquid in the pod could/would expand and burst the pod, resulting in a terrible mess.

I never heard that it would ruin the chemicals. Would it?

Freezing was dicouraged because the liquid in the pod could/would expand and burst the pod, resulting in a terrible mess.

I never heard that it would ruin the chemicals. Would it?

Perhaps I could have been more precise--if frozen, Polaroid sheet materials would not process correctly, something I know from a colleague who bought a lot of close dated sheet film and froze it to extend its life. He wasn't pleased with his results... The chemicals may not have been destroyed, but they no longer worked properly.

Meanwhile here’s today’s shot. Exposed correctly the first time!

Aha well

I bought it from a friend who bought it. It must have only been refrigerated because the chemicals work OK. I know HE pulled it out of a fridge and not a freezer.

Meanwhile here’s today’s shot. Exposed correctly the first time!

 

[ATTACH=full]1438930[/ATTACH] Aha well

I bought it from a friend who bought it. It must have only been refrigerated because the chemicals work OK. I know HE pulled it out of a fridge and not a freezer.

Expensive Polaroid teaches you very quickly to get the exposure right!

Expensive Polaroid teaches you very quickly to get the exposure right!

No need for Polaroid these days a digital SLR ( even an agey one ) does a far better job.

No need for Polaroid these days a digital SLR ( even an agey one ) does a far better job.

A recurring thing, this, but Polaroid was terrible as a substitute for a light meter. And far too expensive to use as such too.

Digital cameras too are no good as substitutes for a light meter. It's the light meter inside these thingies that does a far better job.

Figures that a light meter is the better light meter compared to things that are not a light meter.

A recurring thing, this, but Polaroid was terrible as a substitute for a light meter. And far too expensive to use as such too.

Digital cameras too are no good as substitutes for a light meter. It's the light meter inside these thingies that does a far better job.

Figures that a light meter is the better light meter compared to things that are not a light meter.

Funny I never mentioned NOT TO USE A LIGHT METER. Poloroid is mostly studio use anyway. Not just for exposure but checking lighting and composition. Digital SLR does all this FAR BETTER THAN ANY GARBAGE POLAROID.

Funny I never mentioned NOT TO USE A LIGHT METER. Poloroid is mostly studio use anyway. Not just for exposure but checking lighting and composition. Digital SLR does all this FAR BETTER THAN ANY GARBAGE POLAROID.

I never implied anyone suggested not using a light meter. I pointed out that Polaroid was a terrible tool to check up on exposure. And that the only reason a camera can do that is becPuse that thingy has a light meter. So just use that light meter, and there is no "far better job" to do.

Polaroid was not mostly studio. It was mostly a the-art-director-is-present thingy. Before they sat around a monitor viewing every single shot, they wanted another vehicle to express their mistrust in the photographer's ability to understand and deliver what they said they wanted. The Polaroid was the thing that gave them something to look at.

Checking composition was done in the viewfinder. Lighting was done using your eyes, either through the viewfinder or looking directly at the subject.

I never implied anyone suggested not using a light meter. I pointed out that Polaroid was a terrible tool to check up on exposure. And that the only reason a camera can do that is becPuse that thingy has a light meter. So just use that light meter, and there is no "far better job" to do.

Polaroid was not mostly studio. It was mostly a the-art-director-is-present thingy. Before they sat around a monitor viewing every single shot, they wanted another vehicle to express their mistrust in the photographer's ability to understand and deliver what they said they wanted. The Polaroid was the thing that gave them something to look at.

Checking composition was done in the viewfinder. Lighting was done using your eyes, either through the viewfinder or looking directly at the subject.

Do'nt dissagree but a digital SLR image can check all three in an actual permantly not momentarily eyesight captured image. Exposure lighting and composition

Hmmm, Well guys, Although I've been casually shooting pocket sized digital cameras for many years, I'm generally new (ish) to film AND to being more seriously interested in learning the mechanics of manual photography. I am 100% self taught with zero formal training, and have been shooting film since 2016 and learning to use manual settings on old film camers since about 2018. This is simply a part of my personal journey, but shooting these Polaroids was really more a lark than anything else- you know, for the fun of it. I like the "instant-ness" of it, and that's about as far as it goes with me.

Furthermore, over the past few years, I have shot some expired film with wildly varying results. While that's not really a thing I'm serious about, I do like the desaturated colors and lo-fi vibe of these.

Yes, it took me a minute to get the exposures right, but I was by no means using these to "get my exposures right".

All in all, over the course of 5 or so days on holiday in Maine, I shot 5 rolls of 120 film and 7 frames out of 10 in Polaroid- 1 of which was underdeveloped, 1 of which was badly exposed, 1 of which was out of focus, and 4 of which came out well. Other than cropping, I've made no further edits. It's been a gas and now I have some stuff to look at until I get my film scans back from the lab, whenever that will be. I am currently awaiting scans from my trip to Greece in June- point being, it might be a minute til I see those shot in Maine!

All that said, I present the final 2. Note that the pix I've posted thus far were shots of Polaroids I took with my phone, these two I just shot with my Olympus OMD Em-1. You guys can overthink it and debate it if you want, but I'm in it for fun- and am tickled pink over these!

OK who killed the photo thread? 🤪

here’s one from just about one year ago. I’ve got film out being processed in a couple different labs right now so should have new (2022) photos to show soon.

Hasselblad 500cm

250mm Sonnar

expired TMax 100

Rumor has it (see Film & Processing, CatLabs X 320 Pro) another "new" MF film might be nearby. I liked the 80 material, almost like Kentmere 100 and hope the "new" film will be like the Kentmere 400. 

From 2020 with the Isolette 3. CatLab 80 in Hypercat.   Aloha,  Bill

Mamiya 645 Pro, Ilford Delta 400, Studional (1+15)

Finished off the last of the Polaroids yesterday. 
FP100c, Hasselblad 500cm, 80mm Planar

Hello everyone. Part of the last few weeks has been spent "Organizing" the last scans from my b/w camera work from 2000 till now. All the scans are going over onto "archival" media. Here is one from 2001 taken with my Yashica Mat EM purchased in 1965 while in Germany with the army. It is still in the kit today and going strong.  FP-4 & PMK Pyro.  Aloha,  Bill

Waay back however long ago (this summer), I sent the final two rolls of expired Kodak TMax 100 (which I shot in October 2021) out to Iowa to DR5 Chrome for reversal processing. I didnt get scans from him- quite accidentally, and he forgot to include a CD of the shots... so after some time, last week I took the film over to my local camera shop to  have both rolls scanned. JUST got them back, they sent them to my drop box which was, in and of itself quite an "adventure", since they sent them to one email address and I'm signed in on the *other* email address!   

SO it's been a LONG road to get to this point but here are two favorites from one of the 2 rolls.  Equipment was my Hasselblad 500CM. I beieve the top pic was with the 250mm Sonnar lens; the other I believe was with the 80mm Planar. From memory. Could totaly be wrong about the lenses used.