Zone System with Polaroid 55 p/n

Hello,

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I'm just starting in LF photography. I'm interested in using Polaroid 55 p/n film. Is it possible to use the zone system for Polaroid 55 p/n negatives? Would it be accomplished via development time or temperature?

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Thanks,

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Mark

Type 55 p/n will work well for Zone system within certain limits.

George DeWolfe published a guide for testing Type 55 p/n in an issue

of View Camera within the past year. The View Camera website offers

an index to back issues, and you may be able to acquire a copy of the

article.

Time/temperature variations such as thos commonly used by Zone

systems practitioners do not apply as extensively with type 55 p/n.

I have used the film and like it, but you may find its use narrows

your style a bit.

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That being said, the film produces a lovely negative that prints and

scans well.

Bob

Get Ansel Adams book on "Polaroid Land Photography," published by the

New York Graphics Society. While it might be out of print, I'm sure

you can find a used copy.

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Chapter 10, Control of Image Values, begins with the following

preface.

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"Since Polaroid films generally are completely processed at the scene,

many of the controls that are available in conventional processing do

not apply. Offsetting this limitation, however, is the fact that,

seeing a fully processed image immediately, the photgrapher is free to

make adjustments as needed to improve the image. A number of useful

controls of the scale of values of the Polaroid print do exist, and if

understood, they give the photographer considerable flexibility in the

way his subject is rendered."

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I can't imagine a more authoritative reference on this topic.