Hasselblad / Polaroid

I'm planning on adding on a polaroid back for my Hasselblad but have

not found any information if you can use Polaroid 665 (

positive/negative film) with these backs.

 

I would appreciate any feedback from users of this combination.

 

Thanks.

yes you can. works great

 

www.dougphoto.com

www.mcgoldrickphoto.com

Yes you can. There are 2 hasselblad backs. The older ones take type 88 film (smaller) and the newer backs PolaPlus (I think?) take type 100 film (larger). The Polaplus is the one you want. The older backs will not take 665 film, only VIVA. I bought a PolaPlus recently for £100 second hand in mint condition. Normally go for £100 to £130 on ebay.co.uk.

 

Have fun

 

Gavin

I use a Hasselblad dedicated, NPC Polaroid 100 back. It works great! Further, NPC has certain advantages such as no glass over the film plane like genuine Hassy Pola backs (delicate and prone to scratching) and the NPC is compatible with all finders and prisms. The only downside is not being able to make test shots on the older model bellows unit (maybe same with the newer ones?) because most of the back hangs down below the camera body.

I have heard that the NPC backs are good. I think Polaroid make their own model too. I've only got experience with Hasselblad's own model though. I know that there are issues using it with their own prism as it get's in the way. I only use the waist level finder though.

 

I believe the glass in the Hassy back is to bring the image into sharp focus as, due to the polaroid film container, polaroid film always sits behind the standard film plane. The glass brings the image back & is thus sharper on the polaroid. Heard it once but have not verified it.

 

Has anyone tried the new polaroid colour film yet? Just came out a couple of days ago. Supposed to be much improved on the old version.

 

Gavin

The NPC back places the Polaroid film in the correct plane BY DESIGN and mercifully

does not need the glass plate to correct focus placement.

 

I prefer this. Why shoot through a piece of glass if you don't have to?

 

The new model is also built like a tank- the top is machined metal and very tough. It

also has a built in dark slide holder on the back.

 

I love the fact you can use it with either Hassy prism PM90 or PM45.

 

The only criticism I have is that getting the darkslide to stay in the holder is a little

tricky- there is a specific orientation you have to insert the slide to prevent it from

falling out of the back and on to the floor! But once you've got it figured out, there's

no problem.

Gavin,<br><br>It is the pin that shoots out of Hasselblad bodies to trip the magazine's "exposed" signal that interferes with the polaroid film pack in the 'original' Polaroid back design used by Hasselblad. The Hasselblad solution is to move the film pack back, but doing so the glass compensator plate becomes a necessity.<br>So it's not the Polaroid film pack that can't be moved close enough that is the problem.<br>I don't know the NPC backs myself, but can well imagine that they have found a way to position the Polaroid film pack such that it sits clear of this pin, allowing it to sit at the correct distance behind the lens, and thus not needing the glass plate.

Hi Q.G.,

 

On the NPC pola back there's a slot in the plate that attaches to the camera back that the pin moves into when the shutter release is depressed. Needless to say, the pin is "firing blanks" when it goes through the motions. When the (oversized) dark slide is reinserted it covers the slot as well as the film plane. I hope that helps!

 

Cheers!

Those photographers that still have their Type 80 Polaroid backs are not stuck using

just Type 88 color film. Polaroid has (for some reason) revived the square (or almost

square) format. I currently am using Type 85 P/N film in my SWC/M. Check Polaroid's

web site for information on their other films.

Hi Rod,<br><br>Thanks for the info.<br>A similar slot is also found on the "Hasselblad" Polaroid backs. Must be, because the pin must be allowed to protrude, else it works as an exposure lock (which is why the dark slide, when inserted, covers the slot too).<br>With this slot/pin located so close to the film gate/image, and the Polaroid pack so large, extending beyond the potential image area on all sides, i have difficulties trying to imagine how the NPC backs manage to avoid the pin hitting the pack.<br>I think i will ask around and see if any of the photographers i know is using NPC Polaroid backs, and have a look at the actual thing.<br>Thanks.