Polaroid Type 55 P/N - in the field

Am I to understand this film is just sheets, like "normal" sheets of

film?

 

Also, is it OK to expose it then process all the sheets once I return

home? I imagine it would be a huge task to carry around a tank full

of Sodium Sulfite solution to a lot of the places I like to shoot...

 

Any info is appreciated.

J:

 

There are quite a few threads in the large format forum regarding 55 and its use in the field. Try using teh search function and seeing what the LF guys have to offer.

 

Andrew

When you process the film you will get a positive as well as a negative.

 

You can wait until you get home to process the film, either with the holder as normal, or some folks have been known to not use the chemistry provided in the pack and use something else; then you would process the film as any other 4 x 5 piece of sheet film. The size is a bit bigger (over all film size and needs different negative preserver than the normal 4 x 5). This also include the negative carrier when it comes around to making enlargements.

 

Carrying the sodium sulfite in the field is really not a big deal, especially if you are using the "bucket" that is made for this process. It has a bracket to place the individual pieces of film. It is smaller than a one gallong paint can, but bigger than a can of oil. Many times these can be found on ebay.

 

When pulling the film away from the positive it can get a tad messy as the positive needs to be brayed with a chemcial provide with the film. That is smelly and sticky.

 

THe down side to waiting until you get home, you must either trust your technique and don't worry about the exposure or just accept what you get, unless you want to bracket.

I have used this film often, both in the field and in the studio and like it altho it can be fincky stuff and do wreid things, but for me that is part of what I am looking for when I choose this film type rather than standard sheet film.

I did try searching. I'll try again - I usually have bad to zero luck searching old photo.net threads, which is why I never hesitate to ask in a fresh thread.

 

Thanks for the info! It doesn't SEEM like a big deal to carry around a clearing tank, but sometimes it is, as I will end up at industrial ruins, climbing old machinery with a small tripod strapped to my front and a minimal kit strapped to my upper body - FUN!!!

 

I wonder if Polaroid makes pages designed to hold these films... I'm sure the info is already all over the internet, now to go find it.

 

OK then.

A quick search for 'P/N film' yields plenty info.

 

The plastic baggie idea sounds good, as does processing them later. Plenty of options! Now to get a 545i, some Type 55, and Type 665.

Polaroid does not make a negative file for this size but there is one on the market. I believe it is Print FIle. I will check next week when I go into the lab. Just be careful to note that the type you will need are coded with a P rather than a B. Am sure B&H or Calmet would carry them.

I don't have the patience to wait until I get back to the darkroom to process.

 

Here's what I've been doing:

 

1: Process and inspect the neg.

 

2: Slip it into a small zip-lock plastic bag with half a cup of water.

 

3: Store a buch of these in a tupperware style luch-box.

 

4: Rinse and sodium sulphite treatment back in the darkroom.

 

Works fine for day trips but I wouldn't try it for over-nighters.

 

Cheers,

Despite the fact that Polaroid T55 is quite expensive for proofing purposes, the fact remains that this is a unique dual purpose fine grained film. I would suggest that you you either go to your libray, or check used book suppliers for a copy of Ansel Adam's book on Polaroid films from his still emminently useful series of books on Photography.

 

There doesn't have to be any guess work involved when shooting out in the field, as you can make a test print, and then shoot another for the negative. As you may know the effective film speed for a T55 negative is usually about 1 stop slower than for a print. I recently checked(with my equipment) a batch of T55 and found that an E.I. of 25 provided sufficient density for zone I. At this speed though, the print is quite overexposed, but that doesn't matter when you know what speed to shoot the film at.

 

As previously mentioned, "Print File" brand, does supply a 4 sheet neg. holder specifically for 4x5 Polaroids.

 

One other thing, as the T55 negs are extremely delicate, it's recommended that you include a bath in a hardening type fixer such as Kodak's "Kodafix", during the post development treatment. This goes a long way towards keeping all those precious & COSTLY images for future use. Last of all, if it turns out that the negative is a bit flat, you can also give the neg. a treatment in selenium toner for intensification.

Again, thanks. I can probably track down that Adams book no problem; that man certainly had a large technical knowledge which he shared.

 

I've got to try some of this film! It seems like it wouldn't be too much trouble to develop it wherever I end up, except in colder temperatures, which I am always always out in (snow)...

 

Hopefully sometime I can contribute some worthwhile information as well.