1st MF body to use with polaroid back, any suggestions?

[andreas_roca]

Hallo,

I am doing a lot of BW and color still life photos involving multiple exposures. I am using at the moment a

35mm body, but I am am frustrated with having to wait for development, with having to use a 36

exposure films when I sometimes only need to take 3 or 4 frames, and also would like better quality that I

am getting at the moment from scanning a tiny format.

So I am thinking of buying a second hand MF body and standard lens with a Polaroid back. I have never

used Polaroids so I need some advice, I think I read that some Polaroid films can provide a negative that I

could scan, is this the case or would I have to scan the actual Polaroid picture? What is a decent workhorse

of a body, I dont need any automatisms or electronics, only the capability of taking multiple exposures,

and what Polaroid films should I use, both for BW and color? And most of all, is this worth it or will

Polaroid stop making film in a couple of years?

Many thanks in advance

Andreas

[robbie_caswell]

My limited, best advice is to get a cheap/ used DSLR for your polaroid camera. Then either move into MF or stick with your SLR film body.

[ben conover]

Hi, it's worth using the film before it becomes unavaileable which might not happen for a while anyway. It's an artful thing to do. Perhaps B+W Polaroid Type 55 film is a versatile choice, positive and negative.

 

You might want to do large format polaroids instead, you can pick up cheap holders decent and cameras with a lens for $200. I'm selling one on ebay right now.

 

Cheers.

[neilambrose]

<p>Robbie has given you some good advice - a used DSLR is much better suited to what

you've described.</p>

 

<p>Polaroid film is increasingly hard to find these days. There are only a few types that

you can now find easily, and Type 55 isn't one of them. I still use Polaroid film myself, but

increasingly for specialist purposes, and in many cases have to now buy it off the net.

Polaroid makes less film every year, and may possibly cease altogether at some future

date. Most suppliers that you find online stock out-of-date film from Asia.</p>

 

 

<p>If you do go with Polaroid you will have to scan the picture (only type 55 gives you a

negative), and your picture size will be the size of your camera's film format -- not the

bigger image size you may be used to from Polaroid cameras.</p>

 

<p>If you're still interested in exploring Polaroid then take a look at <a href=http://

www.unsaleable.com">unsaleable.com</a> which is specialist site catering to Polaroid

enthusiasts. You may be interested in a Holga and Polaroid back combination, since it will

cost you in the region of $90, rather than the $1000 it would cost you to buy a used (and

cheap) medium format camera and polaroid back. Or you could opt for an SX-70 which is

a great Polaroid camera that gives you a larger image, but you'll have to hunt down film.</

p>

[work-page]

Not only is Polaroid difficult to come by, it's expensive too. I've got to fork out what works out to be about EUR 3.00 per shot to use them, and that's the cheapest 125ISO colour proofing stuff which doesn't even give negatives. After a measly fifteen packs, you've already paid for a DSLR.

 

Then there's the problem that an MF camera plus pola back only gives a 56x56mm frame on the print. Given the instant process, this 55x55mm is not at all that impressive in the quality department. You may get decent scans with a polaroid camera that fills the entire frame, but certainly not with that 6x6 cutout.

 

Another caveat with polaroid is its reciprocity characteristic. It doesn't like long exposures, multiple exposures or multiple open flash. Where most colour print film handles 1 second exposures very well without exposure adjustment, the polaroids which I used conked out at 1/10th or so.. though the B&W polapan 400 is decidedly better than the polacolour 125 in this regard. With flash, every next pop needs double the power or so it seems..

 

Of course, there's still potential in the creative department for polaroid backs if you're after a certain look and don't mind the grain..<div></div>