Polaroid Type-80 back - confused by the results

[phule]

This is my first time using a Polaroid back of any sort. I'm not 100%

of the terminology, so my searching may have been limited. I

apologize in advance for being naive :)

 

I recently aquired a Polaroid CB80 back. (This is the back that's used

with the Holga 120S/SF.) After reading a couple posts here on how to

load the film (Polaroid 89) I seemed to be set. I removed the

darkslide and took my first picture. I pulled the white tab and saw

the developing tab. Pulled that in a smooth, straight, motion (or as

smooth as I could for my first time) and waited. Development time was

about 120 seconds.

 

Attached is a scan of the result. Now, I am accustomed to the images

that come out of the Holga, having shot a number of 120 rolls. But

this image confused me. This image and each of the remaining images

in the film pack exhibited the same behavior: An area of

discolorization about 3.5cm wide on each frame that went the full

width of the polaroid (i.e. outside the actual image area).

 

Is this a possible problem with the rollers? I wiped them down before

loading the film and they seemed ok. However, I did notice that one

roller did not spin as freely as the other. Is this normal?

 

Any tips or pointers you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[phule]

No image attachments here, I didn't realize. Here's the image:

<p>

<img src="http://www.phule.net/stuff/problem-polaroid01.jpg">

[wickedmartini]

I might look at the roller or for possible light leaks. But, as a Holga fan (And one that has been dying to try the new Holgaroid) I must say that I still like the image. Have fun!

[frank_kimble]

That discoloration on the sides actually goes thru the image to form a large rectangle in the upper portion of the pic. Looks like a light leak possibly. The building is blown out where this rectangle pass's thru the pic. Its just not as noticeable in the pic portion.

[rich_deferrari1]

Heres what went wrong -you did not pull out the white tab completely {and throw it away} it got dragged back thru the rollers {yes -one turns harder on purpose}and left that impression. Heres how to do it {also great directions are at www.polaroid.com

Take the photo

pull out the white tab COMPLETELY ,throw it in the trash.

now pull out the film tab -slowly,cleanly without stopping or pausing-and then start timing {90" is ok for T89}

Thanks and best regards -RichD - former Polaroid tech spec.

[beepy]

Did you remove the internal reduce frame inside Holga and replace with provided one?

Did you put corrective lens on front of Holga lens?

But yes, you must pull white tab out completely, then other tab.

[phule]

Rich,

 

I should have looked at Polaroid.com. Good call. I don't have the camera in front of me but I'd say you're answer is spot on. I did not remove the white pull tab before pulling the development tab and the film. I will try that.

 

Based on the time/temps on the back of the film box, I went with 120 because of how "nice" it has been in Chicago these past few days. We actually got over 35! :)

 

Beepy,

 

My 120S has a modified insert: a 6x6 hole cut out of the 6x4.5 insert (makes for smoother and tighter film movement when shooting 120.). I did not use the corrective lens because I was just looking to get a feel for how the back worked. That was going to be the next step.

 

 

Thanks to both very much for your answers. Next time I will start with the source (polaroid.com) and then post my question.

[daniel_janssen]

I too like the image very much!

[tholte]

Rob, please keep telling us of your mistakes, I am going to try mine out this week-end. I am anxious to see how the B&W film with the negative works out. It seems like you (we) have recieved some good information.

[rich_deferrari1]

One of the key things to remember when using a polaroid back is to keep the roller assembly clean. Remove the roller assembly -it is one piece and is NOT able to be disassembled by the user! ONLY use water to clean the roller assembly -never use water or any other solvent - ever. This will insure long life to your roller assembly. Thanks and bestregards -RichD

[phule]

Rich,

 

Thanks for the tip. I know I'm going to have to clean the rollers because I accidently pulled my last photo out at a bit of an angle. I saw a small portion of the developer "goo" on one side of the rollers. Practice is going to be the order of the day on making sure I pull the film straight out.

[peter_gore]

Notice your comment regarding possibility of needing replacement rollers - I have replaced them from time to time but certainly would not go and buy them from Hasselblad or the back manufacturers when you find them fitted to the Poleroid swinger camera which you can pick up fior less than a couple of $ or ?1 from a boot or yard sale. Even buy the odd one to keep as spares (causes amusement when you buy one - remove rollers and throw away the rest but it saves cash.

[rich_deferrari1]

The newest roller assemblies from Polaroid are backwards compatible to most Polaroid backs/cameras.{CAME OUT ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO} They have small edge cutouts in them that helps keep developer from leaking out. They also pull far more easily and last much longer. For the cheap cost they are really worthwhile to have.They really make a big difference! Best regards -RichD

[phule]

I was able to test again with the Holga and the Polaroid back and I'm still getting the same problem.

 

I made sure I removed the white pull tab before pulling the development tab.

 

I wonder know if there was some way I still could be screwing up the loading of the camera. I followed the guide on Polaroid.com and, near as I can tell, I loaded the film correctly. But there still is this problem.

 

Can anyone else provide any tips or hints?

 

Thanks.

[phule]

Just another update on this. I now think I know why the problem is

happening, I just don't know how to fix it.

 

Rather than pulling all the tabs out quickly, I slowly worked a single

piece of film through the entire process to see if I could determine

where things were going wrong.

 

I found that after I pulled the white tab and before I pulled the

development tab, the white tab from the /next frame/ is getting pulled

through the rollers. It sits in between the rollers and the film as I

pull the development tab through, thus making the mark on the film.

 

So, for example, if I pull on white tab for frame 4, as soon as the

development tab sticks out, I flipped up the little black plastic

piece and I could see the white tab for frame 5 sitting between the

film of frame 4 and the roller.

 

1) Why is this happening? Is it something I did wrong with loading the film?

 

2) If it's not a film loading mistake, is there something I can do to

prevent it?

 

Thanks.

[ben_walker1]

Rob,

 

Could it be a pressure thing? Maybe if you remove your modified insert, there might be less pressure on the film as you pull it out. Dunno just throwing ideas out there.

 

Hey where can I get one of these backs?

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

[phule]

I should have come back to update this thread, sorry about that.

 

I was loading the film pack wrong. One should not feed the backing paper through the rollers, which is what I was doing. Just close the back and pull the gray backing paper out and the white tabs will show up where they're supposed to.

 

Ben,

 

The original Type-80 only back is no longer made and Type-80 films have all been discontinued, but the great news is that someone is now producing a back that takes Type-80 and 669/690 pack film.

 

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1000002288

[q.g._de_bakker]

That someone will be Polaroid.<br>The back already appeared with Hasselblad mount, as the Pola-Combi. Who put the Holga mount on i don't know. Maybe Holga?

[phule]

<<That someone will be Polaroid.>>

 

The original Holgaroid backs were modified by NPC Photo ( http://www.npcphoto.com ) for Polaroid. These backs were available for purchase from polaroid.com

 

The new backs, however, are not available for purchase through polaroid.com which leads me to believe that Polaroid is not involved here. But that's an assumption on my part and perhaps an erroneous one.

[phule]

Ooops. Looks like NPC Photo's website is no more. I should have checked the link first.

 

The WayBack Machine has a copy though...

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20061004063315/http://npcphoto.com/

[q.g._de_bakker]

I think Polaroid makes most of the backs available. This certainly looks like a Polaroid one.<br>Polaroid supply these to camera manufacturers, who add their own specific camera mount. (Even NPC may have sold backs they obtained from Polaroid and modified themselves to produce the different types. Who knows?)

[phule]

The new back is not being made by Polaroid but by a former Polaroid Japan employee who left to start his own company after Polaroid stopped manufacture of the CB80.

 

http://www.doctor-and.com/holga4.html

 

 

This information comes from Randy of http://holgamods.com fame.

[leonem]

<p>Wanted to restart this thread because I recently got an [old] NPC ProBack II for my Nikon FM, and am getting the same problem as Rob Bernhard had in his post from 2005: a discolored area stretching across the width of the Polaroid. Has anyone conclusively figured out the cause and or solution?<br>

Thanks!</p>

[phule]

<p>Leo,</p>

<p>See my post from 2007. I was loading the packs the wrong way and the pull tabs were being pulled through the rollers.</p>

<p>When you load a new pack, don't feed the backing paper through the rollers. It stays outside the rollers. Just close the back and pull the backing paper out. The white pull tabs will show up in the right spot.</p>