checking exposure with polaroid

[jimmy_m.]

I am using a polaroid back on my new medium format camera, to check

exposure. I am a bit confused on how to use polaroid to check

exposure when you are planning on using iso 400 film. Polaroid only

makes either 100 or 3000 iso film. Do you proof your exposure at

100 iso and then close down 2 stops when you're ready to shoot

film? Can anyone help? Thanks!

[bill_dewberry]

Polaroid does make 400 film.

[jimmy_m.]

You wouldn't happen to have the name would you?

[work-page]

Yes, when proofing with 100iso polaroid for 400iso film, I close the aperture 2 stops for the final image. It's required to check flash exposure, as that is affected by aperture and not by shutter speed. Only when there's nothing else but ambient light can you get by with selecting a 2 stop faster shutter speed to maintain depth of field.<p>Regards,

[bill_dewberry]

I think its type 667, but check with calumet or B & H to be sure of

the number. I've bought it in the past.

[scott walton]

Polaroid, as stated makes great 400 and 100 and all depending what back you have dictates what film you use. My RB's use a back that takes the single sheets and my Bronica's use pack film.

[bill_dewberry]

Type 672 is the 400 speed version.

[roger_michel]

i have never been confident using polaroid for anything but a very crude exposure check -- chiefly just to make sure my strobes are al firing correctly. the polaroid is mostly useful to me for for the purpose of checking that (a) the camera is working!!! and (b) the composition is what i want. i rely on good metering technique to assure proper exposure.

[moses_sparks]

Bill has it right, Type 672. It's B&W, 400 ISO (not really, closer to EI 320) and it works great.

 

Roger...evaluating Polaroids and then knowing how to translate the difference in tonality and contrast is a skill that can be developed just like any other technical matter in photography.

 

I can look at a Black & White polaroid ( I almost never shoot color ones unless a client requires it) and I can tell exactly how that image will look on film...much more accurately than from any digital LCD I've seen so far. Little televisions simply look nothing like film to me, and neither do the digital files (yeah, I know, let's not have THAT discussion for the billionth time!)

 

It just takes practice. And I've done a lot of that over the last 15 years or so!

 

When/if Polaroid proofing materials become extinct, I think that will be my cue to bid farewell to commercial shooting, it's just hard to imagine the process without that step for the way I work.

 

But I never say never...