Failed Photo of Arianell

Lots of notes on this one. The picture didn't really turn out, but it's instructive. (1) It was taken as a proof of concept for using Instax Wide film in an un-modified Polaroid Pathfinder 120. I just set it in the film gate and assumed that the pressure plate would keep it in place, which it did. From that point of view, it did succeed. (2)The colour temperature is way off, predictably. Instax is daylight-balanced, and the light source here was a warm white CFL. (3)The bellows still leaks - perhaps I'll give the same folks another try at repairing it before I give up on them. (4) Processing didn't completely work, but it's close. I just cut a piece of a file folder the size of a packet of Polaroid sheet film, and (in a dark bag of course) placed the exposed sheet of Instax in the middle of it - chemical pack towards the rollers - and processed it like a sheet of Polaroid in a 545i film holder. It didn't go through straight. If I just glue part of an anvelope inside my section of file folder to keep the film aligned, and pull more slowly, it'll work fine. Other possibilities for processing: You should be able to find a way to get it (from the inside) through the rollers of any Polaroid pack film camera that's big enough. You could put it back in the Instax cartridge and use a LomoInstant Wide. You could put it through the wringer of an old washing machine. You might be able to use a rolling pin. You could put it in a light-tight package, and leave it in the middle of the road to add some real randomness to the process. (5) My cataloguing scheme: The "date" of 01 Jan 2016 means that this is the second (counting from 00) item I catalogued in January. An item might be a page of four 4x5s in my large-format "books", or it might be a roll of film, or an envelope containing one or more instant photos. I stamp the number onto a file card, and use that for notes, which are sometimes very sketchy and sometimes pretty complete. For example, I know that the fourth thing I catalogued in January of 1994 was a roll of Kodak Gold 100 shot in a Praktica BCA, but I'd have to go to the corresponding shoe box to look at the prints if I wanted to know more. (6) This is Arianell (pronounced "AriAHNeth"), our five month old Maine Coon kitten.

9 Comments

  1. bangkokhoyt
    bangkokhoyt ·

    I Love this kind of experimentation. I look forward to more.

  2. herbert-4
    herbert-4 ·

    This is very cool!! Find where light leaks are with flashlight and dab them with black rubber paint?

  3. carsten-schmitt
    carsten-schmitt ·

    Now that Fuji has discontinued packfilm this experimentation might help to keep those old cams alive. Do you have any further information about the process?

  4. aeroektar
    aeroektar ·

    @carsten-schmitt As it happens, I submitted a "tipster" about my experiments with this.
    Lomography hasn't replied, but I can send you a copy if you'd like.
    If you just want the "Coles Notes" version, check in my Notes.

  5. carsten-schmitt
    carsten-schmitt ·

    @aeroektar I'd love to read it!

  6. aeroektar
    aeroektar ·

    If you just send an email address I'll rifle a copy off to you. I can be found at sousvide59@gmail.com

  7. aeroektar
    aeroektar ·

    @carsten-schmitt Oops, forgot to do this as a reply.
    If you just send an email address I'll rifle a copy off to you. I can be found at sousvide59@gmail.com

  8. steamtug1959
    steamtug1959 ·

    Sehr gut !!!!

  9. aeroektar
    aeroektar ·

    @nobody_ever Thanks very much. Maybe I caught her in a melancholy mood, maybe she was just annoyed that I was doing something other than paying attention to her. She and her big (very big, a lean 24lb) brother Ruaidhri are both real snugglers.

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