Polaroid Originals: The Magic of Polaroids

Polaroid Originals produces an online magazine which this month features a piece on the chemistry behind the Polaroid print.  A presentation recorded on SoundCloud features a 15 minute or so in-depth talk by Polaroid Originals Scientist and CTO: Stephen Herchen.  Stephen describes the make up of an integral Polaroid print, the chemistry behind the development process inside the print and the magic pod of chemistry at the bottom border of every Polaroid print.

An integral Polaroid print consists of 12 layers on the lower part of the print, an air gap between that and a transparent sheet of plastic at the top, which in turn has 4 layers coated on the inside of it.  Of the 12 layers, 3 are colour sensitized silver crystal layers, much like any colour film.  Below each silver halide layer are colour dyes.

These dyes use the subtractive colour model to produce the final colours in the print.  When a particular colour of light coming into the camera activates one of the colour sensitive silver crystals, that crystal pins down the dye that is below it.  e.g. If red light from a subject, such as an apple, strikes a red sensitive silver crystal, the cyan dye below is pinned by the development process.  The red light does not activate the green sensitive or blue sensitive silver layers.  So in development, the magenta and yellow dyes are then freed from below the green and blue sensitive layers.  The dyes then combine and diffuse to the top layer to make red in the final print.  (Combining yellow and magenta makes red.)

In fact, there are more than 50 chemical processes involved in the development of a Polaroid.  One of the most important components in the developer pod is an opaque dye that covers the sensitized silver layers as the print is ejected from the camera.  This protects the print from exposure to any further light while one of the most complex man-made chemical processes does it work.  One of the last steps of the carefully timed chemical reactions is to make that opaque layer transparent.  Then, voila, a developed print.

CineStill bwXX

CineStill has re-introduced a limited run of bwXX film in 35mm format.  At time of writing, priced at $9 a roll.  This film is the venerable Kodak Double-XX motion picture film.  This classic film stock has been left relatively unchanged since it's release in 1959 for still and motion picture use.  This ISO 125 film has been spooled onto non-DX coded cartridges.  Development times available from Digital Truth as always.

Ilford Papers

Previously, the Learning Zone for Ilford developers was presented.  It is well worth visiting the Learning Zone to see what may be useful to learn, and we can all learn something new.  Today, the posting on printing papers offered by Ilford are covered.

The posting explains the various types of papers:  RC vs. fibre base, grades, etc.  These things are common to all papers, whether sold by Ilford or not.  It is informative to know as a photographer, even if one does not intend to do printing in the darkroom.

Even a handy spreadsheet chart is provided listing all the papers sold by Ilford and their properties as explained in the article.

Read on!

Bonus, there is an Experts section, with topics such as split grade printing or hand colouring B&W prints.  Worth a look.

Black Friday 2017

Happy Thanksgiving, for those who are celebrating it.  That means Black Friday is not far behind.  Far from the maddening crowds, online offers are available.

Polaroid Originals is offering a 20% discount on all triple film packs, which include some specially made for the occasion.  Also on sale is the Impossible I-1 camera, at an impressive 50% off.  Starting Thursday night.

Japan Camera Hunter has a few items on sale.  KEH Camera is extending its 180-day warranty to a 365-day warranty on lenses and cameras rated from LN to BGN.  Offer ends December 31st, 2017.

Paterson Photographic is offering a free ball head with the purchase of any Benbo monopod from November 24th to 27th.

Interested in a pinhole lens for your camera?  There is a Kickstarter for that.  Thingyfy is offering a pinhole camera ``lens' for just $38 plus shipping.  This pinhole lens is different from body cap pinhole lenses.  It actually looks nice, it features a 58mm filter thread and the price is competitive.  Available in 7 different mounts.  The Minolta A, Nikon F and Pentax K mounts would be the relevant options for film cameras.  Also offered is the pinhole lens previously offered by Thingyfy in another Kickstarter.  The project is already funded 7x over, being funded in 2.5 hours.

Disclaimer:  your blogger is invested in the pinhole lens offered by Thingyfy.

Ilford Developers and Chemistry

Ilford is one of the more popular makers of B&W film, papers and chemistry  As such, they have a section called the Learning Zone to explain the variety of products that they purvey.  Back in the Spring, Ilford developers were covered - they have ten film developers alone.

As such, they would like the buying public to know which developer is best for a given situation or desired outcome.  Some developers are intended for hand processing, others for machine processing.  Some are powders, other come as ready to mix liquids.  There is a specialist developer, Phenisol, for X-ray plates, sheet film and their Ortho Plus film.

Read on!

CineStill 120

CineStill has released 120 format negative film in both the 800T and 50D emulsions.  It is available direct from Cinestill and Adorama is also carrying the new format as of writing.

The film can be processed in C-41 or ECN-2 chemistry and pushed up to 3 stops.  It gets rather contrasty at ISO 3200, apparently.  The material should be used within one year of manufacture to preserve latent image latitude and colour fidelity.

List price is $12 a roll.  Other formats sold are the original 35mm still format, 16mm movie format and Super 8 format.

Polaroid Asks Fujifilm to Cease and Desist in Trademark Spat

The Phoblographer reports that the remnants of Polaroid, the company left over after the Impossible Project created Polaroid Originals, is requesting Fujifilm to cease production of Instax Square film. The issue is that the border of the Square format Instax prints violates Polaroid's registered trademarks.

The iconic border, of a squarish rectangle within a larger rectangle with that tab at the bottom, is registered trademark of Polaroid. While usually white in colour, the trademark stipulates that ``color is not claimed as a feature of the mark.''

When the new Instax Square film was introduced in January 2017, Polaroid sent a letter to Fujifilm. Fujifilm went ahead with the product anyway. The similarity of the new format instant film probably looks too much like Polaroid film for their taste. A redesign of the Instax film is probably not possible.

That tab at the bottom of an integral instant film picture contains the developing chemistry for the image. Without it, no image is possible. Does this spell trouble for Instax Square even in the year it is being introduced, or will Polaroid benefit from an agreement with Fujifilm? Could this development potentially orphan the yet to be produced Lomography Instant'Square camera?

Another story to watch in the analogue photography world.

* Disclaimer: This blogger has backed the Lomography Instant'Square project.

IndieGoGo: Silberra Film

While the Reflex-S camera Kickstarter has been a huge success, with over 120% funding with 23 days remaining as of writing, the Silberra film project is progressing more slowly.  Your blogger will be investing in this project within the 11 days remaining for the campaign,  You should too.
The Pan200 seems popular, and word is the ORTA orthochromatic films are near ready for production.
While the risk of losing money on the deal is a possibility, the founders are offering to present Plan B at the end of the campaign and an opportunity to receive a full refund.

If that is not a good deal, then what is?  Crowdfunding is one of the few ways for a small company to raise funds today.  While some have had limited success, such as Film Ferrania, Silberra is producing film now.  Lomography has had campaign after campaign, successful many times over.  Hamish Gill of the 35mmc blog puts it this way in his rant, "If these products succeed, more will follow!"  Putting a few dollars in now, will help you over the long run.

Should projects fail due to neglect by the buying public, there may be nothing left to buy if the big players pull out.  Film is inherently the ideal business product, always turning over product over time.  Small businesses should be able to make a living in analogue photography, while giving photographers what they want.
Should crowdfunding analogue photography fail repeatedly, some conjecture this will kill small business in analogue photography.
Back Silberra. Just one step of many to the future.



Disclaimer: this blogger intends to back the Silberra film project.

Kickstarter: Reflex S Camera

The Reflex S camera has gone public with a now fully funded Kickstarter with 26 days to go as of posting.  The camera is a modular unit with some unique features.  First is the I-Plate interchangeable lens plate.  The camera can take one of any of four lens plates.  The options are:  universal M42 mount, Nikon F, Olympus OM. Canon FD and Pentax PK.  Kickstarter backers can choose any one of these plates, or order more mounting options as extras.  This gives the camera a good selection of glass out of the gate.

Second, the removable back.  Like many medium format cameras, this camera allows you to remove the loaded film in a cassette with dark slide.  This makes it possible to change film in the middle of a roll.  One would need to buy more of the backs to do a swap.

Third, the camera has not only a flash with three power levels built in, but also a continuous light LED lamp, also with three power levels.

And fourth, if the project makes the stretch goal of £150k, an Arduino based Bluetooth LE option will be added to each camera to push camera settings to a phone or tablet (Bluetooth LE is commonly available on recent devices).  This really modernizes the camera, while maintaining the full manual operation.  The electronics simply saves your exposure parameters to your phone, which you can conveniently use later to recall the settings used to take a shot.

One unique aspect of this project is that the plans and CAD diagrams for the parts of the camera will be made available publicly.  This means that parts can be fabricated by anyone with access to a 3D printer or 3D printing service.

As for price, a pledge of £350 or more gets the Early Bird special for one camera body (around $460 at this time).  The price rises £49 once the 250 options for this reward level are taken.  A camera with refurbished prime lens is £439 for the Early Bird backers, also limited to 250 backers.  Beware that the pledge amounts are taken on the close of the campaign, so currency fluctuations may change the effective price of a reward if you are not buying in British Pounds.

There are also a selection of accessories, such as straps and even Silberra film being offered separately and combined with offers.

As with all Kickstarters, once they take your money, a certainty now, the risk is in whether the project can deliver.

Polaroid Magazine

PolaroidOriginals has a feature magazine with great interviews with photographers, such as David Lynch or Oliver Blohms and even some off-beat interviews, such as with Blondie.  Yes, she is still touring 40 years on, and even has a new album, `Pollinator'. 

A good read.

This will be the last of instant film articles this week!

Fujifilm Instax Wide Monochrome Confirmed

Just a short note that The Phoblographer has confirmed Instax Wide Monochrome.  Best Buy in the USA is carrying the product for $18 per pack of 10 shots.  Emulsive was not kidding.