Cottage Tip: Revitalize an old Polaroid!

Probably you recall when I was ranting about the »new age« instant photography? Well, this time I thought it would be nice to offer an alternative to this new age stuff. I know, this is nothing new, many people did it many times, but nevertheless, there are still many of you out there not (yet)  having an instant camera, like me, until quite recently. Given the available instant film choices today, getting a Polaroid Land camera is probably the best option, since pack film is regularly available, and at a moderate price-Fuji FP instant film. A nice feature of this film is also the possibility to reclaim the remaining negative, but this will be the topic for another post. The Land cameras are great eye catchers with their bellows, and some of them produce photos of respectable quality (but they cost more). Most of them not, like mine, having a simple plastic lens, but they still have (or maybe for this very reason) their own charm, and you can get them for very little.

Polaroid Land cameras-they are so sexy, aren't they. Jean Pierre, thanks for the photo.

The main issue is where to get the battery for this 4-decades-old camera? The majority of Pola Land cameras use the 3V 532 alkaline battery, which is quite difficult to find nowadays and is also quite expensive-like as much as you spent on the camera itself! In case you don't own a rare or collectible camera, don't feel too sorry to make a bit of surgery on your Pola Land wiring. Just cut off the old battery contacts and solder a plastic insert for two 1.5V AAA batteries instead. Just make sure to have these batteries connected in series (with 3V output) and having them soldered to the right polarity! That's it! It's a 10 minute job, more or less. 

A new battery holder with two AAA batteries. Note the cut original contacts.

The new battery holder fits just perfectly inside the battery compartment.

You will also need to get rid of the remaing plastic tabs-retainers (for the original battery). It is an easy job: just move them in rear-forward motion for some time, and the tabs will just fall off. Now, the new plastic battery insert will fit nicely in the battery compartment of your old Polaroid! It is worth to take a look at the Land List where types of batteries are listed for single cameras. If you own a camera which uses a 531 battery type (4.5V), then you'll have quite a bit of trouble. Probably is just easier to get a 3V camera instead.

If you're unaware of the camera conditions, it is a good measure to check (from time to time) the voltage of the batteries. These old cameras can draw some current even if the are not  in use. And when you just want to use them, the batteries are too low. So, don't waste the instant film because of empty batteries, just have a pair of fresh batteries for backup-they are cheap!

Portfolio of the Week: Alessandro Bocchi

Dear Readers,

This week we feature an Italian photographer, Alessandro Bocchi from central Italy (Padua). Alessandro sent me both a very comprehensive portfolio of photos and biography. He works primarily in medium format, 6x6 and 6x7, with his Mamiyas and uses a variety of films, among them also instant (Fuji) films, mastering very well the reclaiming of the peel-apart negatives from these films. He's another guy who describes himself as an amateur or apprentice, but his work shows much more than that.Nonetheless, he has been also featured in Italian Vogue. Although he only recently dived in the wonderful darkroom world, his photographic technique is far from this. Moreover, Alessandro is yet another photographer who made a happy return to the analog world. Alessandro's work can be found on Flickr. Enjoy his work!

Silver regards

Mitja

Dragoncello (MN) - Christine in the Creepy House - Mamiya RB67 Professional SD with SEKOR K/L 127 1:3.5 L at 5.6 and 1/30. Polaroid Land Pack 100 Back loaded with Fuji Instant Color Film FP-100C.

Castello Tesino (TN) - Christine - Mamiya RB67 Professional SD and Ilford FP4 100.

Castello Tesino (TN) - Vegetation under the woods - Mamiya C330 Professional with SEKOR 80 1:2.8 Blue Dot and Kodak Portra VC 400.

Burano (VE) Italy - Christine with a Night Dress - Mamiya RB67 Professional SD with SEKOR 90 C 1:3.8 at 5.6 and about 15 seconds. Polaroid Land Pack 100 Back loaded with Fuji Instant Color Film FP-100C.

Gorino (FE) Italy - Hope and Christine - Mamiya C330 Professional with SEKOR 80 1:2.8 Blue Dot and Fuji PRO 400H

Vigonza (PD) Italy - Model Valentina - Mamiya RB67 Professional SD with SEKOR K/L 180 1:4.5 L at f 8 and 1/125. Polaroid Land Pack 100 back loaded with Fuji Instant Color Film FP-100C.

Stra (VE) Italy - Model Laura -Mamiya RB67 Professional SD and Mamiya HP701 Polaroid Land Pack Film Holder, SEKOR K/L 127 1:3.5 L @ f 8 - 1/125 s; Bleached negative of a Fuji Instant Color Film FP-100C

Padua (PD) Italy - Christine and our bunny Weizen-Mamiya RB67 Professional S and Mamiya Press Polaroid Land Pack Film Holder, SEKOR C 90 1:3.8; Polaroid 125i Silk Instant Color Film

Montegrotto Terme (PD) Italy - Dania jumping in the water from 6 meter- Mamiya C330 Professional and SEKOR 80 1:2.8 Blue Dot; Kodak T-MAX 400

Padua (PD) Italy - Net Center Tower at Night-Mamiya RB67 Professional SD and SEKOR 50 C 1:4.5 (at 3 minutes - f 8.0); FUJICHROME T64

All photos copyright: Alessandro Bocchi

Alessandro's Bio

My name is Alessandro Bocchi and I am from Italy. I was born in 1970 in Mirandola near Modena in the center of Italy. Now I live in Padua, near Venice with my wife, 6 rabbits, 2 Guinea pigs, 2 cats and 1 dog. I work as a computer technician all days and for this reason I started to hate the latest technological equipments.

I started taking pictures during one summer at the sea in the south of Italy. I was a 14 years boy and I was with other friends in the swimming pool of the camping. There was a very beautiful girl of my same age and I started taking pictures of her (you can see the pictures I am talking about on my flickr page). I immediately discovered the pleasure of taking pictures. Portrait of person. The camera I used was my fathers camera, a wonderful Rollei 35 TE. I still have that camera and I still use it once in a while because its still really compact.

After my fathers camera I had the Fujica STX2, the Nikon F 301 and many many others like the Nikon FM2, F3, F100 and also the F4s. When I moved to the digital with a Nikon D300 I sold everything for a very cheap price. But very soon I felt that the digital photography was missing something.

One day in a little old shop I came across a Mamiya RB67. It was love at first sight. I could never take that camera out of my head. I finally got that camera and then a series of lenses from the 50 mm to the 180 mm and other accessories. I discovered again the pleasure of taking pictures. Taking pictures with a camera that doesn't have any batteries. A camera that is completely mechanical and that will not take any kind of decision by herself. The only little problem of this camera is that its a huge camera to take with you around the city. For this reason I came across to a Mamiya C330. This is my definitive camera. I really love this camera. I can have interchangeable lenses, there is no mirror that slaps and makes vibration and noise, and finally it works with the square format that is the one I like most.

Taking pictures with this two cameras gives me lot of satisfaction and lot of attentions too. Everyone is looking at me when I walk with one of this cameras hanging from my neck. Everyone wants to see, to know and to look trough the finder. But the most eye popping thing is the instant film back. I love to take pictures of people on instant film and than give than the picture. They are always very happy and usually they let me take more pictures. I also keep the instant film negative that i bleach and than put in the scanner to get back the picture that I gave to the subject. I really love that reclaimed negatives. It's really amazing to see how many details you can take out from that thing that usually I throw away.

Recently I found myself to use more and more black and white film. I like very much the Ilford HP5 and I began to use the Kodak TRI-X just from few months. I just finished a dark room course and I loved the developing and the printing so much. I am just a beginner and I describe myself an apprentice photographer.

The more I go on, the more I discover that I don't know anything and there is much much more to learn. I still make a lot of mistakes and I waste film most of the time, but when you took a nice picture and you develop it and then print it, and it will magically appear on the paper in the dark room, it is an amazing satisfaction.

Here you can see some of my pictures that I like  most.

As you can see one of my preferred subjects are portraits. I always ask my wife, my daughter and also my friends to pose for me. My wife has been a model since she was 6 months old, starting with advertising baby nappies. Now she is no longer a model, by the other side, she became a much better photographer than me. I use every occasion to take portrait pictures. Recently, there was a rabbit fair and i shot a portrait to everyone holding his own bunny.

Alessandro Bocchi

Monday Column: Your Bathroom Can Be Also Your Darkroom

This is not a column dedicated for seasoned analogue photographers. I will describe my own experience, how I developed my first roll of film. This column is for those photographers who think that analogue photography is something very difficult and complicated and that you need a special equipped room for it. In fact it is not.

In the last column I described that I was attracted into the analogue photography by finding my grandfathers camera. It uses 120 format films. I bought some. I think it was Fuji Across. I enjoyed photographing with that camera. And then, when film was exposed I was before dilemma. Where the hack I could develop this film? In local quick labs they don’t develop B&W films any more. So I informed myself how I could develop B&W films, what do I need for doing that and then I made a decision that I will do it myself. In the bathroom!  I bought a developing thank and borrowed chemicals needed for developing film (thanks to Vlado). You only need two of them, developer and fixer.

The only thing the bathroom must not have is a window. Primary requirement for developing film is that you have a place with total lack of light. It’s needed when you open your camera and transferring film into the developing tank. So I prepared a place for all the action (transferring film from the camera in the developing thank) in the bathroom on washing machine. I prepared chemicals, for developing agent you need some accuracy on dosage and temperature, take a big breath and turn off the light. The most challenging thing in developing a film is when you are putting film into the reel of developing tank. Into complete darkness! You could do it into changing bag, but you don’t see a thing also. You can rely only on your preparation, memory, touch and skill. Practice is also helpful. I complicated for myself with couple of 120 format film taped one after another. My first try to wound the film into the reel was complete disaster. You could not turn on the light and see what went wrong and then correct it. So, after two or three tryouts I succeed and then put the reel into the developing tank. The lid was on and then I could open the light. At last! Afterwards was easy. You simply put developer first, then you wash out then you fix, and then wash again, open the developing tank and dry the film... Ok. Now I’m on slippery territory. If you want (and you want it) to have film developed OK, it’s not so easy after all. You need right dosage of chemicals at right temperature at right time. You need to agitate properly... and so on. But I succeeded.

Now what could I do with developed film? I went to local quick lab to scan it. The result was disappointing. That’s another story.
Matjaž

Bad News: Fuji is phasing out Velvia!

Fujifilm is going to discontinue Velvia 100F in all formats, and Velvia 50 sheet films; this is the sad news arrived yesterday. The reasons are known-decreased sales, see the link. The good news (so to say) is that it won't happen until the end of this year, so we still have time to stock up. I just hope they'll keep both Provia films in production. For Velvia 50, I think, we don't need to worry too much about (for roll films)-it's just too popular, given also the fact that Kodak Ektachrome is gone...To me, this is not the worst news, since I was already hit when they discontinued Astia. To me, Astia was the most gorgeous slide film ever made. Ever! Even for landscape! Fortunately, I did stock it up in my freezer, and it should last for some years. Maybe the future production of color film will be based on pre-orders and once the quota will be fullfilled, the production run will be made, who knows. Certainly this is not nice, in our view, but it will change dramatically our approach in buying and consuming "silver goods". Nonetheless, vinyl LPs are also produced in a similar way today, yet they thrive.

Mitja

Random Quote

"36 satisfactory exposures on a roll means a photographer is not trying anything new." Freeman Patterson

Resurrecting Polywarmtone

Production of photo emulsions is a tricky business; you may have the formula, but the hardware used (mixers, heaters, glasware etc.) also plays a major role in the final outcome. So it is a huge endeavour to reproduce (more or less) exactly the same product-emulsion from the known formula only. The former Hungarian Forte Polywarmtone paper is thus no exception. Polywarmtone paper used to be a big favorite among many photographers worldwide; not only due to its pleasant warm image tone (hence, its name!), but also because it was a wonderful material to tone and even for lith printing.Sadly, as many other photo manufacturers, Forte company closed its doors as well. Its rapid decline began in the early 2000's, the company faced bankruptcy and the production line was dismantled. (I could rant about this for hours, but I'll spare this for another occasion). Anyway, the hardware for making  photo emulsions for the new facility owners proved to have little or no value. Fortunately, this sad story comes to a happy end. The German company Adox decided to acquire the hardware used for »cooking« the Polywarmtone emulsion, to repair it, and to move the whole production line to their facility in Bad Saarow (near Berlin). This effort took some time and costs, due to unexpected problems, but at last, the »resurrectors« of Polywarmtone finally made it happen! The most interesting part, to me, is that they made the whole production line about 4 times more compact (in terms of space required) as it used to be.

The "compacted" Polywarmtone emulsion production line. Image retrieved from www.polywarmton.com

Thus, the production line was quite easily moved from Hungary to Germany by truck. Adox started in 2010 to take preproduction orders for the first batch of paper and they are still open. Now, they are at the last stages before the real production. A pilot batch has been made. Although it didn't come as it should be, they know why it didn't! So, keep our fingers crossed, for the first batch of Polywarmtone to be made soon! Their ongoing activity can be found on this link, where a related blog can be found as well. Hopefully, we'll see soon the Polywarmtone paper reborn, much like the Phoenix is reborn from its own ashes!

p.s. this is by no means an advertising post, I just wanted to express my sympathy to Adox' endeavors!

Mitja