It was quite late yesterday (or rather very early today) when I scanned fresh large format negative.Very special one.
Word “fresh” is related rather to developing process then its age...expired in November 1996!
Why special? Its Polaroid Type 55.
This film rocks! That’s more or less the best short description of this material. What is so unique about it?
It’s the only large format panchromatic black and white film that produces both a positive print and a negative image (which can be used in an enlarger), its large format :), it has an amazing sensitivity (ISO 50 for prints and ISO 25-32 for negs,) and incredible details reproduction.
Presented test photograph is the 6th one from box of 20 sheets and the first i am happy with. Almost 15 years after expiry date made very little damage to it. All whats happen is emulsion got a bit dry and a few sheets were not tight enough (easy to open accidentally) what is visible here at the bottom (white glow).
So what i did with dried emulsion? Hair dryer comes with help :) A few seconds of heating up makes emulsion back to action. Probably day or two out of fridge would do the same job .The other important detail is the way of taking sheet out of holder after switching to “Process” mode. It has to be done really slow to help spread entire emulsion properly. First sheet i took out too fast and got just a few square centimeters developed on the top of photograph.
If you won't check you won't learn...hah. as always ;)
Word “fresh” is related rather to developing process then its age...expired in November 1996!
Why special? Its Polaroid Type 55.
This film rocks! That’s more or less the best short description of this material. What is so unique about it?
It’s the only large format panchromatic black and white film that produces both a positive print and a negative image (which can be used in an enlarger), its large format :), it has an amazing sensitivity (ISO 50 for prints and ISO 25-32 for negs,) and incredible details reproduction.
Presented test photograph is the 6th one from box of 20 sheets and the first i am happy with. Almost 15 years after expiry date made very little damage to it. All whats happen is emulsion got a bit dry and a few sheets were not tight enough (easy to open accidentally) what is visible here at the bottom (white glow).
So what i did with dried emulsion? Hair dryer comes with help :) A few seconds of heating up makes emulsion back to action. Probably day or two out of fridge would do the same job .The other important detail is the way of taking sheet out of holder after switching to “Process” mode. It has to be done really slow to help spread entire emulsion properly. First sheet i took out too fast and got just a few square centimeters developed on the top of photograph.
If you won't check you won't learn...hah. as always ;)
Irregularly spread emulsion and other little imperfections or even mentioned glow (all of it happen sometimes), gives very special and unique look to photograph taken with T55. ...and I really like it!
Have a look please at David Monahan's posts about Type 55 and some beautiful photographs linked with it (click HERE) and fantastic New55Peject website (click HERE).Thanks!
Simple but magnificent!
ReplyDeletethat was really new experience and quite challenging ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you!