Author Topic: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film  (Read 10029 times)

landcameras

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Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« on: March 27, 2012, 02:49:02 AM »
For some time I've been buying copious amounts of old polaroid cameras. From time to time in the cameras and cases there have been included old packs of film. ...REALLY OLD... Rather than throw them away i've just been keeping them in boxes for the magical time when i'd figure out what to do with them. For a few years I've had an idea, but never the motivation to put it all together. Finally a week ago it struck me, the motivation that is.

I've written a comprehensive how-to guide that details the process of harvesting old polaroid prints, and mating them with new Fuji branded (fp-100c) negative and film pods. Not only that but in the guide I show you how to re-pack the film so you can shoot and develop it as normal from your camera of choice.

Here are some results




Short of spending hours formatting it for the forum. Here's an offsite link to the article, hopefully that is ok.
This is my first contribution to the FW site. Go easy on me :)

http://raremediumseattle.com/rm/type-108-restoration/

-Cory

LT

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2012, 09:03:41 AM »
that's great Cory - links are fine. 

L.

jojonas~

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2012, 09:20:53 AM »
quite the process! I wonder if the old films can be processed in any other way too...
/jonas

landcameras

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2012, 05:33:34 PM »
jojonas,
Initially when I was developing the technique I just developed them with the detachable rollers in a dark room. Very tough to get the two halves lined up correctly.

What other way did you have in mind?

jojonas~

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2012, 08:53:31 AM »
landcameras, I was thinking with c-41 or bw chemicals
/jonas

landcameras

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2012, 05:01:52 PM »
landcameras, I was thinking with c-41 or bw chemicals

well, its not quite like that. Its a transfer process, the chemicals activate the layers in the negative and they actually separate and adhere to the positive print.

calbisu

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2012, 07:33:16 AM »
landcameras, I was thinking with c-41 or bw chemicals

well, its not quite like that. Its a transfer process, the chemicals activate the layers in the negative and they actually separate and adhere to the positive print.

The link provided seems as a promising lecture for tonight. Whatever allows to keep shooting Polaroid is well received!  :)

Alan

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2012, 10:20:08 AM »
wow!

looks complicated enough.

I have a 108 pack dated 197?,
i had 3 but wasted 2 checking if they both could be dried up  ::)

will take a deeper look at it this evening.

well done on the creativity

landcameras

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2012, 05:09:06 PM »
Its really not that complicated. If I'd done a video it would be 5 minutes long.
All we're doing is
1. harvesting the positives
2. harvesting the negative
3. replacing the negative
3. replacing the positive.

a lot of the bulk of the thing is all the details that I've found out along the way.

tkmedia

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2012, 06:13:01 AM »
never really think about disassembling and placing them back in a pack, seems simple enough... I F'ed up another FP3000b neg because of dark slide and still have an extra dry type 668 color, maybe I'll make up another chocolate sandwich... but changing pods maybe more difficult.

my prev chocolate sandie selfp results from a pod swap, but manual roll. old color neg, old pos print, new bw 3000iso pod
tk

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moominsean

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2012, 02:07:46 AM »
I've tried to use id-uv and fp100c pods to revive some 4x5 sepia film, but nothing developed. I will most definitely have to try to revive some 108 with the fp-100c!
"A world without Polaroid is a terrible place."
                                                                  - John Waters

landcameras

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Re: Restoring expired Polaroid pack film
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2012, 05:18:43 PM »
Well, how did the experiments go?