Film Heads-up: Never leave Impossible Project Color 600 film in the camera ...

Location
Switzerland
Name
Matt
Just a warning: Due to some really embarassing oversight, I forgot I had loaded a pack of Impossible Project Color 600 film into my Polaroid Impulse AF. I found out today when I accidentally fired off a shot while inspecting the camera - and got a "test frame" that didn't develop at all; instead, there was a leak on the back out of which the blue paste containing the chemicals leaked in major amounts. That's not only yukky, the stuff really sticks (to paper towels, to cloth/garments, to skin(!) ...) and smells unpleasant, to put it mildly. And needless to see, one of the really expensive frames was lost.

But that's not all: The chemicals seem to sort of "dry out" - the paste's ability to flow is reduced, it even gets sort of brittle and isn't distributed fully (or evenly) when the container is squeezed by the rollers. Very vexing - thus, forgetting the film in the camera is definitely an expensive mistake to make, but it's also a serious risk of spoiling the camera!

As things stand, I may loose the whole pack of film as well ... $16 I won't see again in a hurry.

Bottomline: Put the film in only if you intend to use it instantly (or very soon), use it up and store the camera empty - I know it's the usual procedure, but in this case, it's mandatory.

M.
 
Thanks for the insight - thats a real shame. Do you know if this is issue is common with all instant film ?
I've seen a few Leica Soforts going cheap recently and been very tempted. I'm not sure that I'd shoot enough to blast through a packet of film in one session though.
 
@MortyCapp ZINK (Zero Ink) paper isn't film, but you're certainly right there - it's a sort of printing surface (comparable to early colour laser printers from way back). That's why you always have a digital sensor in those cameras ...

I never had that with the Instax films, either. And I have to say that it's also possible that the camera plays a part - I'll have to try this if I want to find out, so it may become even more costly. Considering that, I might just as well retire the camera - good to know that Polaroid will provide a new one (the OneStep2) soon. But I'm not too keen on the Impossible Project films anyway (even though I really like the square format), so it may also end here ...

I achieve the best results with the Lomo'Instant Automat Glass (LIAG); for some obscure reason, sometimes, the Lomo'Instant Wide provides really nice images, too. It's a shame that Fujifilm went down the "digital printer" route for the square format; Lomography will bring an analog Instax Square camera, but I'm a bit doubtful about the design (and the lens - after the LIAG, I'd've expected something faster ...). Anyhow, it's not as if I was missing something really important here ...

M.
 
You are right.
I use my HP Sprocket a lot more than my Fuji Instax or my Polaroids.
In fact I need to check if I have them loaded with IP film or not as I have a few boxes of the IP film around.
For fun factor with kids the Sprocket beats them all in terms of ease of use and connectivity, straight from the iPhone onto Zink paper.
My IP film has probably expired...darn.
 
I actually don't think the problem is *expired* film - it's film that has been in the camera too long. The images look positively gloomy ...

I think I'll check with one more film; if it's the camera causing this, I'll let you know, but I really doubt it. After all, I've used several other packs of IP film without issue.

I really enjoy shooting instant film - but mostly, I'm into Fuji Instax, and it's the Lomo'Instant cameras that really make me like it (though Fuji's own Classic Neo 90 is no slouch, either). Shooting instant (and especially Instax) film is far from easy, especially in daylight; I guess that's part of the fascination. It's not trivial to get a really nice shot, though you'll end up with plenty "interesting" ones at any rate ;)

I've been thinking about getting an Instax printer (the SP-2 looks nice), but frankly, I suspect it woulnd't get much use. I really seem to want my instant photos to be analog ... Just a case of bloody-mindedness, I guess ...

M.
 
Thanks for this heads up. I have been toying with the idea of an instant camera, but for some reason I am not a big fan of the "bright" images I see, I suspect it's because instant film has high ISO? I would also like a larger image, so was looking at the Fuji wide camera, still not sure though. My goal would be to scan the images as I can't see myself holding on to the prints. Any thoughts on this?
 
The real problem is that most instant cameras have limited exposure control (some have only one shutter speed). All automatic Lomo'Instant cameras (i.e. except the original Lomo'Instant) will overexpose in bright sunlight simply because they can't stop down/use fast enough shutter speeds (according to the Sunny 16 rule, they're +1 at best, in direct light, it may well be +2 or +3). I use ND filters to counter that, but it's not easy to get it precisely right. My best practice is to use a -2 ND filter and use +1 on the camera - but that may well end up underexposed (the meter isn't covered by the ND filter, so it's guesswork ...). -1 ND is sometimes not enough ... It's a bit fiddly. But there are two Fuji Instax cameras that *can* cope with bright light, the Instax Neo 90 and the Instax 70; of those, the 90 is by far the more versatile camera - though IQ is more or less the same, but if you try difficult lighting situations, the 90 can compensate (well, somewhat: +0.75, +1, -0.75), and you can actually switch off the flash.

For Impossible Project (or, newly renamed, Polaroid Originals) film, the older automatic Polaroid cameras do a very decent job; my Impulse AF is a good tip, but the SX70 and Spectra (Image, in Europe) series are even better. They don't usually overexpose, actually. But the SX70 uses ISO 100 film, so that can be a problem in low light.

All things considered, I own two cameras that are more than up to the job: the Instax Neo 90 - though the images can be a bit soft and dull - and the Lomo'Instant Automat Glass (best lens of any instant camera I've shot with, very reliable except for the "bright light" issue).

Actually, if you can embrace the limitations of the film/camera combo, it's a very rewarding experience - with the good cameras, one out of two, with the lesser models, one out of four. Not the worst of rates - but still, quite an expensive way of getting there. In spite of it all, I find it very worthwhile now and again ...

M.
 
Thanks for these details Matt, very, very useful! As I mentioned I am still toying with the thought of buying an instant camera, so this is very helpful.
 
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