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My darkroom refrigerator finally gave out a few days ago - I felt lucky we noticed it right away and were able to clean it out quickly. It's mostly film, with some expired film too. The enlarger is also in our basement with no running water, and the "basement" can only be accessed from the outside. So, it's become more a convenient place to store everything, rather than a working darkroom these days.
The big surprise was realizing how much Polaroid film I still have. Some years back, I got depressed and detached from photography when, within a couple years' time, both Polaroid and Kodak HIE (best IR film ever, IMO) were discontinued - along with a few favorite enlargement papers I used for bromoil prints, lith prints, and other alternative photographic processes, like Agfa. Straight photography bores me for the most part - I like using my negatives as a starting point for other processes. That's my jam.
Anyway, my silly carelessness just allowed my remaining stash to get even MORE out of date. It hopefully won't matter as much with the 4x5 Type 79 sheet film, but matters a lot with the 4x5 pack film. The pack film also holds its own battery, and they will definitely give out and refuse to eject each piece of film over time.
Quickest way to find out if the pack film (re-named Artistic Z) was headed for the trash was to just open a box, and load it into one of my SX-70 Land cameras. I used the one on the left.
Once you load the film and close the camera, when the battery is working the dark slide automatically ejects. Eureka! I was happy it still works! This film is called Artistic Z, the last batches made by Polaroid - it replaced the fabled Time Zero film, which I used to use a lot to manipulate the soft emulsion. This film contains different dyes due to environmental concerns, so it was never as bright and clear as Time Zero. But color is never an issue for me, so that's a secondary concern.
A couple of the pieces of film did stick, but most came through fine. These prints show the film's age. The dyes have faded and run together in some areas. But the emulsion is still manipulable, even though I pounced too soon - should have waited a couple of hours, but I didn't and it shows.
Miss Finn sat for a portrait:
Front yard:
Snake plant:
Flowers on the deck:
As far as manipulating technique, using my old burnishing tools, I did a fairly terrible job. Too impatient, and the areas where I pressed too hard can be seen as blobs. But - so what? The film batteries are holding!! The expiration date is 9/09. I'm gonna say the refrigeration helped.
I'm pleased enough to order some slide film, so I can pull out my Daylab slide printer, which is made to accept this pack film. I love my SX-70 cameras, but prefer to use my Pentax MZ for better photographic control. I can scan, hand color, etc., once I get a better manipulated piece of film. I consider this exercise a successful test run.
Next up: the Polaroid 79 4x5 sheet film test.
For an alt-process geek like me, it's happy dance time.
The big surprise was realizing how much Polaroid film I still have. Some years back, I got depressed and detached from photography when, within a couple years' time, both Polaroid and Kodak HIE (best IR film ever, IMO) were discontinued - along with a few favorite enlargement papers I used for bromoil prints, lith prints, and other alternative photographic processes, like Agfa. Straight photography bores me for the most part - I like using my negatives as a starting point for other processes. That's my jam.
Anyway, my silly carelessness just allowed my remaining stash to get even MORE out of date. It hopefully won't matter as much with the 4x5 Type 79 sheet film, but matters a lot with the 4x5 pack film. The pack film also holds its own battery, and they will definitely give out and refuse to eject each piece of film over time.
Quickest way to find out if the pack film (re-named Artistic Z) was headed for the trash was to just open a box, and load it into one of my SX-70 Land cameras. I used the one on the left.
Once you load the film and close the camera, when the battery is working the dark slide automatically ejects. Eureka! I was happy it still works! This film is called Artistic Z, the last batches made by Polaroid - it replaced the fabled Time Zero film, which I used to use a lot to manipulate the soft emulsion. This film contains different dyes due to environmental concerns, so it was never as bright and clear as Time Zero. But color is never an issue for me, so that's a secondary concern.
A couple of the pieces of film did stick, but most came through fine. These prints show the film's age. The dyes have faded and run together in some areas. But the emulsion is still manipulable, even though I pounced too soon - should have waited a couple of hours, but I didn't and it shows.
Miss Finn sat for a portrait:
Front yard:
Snake plant:
Flowers on the deck:
As far as manipulating technique, using my old burnishing tools, I did a fairly terrible job.
Too impatient, and the areas where I pressed too hard can be seen as blobs. But - so what? The film batteries are holding!! The expiration date is 9/09. I'm gonna say the refrigeration helped. I'm pleased enough to order some slide film, so I can pull out my Daylab slide printer, which is made to accept this pack film. I love my SX-70 cameras, but prefer to use my Pentax MZ for better photographic control. I can scan, hand color, etc., once I get a better manipulated piece of film. I consider this exercise a successful test run.
Next up: the Polaroid 79 4x5 sheet film test.
For an alt-process geek like me, it's happy dance time.
Using a Daylab was a joyous way to get some unique photographic imagery. 
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/35/35212-039632ef3763350189fc49390cb7eadf.jpg?1734166871)
