I’m looking lovingly at the collection of Polaroids: The converted 110A’s, Pola Back for a Hassleblad, coupla SX-70′s, and a Spectra.
Back in the day, these beauties could tell me what the strobe lighting would look like before the film was processed, or maybe put a shot of an actress onto a contract in an instant, for reference. Perhaps it would spit put an instant gift to give to someone from another land.
Yeah, good times, good times.
OK, stop the crying. Fuji has introduced 3 new Instax Polaroid-esque cameras to take up the instant grat slack.
BUT DO THEY????
[photopress:REG_1345.jpg,full,centered] side by side with Polaroid Spectra
[photopress:REG_1347.jpg,full,centered] overhead with lens extended on Fuji
I took the wide format Fuji Instax 200, due to largest print size available, for some test runs around the hood for the past week
[photopress:fujisamples1004_2.jpg,full,centered] sample shot w/o flash

This is what I found:

[photopress:REG_1348.jpg,full,centered]
*BIG camera fo sho. I mean physically. Enough for random passerbys to say” Wow! That’s a really big camera!”
*2 lens focal length settings only ( .3 – 3 meters and 3 meters to infinity)
*no tripod screw mount
*You can’t turn off the flash – (if you are in solid light it will not go off, don’t worry)
*lightweight, even if bulky
[photopress:REG_1346.jpg,full,centered]side panel details
But….does it do what it should? Or what we have been accustomed to with Polaroid?

It does, in theory. There are some features missing on this model though. A Self timer would be useful, and with that a a tripod socket. Without being able to turn the flash off, you are restricted to an unflattering light at times.

Instant prints fast though. And that’s what it’s supposed to do.
C’mon Polaroid….did you have to stop making that film? This is a workable replacement, but missing the on-board options.

Pretty much, it’s another medium for you to play with. At $50 for the camera, not so bad , but remember the film is about $1.20 per shot.

Here are some more sample shots.

[photopress:fujisamples1004.jpg,full,centered]

[photopress:fujisamples1006_2.jpg,full,centered]

[photopress:fujisamples1007.jpg,full,centered] with flash

[photopress:fujisamples1007_2.jpg,full,centered]
[photopress:fujisamples1005_2.jpg,full,centered] (fooled the flash into not firing)

The main reason it was purchased was for the contracts and model releases, quite honestly. And it does that very well, thank you.
But who can resist another way to make a photographic image? Not me, I’ll tell you.

It’s a challenge to be sure. And probably cost you some film to get your style in camera.

Can’t wait to see the next gen, though.

UPDATE!!!! Some polaroid pro stock still available at B&H and Amazon. Minor lots of 600 and Spectra available.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 at 3:43 pm and is filed under Photo News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.