Topic: PX100 from Photographers Gallery, London, UK (review/doc.)

[Heather]

Pictures (lots)
http://bit.ly/bC7NsA

Overall opinion:
It's okay. It seems to have an odd sensitivity curve possibly... a bit high contrast but not too bad for sharpness. No worse than previous polaroids.
The shadow areas take forever to develop and look shockingly solarised until they are fully developed! Be warned!

Also a warning, since this is ISO 100 for SX-70 ... if you're like me and took the ND filter off the electronic eye ... put it back on before use. It does need it, I think. And it's ISO100, use a tripod for most things. It makes sense.

8/10, useable, could do better, could be prettier.
First pic was better than my selfie (I think the harsh hatchet lighting of the window didn't work so well for the self portrait)




Oh yeah and it's 19.99GBP a pack. So if you want 2 packs, you save about 6GBP on shipping.

[original_ann]

Thanks Heather!  I think knowing the 'look of this new film' gives me a managed expectation and tolerance level... and also constraints around what I would like and would not like to shoot with it.  Can't wait for my film to arrive!

[original_ann]

Coupla' people who were part of the testing were discussing the sensitivity of this film to light here...
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bwology/discuss/72157623566838029/

[Heather]

Thanks for that, ann. I did read the documentation on the impossible project site and i got my black plastic bag from my latest 35mm bulkload and even taped the bag to the front of the camera for that first shot though i did peek and realised the shot didn't fall out of the camera, so pulled it out quick and threw it in the bag and folded it up and waited 3 or so minutes before peeking at it again. That's when I saw it was developed but the shadows were still light so I put it back in the bag for another few minutes.

[LT]

So, the film is too sensitive to light and keeps exposing when out of the camera? Sounds to me like it's only half-way there ... Wearing my cynical hat again, it's not too hard to imagine that they've run out of money & have been forced to release an unfinished product in order to raise funds relying solely on the hype factor to sell it. I do hope this is a midway phase & they are continuing thier R&D but to releae a product that has so many flaws at such a price (?2.50 a shot!) leaving it up to the consumer to discover it's limitations is quite a low move in my book.   

[moominsean]

yeah, while i did order some packs and i like the look and effects, i do think it's a bit odd that this is a "final" product. it's more like a prototype. no way it will sell as much as they are hoping if it remains this fickle. but maybe the color film will be more stable?

[Heather]

The film is called "First Flush"; I'm sure they are going to improve it.

I think I might try to take the ND filter off the electronic sensor eye again. I'm getting overexposure on the normal setting which makes me think it's throwing it off...

This was set almost all the way to to fully darken.

[mart]

I guess they wanted the film out there for various reasons and know it's not truly hitting the marks yet.

[Francois]

Well... I know for the price they don't seem to offer much... and they're not even close to the Fuji prices on integral film. When you think a box of 20 Instax cost me 27.99$ + tax (that's 1.60$ per picture tax in)... over 20$ for only 8 prints is definitely on the expensive side.

[Phil Bebbington]

Well, I'm not exactly prolific with 600 film and I have a little supply in the fridge so I think I will hang back until they have sorted themselves out - a film that is still sensitive to light once exposed doesn't sound ideal! Especially when it's not exactly cheap.