Author Topic: Polaroid Film vis-a-vis Fuji (Read 7943 times)

mart · « **on:** June 12, 2010, 06:13:51 PM »

I'm not interested in the technical differences between Polaroid 600 and Fuji's equivalent film. I'm not interested in any kind of manipulation, etc. Just want to save what comes out of the camera. Therefore, what issues are there that I should consider in making my choice. Yes, yes, I know P600 is only available at a premium, but let's leave that aside right now.

PS-For those of you who have viewed my LC-A "trade" post, I trust you understand that for 1 Lomo you get a number of the items I have listed. That's the negotiation.

gregor · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2010, 06:23:44 PM »

fuji doesn't make a polaroid 600 equivalent. if you're referring to the instax films, they will not work in an sx-70, slr 680 or cameras that take the 600 film. of course fuji does make equivalent peel apart type 100 films and 4x5 - effectively substitutes for 664, 667, 669, 52 and 59.

for the fuji instax you're limited to the lomo back for the diana +, the fuji instax camera or whatever mods you may have come across for adapting a instax back onto other cameras.

vicky slater · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2010, 06:33:00 PM »

hi mart, sadly gregor's correct about fuji not doing 600, although the impossible project has it's new ones available.
i use the fuji for the land cam and find that generally polaroid (600 or otherwise) is softer and more muted than the fuji instant film.
Some people prefer it.

mart · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2010, 06:42:11 PM »

Thanks Vicky and Gregor. First no problem about having an Instax camera. Therefore, what REAL differences would I find between the two. Yes, I've shot lots of P600 in the past.

Vicky: "Some people prefer it." What's the "it" besides being an ambiguous pronoun reference?

gregor · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2010, 06:47:10 PM »

instax film is smaller than 600 so you'll get something between the size of 600 and 500 which was used in cameras like the joycam. the fuji film is, typical to fuji, very saturated color and much sharper.

otherwise it's much the same. take a shot, it comes out of the camera and develops. it's in the aesthetics and size where the differentiation exists.

moominsean · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2010, 10:28:37 PM »

instax mini is much smaller, but the larger instax is actually longer than 600. the entire print size is about the same as 600, but it's wide rather than square.

[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]

Francois · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2010, 10:43:58 PM »

Colors are also more "pop" on the Instax than the Polaroid. For me, just being able to find film to feed it is a big plus. Besides, the Instax gets stares as it isn't as common as the Polaroids.

mart · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2010, 11:21:55 PM »

Thanks again for answers.

Moom: Looks like the image you posted is Spectra-like in size. Mini I know via my Mio.

vicky slater · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2010, 02:18:09 AM »

"Vicky: "Some people prefer it." What's the "it" besides being an ambiguous pronoun reference?"

as i said, polaroid is softer and more muted than fuji...some people prefer that look.

tkmedia · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2010, 02:17:28 AM »

Instax wide is virtually the same size as packfilm, only the image area is smaller because of the pod... humm. Though reverse image, has anyone tried to shoot instax wide in a packfilm camera? loading/unloading/develop in a darkroom.

Francois · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2010, 04:52:25 PM »

No, but I know the old Kodak EK-8 had a similar pack to the instax ant that the Fuji version can be modified to fit the old Kodaks (if you can still find one).

tkmedia · « **Reply #11 on:** June 16, 2010, 06:08:02 PM »

You are thinking of the Fuji Fotorama line of instant film that is being discontinued this month. size is a bit different compared to instax wide, but it is indeed based on the same tech as the System 800 and instant ACE film... But the previous incarnation F series instant film at iso 160 was indeed very similar to the Kodak iso150. A bit different than the trimprint reworked Kodamatic Instant iso300.

I do have an strange old sudo 4x5 Fuji integral back laying about.

Francois · « **Reply #12 on:** June 16, 2010, 06:15:53 PM »

It is indeed the Fuji FI-800GT that fits in the Kodak EK-8...
Here's the info http://island.geocities.jp/sihohigari/tip/fi800.html

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2010, 11:36:16 PM »

Damn! You mean there was a type of Fuji instant film that I didn't even know about until 2 months after it was discontinued? I'm so not mr-finger-on-the-pulse.

tkmedia · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2010, 04:05:16 AM »

Fuji had been discontinuing 4? different instant film in 2010.

Francois · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2010, 04:14:15 PM »

Quote from: ed.wenn on June 16, 2010, 11:36:16 PM

Damn! You mean there was a type of Fuji instant film that I didn't even know about until 2 months after it was discontinued? I'm so not mr-finger-on-the-pulse.

Don't blame yourself on that... Until quite recently, I thought Fuji only made the FP series film!
What bums me out the most is that the film and the cameras they were designed for never made it to North America...

And it all goes back to the same question: why is it that Japan always gets the coolest stuff and we have to wait until they discontinue the product to even know it existed in the first place?

tkmedia · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2010, 05:59:23 PM »

For the Fuji Fotorama film it has to do with Polaroid and their lawsuit with Kodak, as they use the same "patent infringing" techniques. Kodak was suing both Kodak and Fuji over instant film. Before the Fotorama was released in the early 1980's Fuji began to strike tech deals with Polaroid. Polaroid just bought a failing magnetic media manufacturer. Thus allowed Polaroid to develop better magnetic products (video tapes, computer storage disk, etc) with some help from Fuji (I assume). After Polaroid won the lawsuit with Kodak in the mid 1980's, Fuji was allowed to keep their instant film offering in Japan and the suite against Fujifilm Japan was dropped. at least that my complete conclusion after reading many articles on Fuji, history of Fujifilm, History of Polaroid, and old newspaper fiche at the library.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2010, 11:29:58 PM »

And the award for bestest research on any given topic in 2010 goes to....tkmedia. Hats off to you, fellow Filmwaster

. This is exactly the type of quality input that we crave, so thanks very, very much for the info.

moominsean · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2010, 11:32:32 AM »

the shape of instax wide is overall the same size as 600...it's just the orientation that is different.

fuji integral exposes from the back, so if you ever try to swap, make sure it is facing the correct direction.

i have about 12 packs of 800gt and ace (same film, different packs), but i need to get a kodak camera that doesn't leak at the ejection end.

Francois · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2010, 03:15:41 PM »

Quote from: moominsean on June 19, 2010, 11:32:32 AM

but i need to get a kodak camera that doesn't leak at the ejection end.

Think cardboard receiving box and black electric tape...
That would fix it in an ugly but effective way...

moominsean · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2010, 09:10:59 PM »

you have to be able to remove the print from the camera, though...and it would be ugly!

Francois · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2010, 10:03:07 PM »

Not if you make it big enough and maybe put some type of flap that can easily be opened and closed...
(a bit like a mailbox)

tkmedia · « **Reply #22 on:** June 19, 2010, 11:49:46 PM »

I researched this last year after Fuji's announcement of discontinuation . I already put it up on wikipedia, article instant film; subsection Fujifilm. I only assume they got their magnetic media knowledge from Fuji, as after the lawsuit against Fuji was dropped, Polaroid starting having a lot more of these video tapes, and audio and computer disc products on the market which they were previously having a hard time manufacturing. This is also the same time that Fujifilm introduced the Fotorama System 800 instant film, with many improvements over the previous F series.

"Hats off to you.." ed.wenn.
All I get is a hat? Where's my filmwasters T-shirt!

moominsean · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2010, 12:21:35 AM »

Quote from: Francois on June 19, 2010, 10:03:07 PM

Not if you make it big enough and maybe put some type of flap that can easily be opened and closed...
(a bit like a mailbox)

or i could just spend $5 for another kodak!