Instant Photography Today

Winter 2014 (kind of looks like Winter 2015), by Reed A. George

Polaroid 103, Fuji FP3000B Pack Film

 

I'm still having some fun with instant photography. This was one area I'd stayed out of for several years, but am now in, and really enjoying it. My entry was the Polaroid 103 that my parents sent to me. I converted it to use AAA batteries, found Fuji pack film, and started shooting. Lots of fun.

 

Then, I went to the Film Photography Project's Walking Workshop last spring, where I was introduced to the new Fujifilm Instax Neo Mini. I now have one, along with the wireless Instax printer. These are fun, but they're really just party toys. The images are nice, but quite small.

 

Next, my friend Dennis Gallus sold (nearly gave) me his Mamiya Universal Press (MUP) outfit. I added a pack film back, and now I have a very capable, high quality instant imaging system, complete with full manual control and interchangeable lenses. Awesome.

 

And now, I've picked up a higher grade Polaroid (the Model 250), complete with several hard-to-find accessories, including the portrait kit, closeup kit, remote release, and timer. That camera is on its way to Seattle for a shutter replacement. What makes the 250 higher quality than my 103? All metal body, Zeiss finder, tripod mount, some exposure control. All pretty nice.

 

I was reading about the current state of instant photography. It's not all good. The worst news is that the venerable Fujifilm FP3000B is discontinued. Still available at this point at twice its normal price or more, but no longer being manufactured. That leaves only FP100C, which is great color film, but no B&W option. The Impossible Project is a great development, making new instant films with a reconditioned Polaroid factory, but the prices are high, and the offering incomplete. $3 per shot is an awful lot. I find myself hoping that they'll make pack film in the future, but I'm not looking forward to the cost.

 

(Click Here) to read a review of the state of instant photography on polaroidland.net.

 

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Using the Fuji Instax Neo for its Intended Purpose - Party Pics!

I attended the annual holiday party at my place of work this weekend. Here are some images I made with the Fuji Instax Neo (and some snapshots from a photo booth setup at the party).

Party Pics, Fuji Instax Neo

 

I had to purchase some more Instax film, and was very happy to find that the best price available (including Amazon and eBay) was at the Film Photography Project's online store.

 

(Click Here) to visit the Film Photography Project (FPP) for all of your film ordering needs. These guys are great, and will take good care of you. Just to be clear, I have no financial or commercial interest in FPP; I just plain like them.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Pro Photographer Shoots Fuji Instax for Fun!

 

Image Source: http://snapitseeit.com/cindys-island-time/

 

I've recently gotten back into instant film photography, because I like it. No other reason. I have a Fuji Instax Neo, which really is pretty darned good. But, for amazing quality instant pictures, my Mamiya Universal Press (MUP) with pack film back is unbeatable.

 

This picture is by professional photographer Cindy Leon.

 

(Click Here) to read about her thoughts on the Fuji Instax Wide (larger format than my Neo), and see several more nice instant images she made.

 

I'm down to only a few more packs of Fuji FP3000B to shoot in my MUP, and am dreading the end of it, as the film has been discontinued. The much slower (iso 100 vs. 3000) color film is still available from Fuji, but who knows for how long.

 

So, the Fuji Instax film, which is relatively new, may one day become our only instant film option. But, rather than focus on narrowing options, I should be focusing on enjoying making every shot with instant film!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Bike Riding with the Fuji Instax Neo

My wife and I went on an all-too-rare bike ride together last weekend. I took the Fuji Neo along.

Before the Ride, by Reed A. George

Fuji Instax Neo Instant Camera

 

I carried the Neo around my neck the whole ride. It's very light, so that didn't present a problem at all. I decided to try and capture some motion blur in one of the more wooded sections of the trail. First, I tried the B setting, and overexposed to the point that the image was useless. For my second try, I simply turned off the flash, which resulted in a longer exposure. Here's what I got:

 

Daylight Motion Blur, by Reed A. George

Fuji Instax Neo Instant Camera

 

My wife had some challenges with her biking shoe clips, namely getting them to clip in and then unclip. Here she demonstrates the emergency evacuation procedure, which consists of pulling your foot out of the shoe, leaving it attached to the pedal. No kidding, these shoes were the biggest safety hazard of the ride.

 

Pedal Clip Challenges, by Reed A. George

Fuji Instax Neo Instant Camera

 

I'm really enjoying the little Fuji Neo. I'm hopeful that Instax film for it will be around a while, even while Fuji discontinues it's older pack film. There seems to be a lot of focus on Instax, and I seem them popping up in various places. If you're looking for a fun photographic diversion, give one a try. The Neo happens to have a lot more creative settings than the other models, including B (time exposure), exposure compensation, and the abilty to turn the flash off when you want. Buy yours from my Amazon link below and support my blog!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

More Fun With the Fujifilm Neo Instant Camera, and a Review

 

Hair, by Reed A. George

Fujifilm Instax Mini Neo 90

 

A couple of weeks back, I posted about the Fujifilm Instax Neo camera that I'd just bought. (Click Here) to see that post, which includes several images.

 

I've gotten more interested in instant photography lately. I really like the Fuji pack films which fit many Polaroid cameras, including my 103. (Click Here) to read about that camera. However, one can only guess that these films are not long for this world. In fact, discontinuation of one of the two types, Fujifilm's black and white FP3000B, has already been announced. FP100C is still being made, but who knows for how long.

 

So, probably the most attractive thing about the new Fujifilm Instax Mini Neo is that there's a good chance this film will be around for a while. Fuji's doing a good job of introducing new cameras, and even some with creative controls like the Neo, so hopefully that will keep the market strong.

 

(Click Here) to read a nice review of the Instax Mini Neo on SnapItSeeIt.com.

 

For not too much money, the Neo is really a nice, fun little camera. Buy yours through my Amazon link below!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo - Modern, Instant, Analog - My New Toy on the 4th of July

Image Source: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/instant_photo/cameras/instax_mini_90/

 

When I attended the Film Photography Project (FPP) Walking Workshop several weeks back, I sort of got re-energized about instant film photography.

 

(Click Here) to read about FPP. Support them - they're keeping film alive and available for us all, with the help of us all.

 

One of the many nice people I met there at the workshop had a Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo camera, the one shown above (and available from Amazon with the link below - please buy yours with the link!). This camera uses the newer Fuji Instax Mini film, which I hope will be around for a very long time. It produces prints that are about the size of a 6x9 medium format image. They seem to scan pretty well.

 

While most of the Instax cameras are completely automatic and not controllable to a large extent, the Neo has several features for more involved photographers. For example, it as a B setting for time exposures, for example. The following shots show you how I used the B setting to photograph our family fireworks on the 4th of July.

 

In B setting, the Neo has a maximum exposure time of 10 seconds. That proved to be plenty, since Instax film has a speed of iso 800. I also used an external flash to light up my daughter while the shutter was open.

 

 

In the shot above, a car drove by during exposure, leaving the horizontal streaks.

Areas with severe overexposure take on a crazy look, as shown above. I like it.

This shot is my favorite of the bunch.

 

I'll continue to explore the Fuji Neo in coming posts. It's a lot of fun for the money (~$150). In addition to the cool functional features, the Neo is styled after other Fujifilm cameras, and looks like a slightly mis-shapen X100.

 

So, join the modern world of analog instant photography! Buy your Neo and film with the Amazon link below.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com