Best Way to Use the Final Stock of Fuji FP3000B? Party!

I have a beautiful old Polaroid 250 instant camera. This is a pack film camera, which uses FP3000B or FP100C pack film from Fuji. While the FP100C is still being produced (fingers crossed for the future!), FP3000B has been discontinued. That's really too bad. FP100C is 100 speed color instant film, while FP3000B is 3000 speed (!) black and white. Neither of these films can cover for the other.

 

Anyway, I'm not going to get down about the fact that no new FP3000B is being made. I have a few packs left, and plan to use them well.

 

Last night, I used two packs of FP3000B at my company's holiday party. Knowing that it would be pretty dark at the party, and understanding that Polaroid cameras have relatively slow lenses, it was clear that flash was going to be necessary. So, I put the Polaroid camera on a flash bracket, on which I mounted a modern Nikon SB600 flash. Using a cable that I cobbled together from an old Polaroid flash bulb mount and an accessory hot shoe, I got the whole contraption to work. Testing it out ahead of time, I found that full power manual flash from the SB600 works very well with FP3000B at about 5-10 feet distance. Perfect for the party.

 

Now, this is harsh, direct light. That's the look I decided to go for, since the theme of the party was "sock hop," reminiscent of the days when someone would have photographed it with instant film and a big, bright, direct flash bulb. I got exactly what I wanted. Here are the results.

 

 

I can't think of a better way to use up what's left of this awesome black and white instant film.

 

People loved posing for me, and especially seeing the results. My catch phrase was "by the time your eyesight recovers from the flash, the print will be ready."

 

Fun.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Film Fear-Mongering at Pop Photo?

 

Chinese Actress, by Reed A. George

Rolleiflex T, Kodak Portra 160 Film

 

As you probably know, I love shooting film. I have so far stuck with the big names in film, with few exceptions. Kodak TMax is my choice for black and white film in iso 100 and 400. Ilford Delta 3200 is my favorite fast black and white film (I shoot it at 1600). For color, I shoot mostly Kodak and some Fuji.

While there are some other great films out there, including many to try out at the Film Photography Project's store, I have been content to stick with my favorites.

I recently started to read an article at Pop Photo entitled "12 Films Worth Shooting With Before They're Gone". I thought that maybe they had some information on films that truly are on their way out. As soon as I started the article, I noticed that the first two films listed were my favorites: Portra 400 and TMax 400! Oh, no! Did they know something I didn't? Nope, I don't believe so. Their third listed film is Tri-X, the most beloved of Kodak standards still available. I am pretty sure I would have heard if any public announcement had been made about Tri-X.

Now, I'm not saying it won't happen. We may see the sad day when these films disappear. I'm just not convinced that now is the time to get people worried about it. So, thanks for nothing useful in this case, Pop Photo.

If you feel the need to read this article (as in, if you want to worry unnecessarily), you can
(click here) to see it on Pop Photo's site.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Hump Day Blues - Fujifilm Brings Sad News

I just read the sad news on Phoblographer that the Fuji GF670, one of the last remaining medium format film cameras that you could buy new, has been discontinued.

Fujifilm GF670

Image Source: http://www.thephoblographer.com/2014/08/25/fujifilm-gf670-folding-rangefinder-now-discontinued/#.U_3JHBy9KSP

 

The GF670 is the only new medium format folder that I know about. I was sorely drawn to purchasing one about a year ago, but made myself content with my old Agfa Record III instead. Very different animals, the GF670 sports a coupled rangefinder, electronic shutter, and modern optics, as compared to the Agfa's uncoupled rangefinder, manual shutter (perhaps a plus), and Solinar lens.

 

(Click Here) to read the post on Phoblographer.

 

(Click Here) to read about my Agfa Record III in a post from my "Skeletons From The Closet" series. If you search "Agfa Record" at the search window at the top of this blog, you'll find several of my posts, including those showing results from this awesome old camera.

 

As for the GF670, well, it's just the march of time and technology. We must accept it gracefully and move on. I'm happy to know that I have several wonderful medium format folders in my collection. Enough to interest me for the years I have left to shoot them!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Fuji Instant Film Going Away? Please Sign the Petition Against It. For Me.

 

Image Source:

https://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-discontinuation-of-fuji-3000b-instant-film-by-fujifilm

 

Several months ago, my Mom sent me a gorgeous old Polaroid camera. You may have seen some of my shots with it here on DMC-365. I was very happily surprised to find that Fujifilm was still making instant film that fits it, and I've really enjoyed using it from time to time.

 

Fuji has announced plans to discontinue the film. Now, I know, it may be a lost cause. But, there a petition started on change.org to try to influence Fuji to reconsider. All it takes is a digital signature to help your luddite film photographer friends like me. Or at least try to help us out.

 

Please (Click Here) and sign the digital petition. I'd sure like to see this film stay around.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com