For those willing to see differently
Written: Nov 30 '02 (Updated Nov 30 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Silvery, glowing black and white slide film
Cons: Pricey
The Bottom Line: This is an excellent film, precisely because it doesn't look like reality. A bit pricey but worth it to artists who know that art isn't always about reality.
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| criticaleye's Full Review: Polaroid Corporation PolaPan 35mm 135-12 Exposures... |
This is a super cool product, useful for more advanced photographers who are interested in experimentation and photography as an artistic expression.
Polapan is an instant slide film. This means you can shoot your subject and process your film on site as you wait. Whoa, what a concept. It is a medium speed film that produces brilliant silvery highlights that are unequally by any other slide (or any black and white negative) film out there. I use it for portraits needing an edgy or different quality to them, for cityscape shots, even landscapes. Used with proper lighting it has an ethereal or glamourous look to it, similar in some ways to some of the ancient Kodak emulsions of times long past. So with all this going for it what's the downside?
For starters you need to have a special processor to develop the film. This isn't really that big a deal. You can get a new one from Polaroid. Or before you do that, the good news is that these are readily available on ebay or at your local camera shop. I found mine in my local camera shop and they had NO IDEA what it was used for. I got 2 for $10. At nearly $100new, getting 2 for $10 is simply a crazy price. Anyway, sized about the size of a shoe, you can get the "autoprocessor" which you have to hand crank yourself (for all of 2 minutes) or the power processor. The autoprocessor you can take with you wherever you go, the power processor is run off of electricity. After you're done shooting your film, you load it into your processor, crank (or flip the switch) and in about 2 minutes you're ready to view your masterpiece.
Now here's the caveat about experimentation and artistry. Processing isn't an exact science. Like with all instant polaroid products you're talking about a caustic goo that is the stuff that develops your film. You need to be careful not to smear it all over the place. And unlike the mass produced films that are made to make everything look alike, this emulsion does take on a different quality to it, based on your lighting, processing, exposure and the like. There is definitely a grain to this film. This is a good thing. There is a special type of tonality and contrast to this film that isn't reality, but that's another good thing. I find that my stuff looks like it was shot 100 years ago, it has an aged/ageless quality to it. I think this is a good thing as well. BUT what all of this means that you might want to invest in a notebook to keep track of your experimentation so that beautiful accidents can be replicated. (Polapan is rated at 125 ASA but I often shoot it at 64/80 because I like that look. You might like the look at 100 or 125, it's up to your likes and dislikes) Anyway, once you have processed your slide film it is best to put it into a protective plastic sleeve IMMEDIATELY. The emulsion on the slide is very very fragile and can scratch easily. I don't put my developed film into slide holders, rather I treat it like my negative strips.
Polapan scans easily. You can print out on a printer filled with archival inks or you can run it through a Daylab slide printer to do funky polaroid transfers or emulsion lifts.
Polapan isn't cheap. A roll of 12 exposures costs twice what a 135-36 exposure roll of slide fill will cost. But if you are an advanced amateur or professional photographer who is willing to try something different or who wants to break away from the same old stuff, this is something definitely to try.
I heard that Polaroid was actually considering discontinuing their instant slide films. I hope they don't. It's good stuff, worthy of greater use, if not by the masses, at least by those with a vision.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
criticaleye
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Reviews written: 15
Trusted by: 1 member
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