First Impressions of Silver Shade SX-70 Polaroid Film - Impossible Project

[patois]

Shot #8 from my first pack of PX100. It is frustrating but has really forced me to really take time to compose and make it work.

[coigach]

I've taken a few pictures and will post a couple in the gallery when I get round to scanning.

First impressions?

- strewth, this is a tricky film to handle! I shot indoors in the shade of diffuse window light, put photos into a dark film bag straight away and left for 10 mins to develop...and still big variations between shots.

- has a real tendency to look 'overexposed'. Don't know yet if the asa is optimistic, or the issue is really to do with the 'doesn't-actually-keep-the-light-out' opaque layer, rather than any characteristics inherent in the film itself. Suspect it's probably the opaque layer...

- difficult to get deep shadows - will try with an improvised orange filter next.

- seems to develop for a long time. Pictures seem to shift in colour slightly over 24 hours.

- has a peculiar random 'speckled' quality sometimes, although this varies from shot to shot (given the effects I'm looking for when I use Polaroid cameras this is not necessarily a bad thing, just a bit odd).

- for me with the indoors shots described above, shots worked best with camera dial 3/4 of the way to dark. Unless I find a workaround, I can't see the film being used much outdoors unless I want very overexposed images...

Conclusions so far?

- an interesting but bloody tricky film to handle if you want shots that are consistent from shot to shot.

- it seems specialised and pretty limited, but capable of interesting results within this narrow use. I particularly like the fact it is manipulable and can be used for emulsion transfers - will explore this more.

- I just wish I could get a bit more contrast...

As the film has only been out a few weeks, it's still early doors in my learning curve and it may well be I can work around some of the experiences above...

Cheers,
Gavin

[Photo Engineer]

At the risk of getting a lot of nasty feedback I must say that this film looks pretty bad. I have used a lot of SX70 film and have never seen any this bad. Especially at this price.

I don't ever remember a B&W SX70 film either regardless of tone.

Sorry.

PE

[ann]

doesn't look like sx70 film to me as well, including the fact that one can't make transfers from that type, unless it is peel apart and that is not my understanding of the "fade to black" film.

[Photo Engineer]

Fade to black is simply an instant film with no timing layer that shuts off the process. Thus, the film keeps developing forever and gradually turns black. It may also have a thin light barrier layer and this will gradually leak light to hasten the total exposure of the emulsion.

Basically, it is faulty film.

PE

[Peter Schrager]

I'm in agreement with PE....this stuff looks terrible! I have an entire collection of sx70's and they are beautiful to this day...Impossible needs to turn up the research a bit before they get my $$
Best, Peter

[ann]

i never got the "fade to black" anyway, as to what value?

[wblynch]

I wonder if anyone has experimented with making a dark cloth bag (black velvet?) and attach it to the camera where the film exits?

This would dump the film straight into the dark bag with no further light exposure until fully developed.

Just a curious thought....

I've taken a few pictures and will post a couple in the gallery when I get round to scanning.

First impressions?

- strewth, this is a tricky film to handle! I shot indoors in the shade of diffuse window light, put photos into a dark film bag straight away and left for 10 mins to develop...and still big variations between shots.

...............snipped...................

Cheers,
Gavin

[Ektagraphic]

Fade to black as I understand was never officially an ImPossible film but one that is still under Polaroid. If you look at the photos on the website under that black sleeve it comes in, it is in a Polaroid box!

[Q.G.]

I'm in agreement with PE....this stuff looks terrible!

And i.

Looks a lot like they didn't get there yet, but just had to show something to appease a money lender.
Not good enough to attract new/more money lenders.