A Special Meeting of the Odds and Ends...

I call this meeting to discuss a bunch of Polaroid randomness (at 6am, even), because I haven't done anything particularly interesting recently. But it's a pretty cool selection...if you think those ejected pieces of cardboard from 600 packs are cool. Sooo, let's start with that!
First off, I have quite a few of these contest inserts. The site doesn't exist anymore, so I can't even pretend to GAGNER big.


I have a couple of these "Instant Ideas". Best tip? "First off, buy lots of 600 film." Gee, I wonder what they are trying to accomplish when all of the tips involve large crowds?



Check out this double-sided international beauty!


And an interesting insert touting copies of 600 shots. I see this all the time with the peel-apart, but this is the only 600 offer I've come across.


Okay, I'm sure for some of you that was like showing off my wood chip collection. Good thing I can't locate my peel-apart paper tab collection. This is from Type 88 Polacolor 2.


Recently I aquired a couple interesting Polaroid film types. The first is a pack of Type 691.


How cool! Large-format color slide film! Unfortunately, I get the dreaded sounds of sand when I shake it, so it's highly unlikely that it will work. I'll still try...maybe a couple of the developer pods still work. It develops for four to five minutes! It also comes with slide frames. Not sure what kind of projector uses slide film at this size. Probably a Polaroid product.


I'll still try it out. Save it for something special, that way I'm doubly disappointed when it fails.
I also recently grabbed three boxes of Type 46 roll film for about $4.50.


Expired in 1958...but maybe I'll be lucky and they will be the oldest working boxes of Polaroid film in existence. I'll have to try with one roll, of course. It's interesting film. It was produced from 1957 to 1964, though there was a follow-up version called 146-L that was made until the mid-1980s.


Black-and white slide film? How nice! 1000 ASA? Hmmm... Polaroid is usually in the 80 to 100 speed range, or 3000, which is 47, 87, 107, and 667. Not sure how to deal with 1000 speed. This was actually pre-3000 speed film! And this is, of course, roll film, which would get used in my 150. I am pretending that this will actually work, just for fun. They do have a nice smell... kind of that old bookstore odor. Invokes some nice memories of childhood. Anyway, let's check out the instructions.


Immediately interesting are the special modifications. The use of black tape to prevent leaks, and the mask to make the film size 2.25 x 2.25 inches. I wonder if you get a regular sized image if you leave the mask out? According to Landlist, my 150 comes with a viewfinder aid for the odd-sized output. And it looks like I can use an orange filter, which I have. It needs to be fixed with Dippit (some random Polaroid brand fixer), but I'd imagine any fixer would work. So, anyway, chances of it working are pretty close to nil, but I can dream.
I guess my last bit of randomness today is the true definition of obsolete Polaroid...the Swinger Model 20.


This was, I believe, the first hard case Polaroid camera. I see tons of these on eBay. I never see Type 20 film for it, which is a smaller sized roll film. It probably hasn't been produced since about 1970, but I don't even see really old expired boxes of the stuff. So this camera is basically decoration. It works the same as the Zip (Type 87) and the Swinger 3000 (Type 107/667), with the funny YES exposure system. The only reason I have this camera is because for $5 I got this, a Square Shooter and a twin-pack of Time Zero, plus some dried up Type 88. It's a neat looking little camera. It just can't be used. I see people selling these for $75 on eBay...don't fall for it. $5 max is all you should spend.
Oh, I lied, a couple more bits of randomness. I've had these for awhile. Nice, vintage Polaroid albums.


Nice way to display some of your favorite Polas, as with these 195 shots. And one last item, a truly random selection of flashbulbs to use with various Polaroid cameras.


That's it for now. Going out to shoot tomorrow. I'm moderately ashamed that I haven't finished a roll through my Blackbird, Fly. There is already a lot of information on the interweb about it, and even some mods already...so I'm a little behind. It's tough shooting 36 shots at once, though. I'm used to shooting 12 or 16, and with various cameras at once. I'll get it done, though. I also received a box of 10 expired disposable black and white cameras for free from a nice woman at Kodak, one of which I will hack into at some point. She also sent me some rolls of the new EKTAR, which is supposed to be a fine grain, super saturated negative film, so I'll talk about that when I get around to using it. I'm sure I will defeat the purpose of it by using the crappiest cameras possible and developing it myself, but, "hey". Butt-hay?!
I noticed Lomography is now selling the Fuji Natura Classica...so I expect an increase in hits to those pages on my blog. I wonder if I had anything to do with them specifically choosing that camera? The nicest camera I own on a blog about mostly crappy cameras? And it pops up on a site that sells mostly toy cameras? I doubt I'm that important in the grand scheme of marketing. The pricing actually isn't bad, just a little higher than what I paid, which is unusual for Lomography. Usually they charge 2.5 times the actual value.
Anyway, thanks for helping me get rid of my morning headache. Need to wash the bedhead out and go to the gym soon. Until whenever!