recent SX70 manipulation

[Terri]

I shot this image last spring while we were driving out of St. Mary's, an old fishing town in south Georgia. I used Fuji slide film since I figured I would eventually want to manipulate it, then of course got busy like I always do!

Finally dragged out the old Daylab (slide printer) and a pack of Polaroid Artistic Z film and made a few prints. I keep forgetting how nicely this film manipulates, even if it lacks the rich color depth of the former Time Zero film.

Just playin'. :) Cropped it slightly in Photoshop after scanning.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v435/terriks/Baittackleshop.jpg


Thanks for looking!

[Fox Paw]

I was slow to see this, Terri. I like it. Interesting effect.

[ann]

terri,

is this the same as the current impossible project sx70 film? Somehow i thought it was something that was produced by the Blend bunch of folks.

[Terri]

Thanks, Fox! :) I always have so much fun doing these.

Ann, I know exactly which film you’re talking about, from the "Blend" folks. These are two completely different products. I never had success with that Blend film, only some black or white lines and such, but no real manipulation of the emulsion.

The films being introduced by the Impossible Project folks won’t be manipulable, from what I've read so far. Their focus seems to be on getting a film pack that will work in the SX-70 cameras like Time Zero, same speed and format, and maybe other camera formats, too.

The film used here (I have more stashed in the fridge) is the last batch from Polaroid, sold under the name "ArTistic Z” (the TZ a reference to Time Zero). It does manipulate just like Time Zero – at its heart, it IS Time Zero, but the emulsion is lacking either titanium white or some other dye or compound that gave it real rich colors. They are undeniably flat, and there are some minor streaking issues, as well – stuff that would never have passed muster as real Time Zero.

At the time of its release, there were bloggers saying this was Polaroid’s way of making a final buck on an inferior product that had been gathering dust on the shelves, while Polaroid was in the middle of their corporate restructuring. ;) I can’t comment on the validity of any of that, I just bought a bunch of it while crossing my fingers it would still manipulate – and it does.

So, I’m still able to use my SX-70 base with my Daylab and have some fun. Anything that keeps my wonderful old equipment out of the "photo relic museum" a couple more years is fine by me. And I’m still crossing my fingers that the Impossible folks can conjure up some emulsions that act like the old Polaroid. I'm just a sucker for Polaroid processes! :heart:

[Aggie]

OK Terri, the old chemist in me has been thinking. What is needed for the new time zero stuff would be the ability to soften the emulsion so you can manipulate it. A weak acid solution and I mean weak and letting it soak for a bit would seem to be an idea to pursue. Why not try that new stuff and soak it for a bit in ascorbic acid? That is basically Vit. C. It has been used as a stop bath for those who fear acetic acid. Vinegar would be another, that you could dilute and soak it in. For what it is worth, you might try it. Thing would be it would be really soft not just pliable. So you would need to be very careful. Then just rinse with normal water to get rid of the acid.

[ann]

Just checking as i tried the Blend stuff, up to and including putting it in a warm oven to help it along, but i didn't care for it, and i am not interested in trying the new Impossible project film, altho, i wish them success.

it is back to my digital versions.