Polaroid INSTANT PACK FILM, INSTANT PACKFILMS User Manual
A Guide to Using Polaroid
Instant Pack Films
For people who want fast results
Tips, techniques and inside information designed to help you get
consistently good results with Polaroid instant pack films
Instant Pack Films
What’s inside
w Polaroid Pack films —
The Inside Story
w Formats & Applications
w The 3 critical keys to
quality images
w Avoiding common
mistakes
w Storing and handling
Polaroid films
w If it’s hotter or colder
than 75
o
F (24oC)...
w Tab pulling: How fast?
...and how to get it
straight!
w Making sure your prints &
images last a long time
w Picture problems and
problem prevention
w Toll-free help and
technical assistance
Please keep this booklet
near your camera system.
The information in this
booklet is designed to help
experienced and occasional
users of Polaroid pack films
get good pictures...solve
some common picture-taking
errors...perform a few
simple, routine, preventive
maintenance checks...
and get expert assistance
when needed.
This booklet covers in
quick reference form
much of the material contained in the instructions
originally packed with
your Polaroid equipment.
Please consult those instructions when first learning
to use the camera system.
Users also should regularly
review the film tip sheet
packed with Polaroid films,
since ongoing improvements may change technical
characteristics, especially
time and temperature processing guidelines.
A similar booklet is available
to users of Polaroid Model
545 film holders and 4x5 sheet
films. To obtain a copy, call
Polaroid Technical Assistance at
the toll-free number given on
page 2.
Polaroid instant pack films —
The inside story
Each pack of Polaroid
instant film contains all the
elements needed to produce
instant pictures. Inside, for
each picture, there is a film
assembly consisting of a lightsensitive negative, a positive
sheet, a pod containing
the developer, and tabs, which
are pulled to activate the
developing process.
The rollers inside the camera
or film holder are used
to break the pod and spread
the developer between the
exposed negative and positive
sheet. Clean rollers are
important in achieving a
smooth, consistent spread;
they should be inspected
and cleaned regularly to
assure high quality results.
(See page 3.)
1
After an exposure is made,
pulling the white tab
all the way out moves the
exposed negative from
the focal plane behind the
lens to a position facing
the positive sheet.
Simultaneously, the larger
tab of the film assembly
is positioned between the
rollers, and sticks out
of the camera or film holder
where it can be grasped.
Film Data Sheets &
Technical Assistance
For further information
about Polaroid pack films,
or for information about
other Polaroid films,
products, and applications,
call toll free from within
the U.S.A. at 800-225-1618,
Monday through Friday,
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern
time. Or, write to:
Technical Assistance
Polaroid Corporation
201 Burlington Rd.
Bedford, MA 01730
For assistance outside the
U.S.A., consult your nearest
Polaroid office.
Film Data Sheets covering
most Polaroid films used for
business, technical, medical
and professional applications
are available at no charge on
the Web at www.polaroid.com.
Pulling the large tab drags
the film assembly negative,
pod, and positive sheet
through the rollers. The pod
bursts open and the developer
is spread between the
positive and negative. It is
important to pull the
tabs straight and at a steady,
moderate speed to ensure the
developer is spread evenly.
(See page 3.)
Development begins immediately, outside the camera or
film holder. After the proper
development time, the finished picture is peeled away
from the negative. (See page
7 for important tips about
handling developing pictures.)
2
Formats & Applications
The 3 critical keys to quality images
There are three Polaroid
Pack Film formats:
3 1/4 x 4 1/
Image area: 2
(7.3 x 9.5cm)
10 pictures per pack
These films are used in many
different Polaroid handheld
cameras, such as ProPack
and 600SE. They are also
used with Polaroid
Miniportrait cameras for
making instant passport and
other document photos; the
Polaroid MP 4, CU-5 and
DS-34 Photographic
Systems; the Polaroid
Palette System; and Polaroid
ID Systems. They also are
used in cameras and instruments manufactured
or modified by OEMs to
accept the Polaroid Model
405 film holder or other
3
1/4 x 4
1/4 camera backs.
3 1/4 x 4 1/
4
7/8 x 3
3/4 in.
4
4 x 5
Image area: 3
(8.9 x 11.7 cm)
10 pictures per pack
These films are used in
cameras and instruments that
accept the Polaroid Model
550 film holder, including
most professional view
cameras, scanning electron
microscopes, the Polaroid
MP 4 and CU-5 Photographic Systems, and
Polaroid Miniportrait
cameras, and many other
OEM systems.
Square-format
(3
1/4 x 3
Image area: 2
(7 x 7.3 cm)
10 pictures per pack
These films are used in
Polaroid square format pack
film cameras and OEM
photographic systems
designed to accept a squareformat camera back.
3/8 in.)
1/2 x 4
3/4 x 2
5/8 in.
7/8 in.
1
Keep the processing
rollers in the camera or
film holder clean.
Inspect and clean the roller
surfaces regularly. It is
recommended that you check
the rollers each time you load
a pack of film, and before
one
each picture-taking session.
Cleaning the rollers is easy.
Use a soft, non-abrasive
cloth, moistened with water
if necessary.
Dry the rollers thoroughly
before use. Do not use
alcohol or other cleaning fluids, and never scrape the
rollers with a hard object or
with your fingernails.
Also clean the tab slot on
the camera or film holder.
Use a damp cloth or cotton
swab to clean the area.
Your instruction book
contains details on locating
and cleaning the rollers in
your Polaroid equipment.
If you need further information, please call us toll-free
at 800-225-1618.
2
Note the temperature...
and time development
accurately.
You can take Polaroid
pictures at any temperature.
But, processing time and
the temperature of the film
at the time of processing
affect picture quality. Ideally,
Polaroid films should be
processed at about 70-75
two
o
C). If the temperature
(21-24
is much higher or lower,
you may need to adjust processing times and/or exposure
settings for best results.
Make it a habit to check the
tip sheet packed with
Polaroid films for the latest
time/temperature processing
information.
3
Pull the film tabs straight
Always pull both film tabs
straight out of the camera
or film holder. Since the
film should be pulled parallel
to the camera back, avoid
camera positions that make
tab pulling awkward. If
you are using a removable
film holder, insert the
dark slide, then remove the
holder and place it on a
flat surface for tab pulling,
whenever possible.
Pull at a steady, moderate
speed. Saying the word
Polaroid is a good way to
time the speed of the pull.
three
o
F
4 x 5
Square-format
3
Avoiding common mistakes
Heres a brief list of
reminders to help you avoid
frustrating moments
and unsatisfactory results.
w Dont pull the black safety
cover out of a film pack
before loading the pack into
the camera or film holder.
If you do, at least one exposure will be lost.
But if you do...
...load the film anyway and
pull the film tabs for the first
picture. It will be a totally
white image, but the rest of
the pack should be fine.
w If you are using a removable
film holder, remember
to pull the holders dark side
before making an exposure...
...and push it back after
making the exposure before
removing the holder
for off-camera processing.
w If your camera has a
lens cap, dont forget to
remove it!
w If your system has an
electronic shutter powered
by batteries, be sure the
batteries are fresh and
installed correctly. Dead
batteries mean the shutter
wont work, no exposure
will be made, and youll
end up with a totally black
picture (see page 10).
w Check the camera exposure
settings.
If you set the camera for color
film (ISO 80/20
using high speed black and
white film (ISO3000/36
your pictures will be overexposed (too light).
If you set the camera for high
speed black and white film
(ISO3000/36
color film (ISO 80/20
pictures will be underexposed
(too dark).
w Pull the film tabs straight
and in the proper sequence.
Pull the white tab after
making the exposure, then
the other tab. Never pull
a white tab before taking
the picture.
w If you pull a white tab and
no other tab appears, dont
pull another white tab.
(See page 9.)
w Never wave developing
film back and forth in an
attempt to keep it warm
or cool; this could adversely
affect image quality.
Be careful not to bend or
squeeze developing film.
Questions? Problems?
Call us, toll-free:
800-225-1618
Many common picturetaking problems are
discussed on pages 8 - 10.
But...if you can’t find a
solution to a problem you
are experiencing, or if you
have a question, or need
information, please call us.
Chances are we can help.
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), but are
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The call is toll-free, and we
can be reached Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to
8 p.m., Eastern time.
4
800-225-1618
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