Bronica S2A Polaroid Film Pack Manual
[Special Thanks to Robert Lai for Making This Manual Available!]
[Click on thumbnail images to see larger version of each manual photograph]
The Polaroid Pack Film Back has been developed for use with the Zenza
Bronica cameras, Models S, S2, and S2A.
This film back has been developed in cooperation with the Polaroid
Corporation and increased the range of interchangeability in film backs,
in addition to the 6x6 cm and 6x.5 cm film backs, thus giving the user
greater flexibility in photography, as well as a means for checking
lighting and exposure before actual picture-taking.
As you read the instructions and look at the pictures, practice the
motions without actually using film. Load the film pack only after making
several practice runs and when you are sure that you have got the simple
operating procedures down pat.
It is suggested that you start with the black-and-white film. Always read
the instruction sheet packed with the film, as these instructions may
often change, in keeping up with improvements made in the film. Following
are seven helpful hints towards taking better pictures with the Polaroid
film pack back:
Moving the on-off lever to ''O'' (for open) will permit the Polaroid back
to be removed from the camera body. Differing from the regular Bronica
film backs, the Polaroid back is not removed by inserting the dark slide,
and, therefore, the Polaroid back must be removed with the on-off
lever after inserting the dark slide.
On the other hand, the dark slide must be removed for taking the picture,
as the shutter cannot be released otherwise.
Remove the film package only, taking care to hold it only by the edges or
corners. Do not press on the middle of the film package, as you may ruin
one or two prints.
Tear open the entire side of the film package, along the dotted line, and
it will be possible to take the pack film out of the package. The pack
films should also be handled similarly, or, in other words, by only
holding them along the edges or corners.
Take out the bag of silica gel, which is packed with the color film, and
throw it away.
Read the instruction sheet carefully so that you will be able to develop
your prints correctly. Save the box for carrying prints safely.
Always load the pack film in the shade and not in direct sunlight, to
avoid fogging the film.
The pack film should be loaded, if possible, with the Polaroid back
removed from the camera body.
Opening the Polaroid Back: Hold both ends of the wire latch and
pull in the arrow-indicated direction. The front plate should pop up
slightly.
Inserting the Pack Film: Open the front plate all the way. Next,
hold the pack film by the edges, with the printed surface of the safety
cover (film face) towards the camera, insert the pack film into the guide
frames and push down in the arrow-indicated direction.
[page 3]
Press the pack film against the Polaroid back which will nest it
correctly in position.
Check the White Tabs: Check whether the white tabs, under the
black tab, are free and not folded under the pack film.
Closing the Polaroid Back: Press the front plate strongly against
the rear cover and fix them securely with the wire latch, as illustrated.
The black tab of the safety cover should be sticking out of the small
slot (white tab slot), when the front plate is locked. If not, reopen the
Polaroid back and lead the black tab out into the slot.
Removing the Safety Cover: Grip the black tab firmly with the
thumb and forefinger. Pull the black tab (safety cover) all the way out
of the Polaroid back. Pull out straight, in order not to rip the safety
cover. The safety cover can be discarded.
A white tab should stick out of the small slot (white tab slot), when the
safety cover is pulled out. Do not pull the white tab as yet, however, as
it is only an indication that the pack film has been loaded correctly and
that everything is ready for taking the first picture.
Open the Polaroid back slightly and, without disturbing or removing the
pack film, push the end of the white tab out into the open.
Close the front plate securely, by pressing on both sides strongly, with
the white tab sticking out of the small slot, and fix the wire latch
securely.
The following table will serve as a general guide for average subjects in
bright sunlight or bright open shade, should you have no exposure meter
for taking an exposure reading:
Type 107 Subject in bright sun (EV 20) 1/1,000 f/32 Subject in bright open shade (EV 17) 1/250 f/22 Type 105 and 108 Subject in bright sun (EV 14 - 13 1/2) 1/125 f/11 Subject in bright open shade (EV 12) 1/60 f/8
NOTE: In the case of Type 107 film, with subject in bright sunlight, use the Bronica ND4x filter, for obtaining a setting of 1/500 second and f/22. (Read the following explanation on the use of ND filter.)
The ND, or neutral density, filter is used to reduce the volume or
intensity of the light coming through the lens to film, creating the same
effect as obtained by stopping down the lens diaphragm, without, however,
changing the depth of field effect.
The ND filter is therefore used to limit or reduce the light when there
will be overexposure, when taking pictures outdoors in the bright
sunlight, even with the fastest shutter speed and the smallest lens
opening combination.
The use of the Bronica ND4x filter lets you use an ASA film speed setting
1/4th the actual sensitivity for the taking exposure measurements, as in
the following case.
Example: Type 107 film has a film sensitivity of ASA 3,000, but
when used with the ND4x filter over the lens, can be used at ASA 750
(3,000 x 1/4= 750) for taking an exposure reading, without further
adjustments required in the reading thus obtained.
Load the required Polaroid land pack film in the Polaroid back, following
instructions on pages 3 to 5.
Attach the Polaroid back to the Bronica camera, model S, S2 or S2a, as
the case may be, following instructions on page 2.
Then,
(Refer to the quick guide of seven helpful hints on page 1, too.) You are
now ready to process or develop the print.
Grip the White Tab: Hold the Polaroid back, with your left hand,
so that it is pointing straight ahead. Then, grip the white tab with the
thumb and forefinger of the right hand.
Pull out the White Tab: Pull the white tab straight out, until it
is completely out of the Polaroid back, and then discard it.
Let the Yellow Tab Appear: Pulling out the white tab, as above,
opens a narrow door on the right-hand end of the Polaroid back, and
causes a yellow tab to appear. Therefore, this side door must not be
prevented from opening, when pulling the white tab.
If no yellow tab appears when the white tab has been pulled out
completely, stop further action and correct the mistake, as explained
on page 9.
Never pull a white tab when a yellow tab can still be seen. If you
do so accidentally, stop further action and correct, as explained on page
9, too.
Grip the yellow tab: Pulling the white tab as above, does not
start development, which always takes place outside the Polaroid back.
The white tab is simply pulled out to place the yellow tab in position
for the next step, which is pulling out the yellow tab itself. Therefore,
grip the center of the yellow tab firmly with the thumb and forefinger of
the right hand.
[page 7]
Pull out the Yellow Tab: Pull the yellow tab straight out of the
Polaroid back, moderately fast, in one smooth uninterrupted action.
Development starts when the yellow tab has been pulled completely out of
the back and, therefore, start timing development from that point. A
''moderately fast'' pull should take about as long as it takes to say the
words ''PULL IT'' at normal talking speed. If the developed print is
full of white specks, slow down a little, as you are pulling too fast.
Let the Print Develop: Development of the print takes place
outside of the Polaroid back, when the yellow tab has been pulled out
completely. Therefore, let the picture develop for the full time
recommended in the instruction sheet. While waiting for the print to
develop, hold it by the yellow tab or place it on a flat surface. Don't
touch or bend the print, or peel off the white paper. Don't let the print
flap in the wind outdoors.
Separate the Print: After the recommended development time,
quickly strip the white paper (print) off the brown paper, starting from
the end nearest the word ''PULL''. Although the color print will appear
to be nearly dry, do not touch the print for a few minutes. When
completely dried, mount it on a color print mount.
Coat Black and White Prints: Do not touch the face of the
black-and-white print, too. The prints must be coated to prevent fading
and to add a glossy finish. See the instruction sheet for further
information on coating.
The negative, from which the print has been stripped off, should be
folded with the moist surface on the inside, to prevent contact with the
chemicals still on the surface. The negative should then be put in a
paper bag, box and/or discarded into proper waste containers. Do not
throw the negatives away indiscriminately.
Do not coat color prints.
Let the Coating Dry: After coating the black-and-white print, do
not touch the print face until the coating has completely dried up.
Polaroid prints taken with the Bronica camera cover a 6x6 cm area within
the large print area, as shown on the right.
Do not pull another white tab. Instead, open the front plate slightly so
that a finger can be inserted to hold down the pack film and keep it in
place. This operation should, of course, be done indoors or in the shade
and never in bright sunlight.
While holding the pack film down with one finger, open the Polaroid back
all the way and take a firm grip on the topmost yellow tab, with the free
hand.
Draw the yellow tab completely out of the pack film and discard it. While
the Polaroid back is open, check the rollers and see if they are clean.
If a white tab has been drawn out accidentally, while the yellow tab was
sticking out, then draw out the yellow tab and discard it, at this time.
[page 9]
Close the Polaroid back after confirming that the next white tab is
sticking out of the small slot.
When closing the Polaroid back check that both sides of the front plate
are securely locked with the wire latch.
Cold and heat have a great effect on the way your picture develops and on
the print quality. Even moderate cold can ruin your pictures unless you
take precautions. The important factor is the temperature of the camera
and film at the time you are developing the picture.
A loaded camera carried outdoors in cold weather for half an hour gets
thoroughly chilled. If you then enter a warm house and a few minutes later
shoot a flash color picture, you cannot produce a good print. It takes a
long time to warm up the cold camera and film.
However, if camera and film are kept warm indoors, you can snap children
in the snow outside, pop back and develop the picture normally.
In cool weather, development times may have to be adjusted according to
the temperature. The instruction sheet with each film pack contains
detailed information about development times and temperatures. Be sure to
read these recommendations; they may change from time to time.
In very hot weather, chemicals may come out of the edges of the picture
assembly as you pull the yellow tab to begin development. If these
chemicals collect on the steel rollers, they can cause defects in your
prints. So, when it is hot, be extra careful to keep the rollers
clean.
When Temperature Affects Type 108 Color Film: The normal
developing times for color film are set for temperatures of 75 degrees F
(24 degrees C) and warmer. When it is a bit cooler, the action of the
developer chemicals slow down and you must develop for a longer time. See
the film instruction sheet for more details. When the temperature gets
below 65 degrees F (18 degrees C), the chemical action is so sluggish
that the picture will not develop properly without help. The help is the
Cold-Clip (see page 11). This is sold separately at camera shops. Prints
developed in cold weather without the Cold-Clip will be dark, with muddy
colors.
Whenever it is cool enough so that you must wear warm clothes, use the
Cold-Clip for all color pictures. If you feel temperature is pleasant when
you are lightly dressed, make development in normal way.
When you are sweltering and can think only of a cool drink and a swim, it
may be too hot for best results with color film; your prints may show
weak colors. For details, see the film instruction sheet.
Effect of Temperature on Type 107 Black and White Film: Best
results are obtained with the film's normal range of development times in
temperatures of 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) and above. When the
temperature of film and camera are both below 59 degrees F (15 degrees
C), develop for longer-than-normal time. Read the instruction sheet for
full particulars. Never use the Cold-Clip with Type 107 pack film.
The Cold-Clip is used only for development of color prints, when the
temperature is below 65 degrees F (18 degrees C).
If you are not sure of the temperature, use the Cold-Clip, as no harm
will be done even if the temperature is somewhat higher than 65 degrees F
(18 degrees C).
To use the Cold-Clip, put it in a warm inside pocket about five minutes
before taking the picture and preheat it with the body temperature. If
the temperature should be near 32 degrees F (0 degrees C), put the
Cold-Clip between the arm and body which will heat it to the maximum
temperature.
Double the exposure for your color pictures, if it is cold enough for you
to consider using the Cold-Clip.
Immediately after pulling out the yellow tab and starting development of
the print, place the developing film in the Cold-Clip, with the yellow
tab section extending out. The film must be inserted between the
Cold-Clip within ten seconds.
The Cold-Clip should then be put in an inside pocket, if the temperature
is above 41 degrees F (5 degrees C), or between the body and arm, if it
is below that temperature.
The film should be developed for 60 seconds in the Cold-Clip (in the
above condition) and then removed, with the print stripped off the
negative paper in the usual manner.
The Cold-Clip should be placed in an inside pocket once more, in
preparation for the next picture.
Dirty rollers will cause troubles, such as spotty development and/or
blockage of the yellow tab which will then be unable to protrude. Dirty
rollers are caused by developer chemicals sticking to the rollers and to
the inside of the rear cover and, therefore, the rollers should be
checked, whenever new pack film is loaded, and cleaned, if necessary.
Rollers can be cleaned even when the Polaroid pack is loaded.
Lift up the red-colored latch, which will permit the roller assembly to
be detached. Detach the assembly and check the rollers carefully.
First, wipe the rollers with a damp cloth, then, follow with a dry cloth.
Wipe until clean and never scrape the rollers with metallic articles or
with your fingernail.
At the same time, open the slot door for the yellow tap, and clean the
slot opening, as well as the region around it.
Use an air-blower and clean out the inside of the rear cover, before
returning the roller assembly to its place.
Nearly black image or solid black: If you cannot see an image at
all, the film was not exposed. You may have neglected to pull out the
dark slide on the Polaroid back or the black safety cover from the film
pack. Or, perhaps the shutter did not open. If the print is very dark,
increase the exposure.
Very light Image or None at all: The film was either greatly
overexposed, or it was accidentally fogged. Make sure the dark slide on
the Polaroid back is inserted when removing or attaching the back.
Both black-and-white film and color film will be fogged if you pull out
the safety cover before putting the film pack in the Polaroid back, or if
you remove a film pack from the back after having pulled the safety
cover.
Undeveloped edges or corners: These are usually caused by pulling
the yellow tab out at an angle. In this example, the tab was pulled down
instead of straight. When this happens, the developer is not spread
evenly over the picture, and thus edges and corners may not develop.
Always pull the yellow tab out straight and swiftly, all the way.
Broad streak: If you have one or more of these streaks running
across the short width of the picture, you stopped or slowed down while
pulling the yellow tab to start development. Always pull the film out in
one smooth and uninterrupted motion.
[page 13]
Many Small White Specks: These are a sign that you pulled the
yellow tab too swiftly. Try to pull it a little less rapidly.
Orange-red marks along edge: Reddish-orange marks like these
along the edge and/or in the corners of the print (with color film only)
generally indicate that the yellow tab was pulled out of the Polaroid
back at an angle. Always pull the yellow tab out straight and smoothly,
all the way.
Muddy looking print: The picture was not developed long enough.
Develop both black-and-white and color films for the full time
recommended in the film instruction sheet. See page 11 on how to use the
Cold-Clip with color film. Underdeveloped color prints tend to be a
brownish pink.
Oblong area in Print: The oblong area, which will be pink or red in a color picture, indicates that you did not pull the white tab all the way out of the Polaroid back. As a result, when you pulled the yellow tab, the white tab was pulled back into the Polaroid back, thus spoiling your picture. Always pull the white tab all the way out of the Polaroid back.
[page 14]
Related Posting:
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999
From: "S. Sherman" [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BRONICA] Polaroid film for Bronica S2-A Polaroid Back
from: [email protected] (Sam Sherman) 7-19-99
To: Bronica List Members
For the Bronica S2-A Polaroid back:
Any standard Pack film of the peel off variety ( 3 1/4 x 4 1/4) size
should fit that back.
In the recent past I Have used #669 (Color) and #667 (Black and White),
but I am sure there are other types too.
That back is a great accessory and I have had much successful use from it.
It will also fit S-2 cameras and possibly the old S model as well, but not
the Z or Deluxe.
- Sam Sherman
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999
From: Ken Lee [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [BRONICA] Polaroid film for Bronica S2-A Polaroid Back
....
I also use Fuji FP-100C (color) and FP-100B (B&W) as it provides
much better colors and blacker blacks and whiter whites than the
Polaroid instant film in my opinion.
Ken Lee
mailto:[email protected]
http://www.bigfoot.com/~klphoto/ or http://WebAlias/klphoto/
