The WEIRDEST 35mm Film I Have Ever Shot - Polaroid 35mm

This week Im trying out Polaroid 35mm Instant Film, also known as Polarchrome.
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[@wenxinyangg]

"ooooh it does not feel good, it feels like I'm breaking it" Basically using any piece of older film gear ever.

[@interstellarhighway346]

you put my head into words

[@joeltunnah]

That’s how I feel cranking every frame through my OM-1.

[@melody3741]

Nah dude I'f you clean and rebuild your shit it should work like new unless something is deteriorated or broken

[@WesleyVerhoevePhotography]

This would be so fun, get a projector, everyone goes out together with a roll during the day and then at night project together

[@theothertonydutch]

You can technically do that with regular film too. For black and white film devving yourself isn't that hard. For colour film, some places have fast developing services even today. Take pictures, have them dev'd, then scan them and use a digital projector. That's how we kinda did it at the art academy.

[@valterspatriks8752]

There's a problem though. You need friends with the same hobby for this towork.

[@AR-zq9hq]

@@valterspatriks8752 you could've just stopped at "you need friends"

[@theothertonydutch]

@@valterspatriks8752 I know a guy who gave cameras to a bunch of hobos and made a book with the pictures they returned.

[@peterlund4501]

That’s what we did for years! And it was especially great for parties. People couldn’t believe how fast we were! 😝

[@randybennett6846]

I used this film in the late eighties to early nineties at work for inspections...u would take photos and process them immediately..they came with plastic slide holders and u would cut them to snap inside the holders have finished slide presentation (on a Kodak Caramate) for a managers meeting within the hour. The slides when viewed from the side looked like they had a heavy silvery cast... this was way before using a photo and powerpoint to do the same thing... it was like magic. Nice to see again

[@WillemVerb]

That’s a great story! Thanks for sharing

[@areallyrealisticguyd4333]

Polaroid should really partner with Kodak to bring back this film even if it's only for a limited time

[@WillemVerb]

We can only dream

[@brendanro]

I think Polaroid as a company is gone. 'Polaroid' just exists as a brand name now. The instant film that is sold today with the name 'Polaroid' is actually made by a company called The Impossible Project that got permission to use the branding :)

[@Jamie12375]

​@@brendanro As far as I understand it, the largest shareholder of The Impossible Project bought the Polaroid brand and intellectual property which is why they can use the name Polaroid. Whether or not they put the acquired intellectual property to good use remains to be seen.

[@yelvy]

@@WillemVerb make some calls willem

[@vekofoto]

@@brendanro Yes and no. The Smolokowski family first became the largest shareholder of The Impossible Project, then of Polaroid itself, which is why The Impossible Project rebranded to Polaroid Originals, and eventually to Polaroid. It is not the same as the original Polaroid company, as The Impossible Project saved only the last Polaroid factory which only does the assembly of integral film. All other facilities producing chemicals, cameras or other types of film are long gone. However, the new Polaroid did acquire a factory which produces film negatives; they also create new cameras. So even though they have other companies making components or cameras for them, their focus has indeed shifted from simply selling their brand to anyone (zinc printers, TVs, smartphones etc.) to instant film (although they still have Polaroid branded TVs and industrial printers).

[@terryclark8745]

Oh man! Back in “the day” I used the black and white version of Polaroid’s 35mm slide film for a few jobs when the ad agency needed the images super rush for presentations. It was awful to work with, even with the motorized processor. The smell was disgusting then, too. Imagine having 20 to 30 rolls to process back to back! The film is also super fragile. To protect it, I had to hand mount the slides in Gepe glass mounts. No matter how carefully you handle that stuff scratches occur. Thanks for the memories!

[@LaskyLabs]

I wish those gepe anti-newton glass mounts still existed. Same with polachrome, I think they're products worth having around.

[@enriquevazquez5806]

willem still wearing them crewnecks in the hot sun! 😩 he humble

[@obody-sl9np]

Both him and Joe Greer moved out of NY and their work got so refreshed, I love it. Keep up

[@joeltunnah]

And about 200,000 other people this year.

[@jetaddict420]

New york is dying lmao

[@joeltunnah]

@@jetaddict420 why is that funny?

[@violenthell]

Oh dude that lab gave you some really shotty scans, if these slides can be well observed on a light table: then it's possible to get good scans from them

[@Huginn1000]

+ I have the same thought

[@NorbiWhitney]

I mean at this point, just DSLR scan them. Don't even need any conversion software... just take a picture and done.

[@thestatpow5]

Exactly. It doesn't even look like they tried.

[@stephenfrizza]

Mini lab scanners do struggle with this film type due to the way thr film is engineered it is a black and white film on a color screen. Digital ICE has issues with it along with the sensor itself in relation to the films screen

[@Robinsonexe]

loading on beat at 1:07 was beautiful

[@Volkhari]

bro i just listened to this so many times. amazing

[@rf8221]

The film, chemistry, and processor served it's purpose. It's a little sad when all of this tech gets forgotten and unused.

[@Francois_L_7933]

Polachrome was really fragile and would scratch very easily when not mounted under glass. When enlarged, it had a very impressionistic grain structure that was unique. The technology was first developed for their Polavision movie cameras. When those failed to catch-on, it was transferred to 35mm. This film, along with other instant 35mm films they made, were often used by fashion photographers for the dreamy look and subtle colors they provided. Hope you find this tidbit of random information interesting.

[@Huginn1000]

Is it possible to scan this film?

[@frankkernan7019]

"load film in subdued light"..... Loads it in the southern California sun. I love it.

[@tea_drunk.]

Willem: “the smell is awful” Also Willem: Sniffs it once more 😂

[@WillemVerb]

Had to clear it up for everyone at home who doesn’t have KZbin’s 4D feature yet

[@tea_drunk.]

@@WillemVerb bro, where’re you hiding your mamiya 😏

[@viejaspeliculasfilipinas3621]

@@tea_drunk. mama mamiya

[@gstpierre69]

This is actually a really cool idea.

[@Photo_Cyclist]

*was

[@iNerdier]

It lost the Polaroid corporation hundreds of millions of dollars

[@BraeHunziker]

Pls come hike with me in Washington

[@cf8979]

That would be so sick!

[@pietroaspodello4382]

Please both of you come hike in italy ;)

[@WillemVerb]

On my way

[@robbyglemser]

Its crazy because I always dreamt of something like this. Who would have known it existed lol

[@WillemVerb]

Unfortunately they stopped making it ages ago. I paid wayyy more than I would like to admit for this roll

[@brittg2188]

I did a uni assignment a couple years back redesigning packaging for this film!! Great to see it.

[@rebeccasuur]

Loving this. Keep them as they are and display them somewhere in a window. This is always fun to look at for friends and family visiting the flat.

[@lanem-l3431]

The production of the LA videos are hella nice

[@jameskbrsa999]

Hey man I’m from Belgium and I started medium format lately because of your channel and Grainydays really I appreciate your work and I hope you will continue to share your test and knowledge, love from the fries country

[@LisseWets]

I’d have never expected to see you here in the comments. If you’re still in Brussels let’s go shoot one day!

[@pieterdegelder6563]

I'm also from belgium. If you ever want to shoot somewhere hit me up :).

[@kunai030]

a new video from you is all i need atm. im goin through big trouble rn and you are bringin me in my zone

[@Alpha8713]

I'm honestly amazed that the process actually worked on film that was so old. It never really worked all that well when it was new, and the black goo left on the film was a pretty common occurrence. For the intended use case (projection), it was fast and good enough, if a bit expensive. The slides are also fairly dense, so you would need a xenon slide projector to properly light them on large-ish screens.

[@oneill.onfilm]

LA suits you so well man. 🙌 you look like you’re enjoying it a lot as well.

[@ervin1550]

Watching your vids really got me into film photography so I finally got my first camera (Canonet QL17) having fun ever since! Keep up the good work man! 🙏🏽

[@jonathanisraelfilms]

love the new quality!

[@anthonymiller8979]

Polaroid did this in B&W as well. One of the first films we shot in photo classes I took 35 years ago. Still have my slides from back then. Brings back memories.

[@DogsandFilm]

Nothing like a thursday evening with Willem trying film that I never ever know that existed...

[@TRIOStories]

Such a fun video! We had never heard of this film before, and seeing it actually come out - magic stuff.

[@midnightchaser9453]

this stuff is a great way to test a camera. its probably impossible to revive given the chemicals needed but would be a useful tool in modern film photography

[@mauriziomonaco2458]

I’ve Shoot a lot of those, if you do it again I would suggest you to wait 30 second after pushing the lever, and then develop for five minute, I’ve done it like this and it came out great. Love your work Keep on doing what your doing

[@ReaonKaufman]

Thank you so much for doing a video on both the film and the process been contemplating on getting both items for a while but never knew what was my end result going to be. Polaroid needa come back w/ this for sure💯😭😭

[@wageslave5019]

Bought some of this a few weeks ago knowing nothing about. Glad to see a vid done in it

[@joshuabravo9521]

It’s a Willem video....my day is complete 🤌🥲

[@rancosteel]

I use to use this film with the processor unit to proof my shot before using film. I still have the transparency’s. Very cool product. To bad it didn’t take off. In the late 70’s Polaroid made a motion picture film camera that could shoot 5 minutes off footage and process instantly. It came with a back light projector on matte glass so you could watch the instant movie. It was expensive too. I only knew one person who owned it because they had a good income.

[@Dylanwade_]

This is INSANE! ive never heard of such a thing. On the lighttable those look incredible, id love to see them projected honestly. Great video.

[@stephenfrizza]

There was also a larger pack film version Polaroid type 691

[@peterbidelschwambach7900]

Crazy. Not just the film, but the chemicals were 20 years past expiration date as well, pretty incredible it gave any resuls at all

[@ColeMatthewsOfficial]

Hey man, I just found your channel last week and I’ve been watching all of your videos! Supreme content my friend!

[@tobinsphotovideo]

This film has an interesting history in that the technology that was used in the failed Polavision instant Super 8 film was basically carried over to Polachrome 35mm.

[@dominiquenickels]

Your work is so inspiring. It makes me want to try shooting film!

[@btrdangerdan2010]

Love the change in scenery Willem!

[@jasonphilbrook4332]

I used to use this quite a bit working at the WPI media center (college lab helping professors) in the mid 1990's. We used it to make slides for professors to use in lectures. We photographed other slides, media such as electron micrograph and o-scope printouts, and also used a LVR film recorder to make corel draw and photoshop graphics onto film. This all slightly predates high resolution high brightness digital projection and powerpoints. after processing we'd cut and mount them for slide projection. it was very good stuff.

[@chrismehmet3463]

Loving the grade of this vid

[@jeanandrecastillo8476]

L.A new video vibe is so weird but at the same time refreshing, saludos desde Colombia.

[@sim8317]

Can you please start a series where you pick up old vintage cameras, and shoot with them? I have my eye on a smena 8, and would love to see how you use it.

[@Tomsonic41]

I used a few rolls of this B/W film in the 1990s just as a curiosity. The black layer on the film (which is in fact the negative layer) is supposed to get pulled off and rolled back inside the chemical pack, but often it didn't and you had to wash the film to get it off. The instructions said that the chemical used is a caustic gel, so I was afraid of touching the film after processing!

[@zacharymcdaniel8242]

I recently got into film photography, I have a Canon AE-1 Program and a Yashica Mat 124g. I appreciate your videos, they have helped me learn a lot!!! Thanks!

[@valentinvano149]

In some interviews Anton Corbijn explains that he used extensively the Polachrome back in the day to get crazy colours, as in some photos on the cover of U2’s '’Achtung Baby’.

[@lunawroblewski]

These actually look really good considering how old it is. Most slide films don’t hold up. Even with compensating in either the exposure or processing, it’s still hard to get expired E6 to look good.

[@mahirhaque]

Really educational dude! Dig your channel :D

[@swaspc7618]

I was using it when It was still in production. My favorite was PolarPan, the B&W version. Very special results!

[@bobratynski9346]

I used to use this film all the time and the B&W too.....I had the motorized processor which worked flawlessly....,as stated elsewhere in these comments, the slides were very delicate .....I miss this film as Well as Polaroid Type 55 which I used a lot....gave a b&w print and a very fine 4x5 negative.

[@SJSO010]

Love to see you’re enjoying the California aesthetics 🔥

[@donbrouillette6935]

Unlike most color film, Polachrome uses positive filtration. Polachrome is a black and white film taking photographs through a mosaic patchwork of filters. So it appears darker than conventional color slides. I have been able to scan the film to get good results, using settings different from conventional slides [ex, Kodachrome or Ektachrome.] The film appears grainy, because one views the result though the mosaic color filters. In the days before PowerPoint. Polachrome was targeted for quick turnaround for presentations. The film also came in monochrome. I miss this film for the neat effects it produced.

[@davidcollins1853]

Those turned out pretty good. Loved the video. Subscribed

[@celialescot4359]

Thanks for this video !!! There was suspens for us too when you have process the film 😂👏

[@dhp6687]

Wow! This is a really late example of a screen-plate mosaic process. I'd believed it had died out in the 30s! Same general concept as the Autochrome, an early color process. Speaking of which, I have a pack that expired a century ago. I have no idea what to do with it.

[@MundoKela]

Nice and surprising Video! I have one Polaroid lab...but I didn´t find yet the Polaroid Film!!! Thanks to share th world that I´m not crazy! and those Film were really ggod!

[@nickperrone6912]

Great video Willem! I'm low key peeping that work table you have in your room with your enlarger on it. You got an ID on it?

[@Partoftheratpack]

I just watched a video on a process I’ll never do but it’s Willem Verbeeck so it was still interesting. Never knew Polaroid did this years back.

[@brineb58]

I shot a few rolls in the 90s, loved them, had fun, but would never expect ancient film to have great results!!! Considering the age, you got decent results!!!

[@elevenseventeen6293]

Anything this guy puts out is fire 🔥

[@artistjoh]

I used to use this film back in the 80's. I loved it. The downside was that it was more expensive than alternatives. There used to be great slide viewers sold, but everyone had slide projectors, most commonly either Hanimex or Kodak. They were a standard thing in a living room, along with screens.

[@nicholassmith6037]

thats really cool, would be nice if it was still produced still gotta come and shoot in Huntington beach also check out sunken city, could also see wetlands

[@nadjaamahn3172]

Yeah this was super dope! I’m glad they came out haha How do you even find film like this?! 🤩

[@JoePlett]

Polachrome is such a weird idea. When you examine the film really closely you'll see the color dots over the monochrome base film. The weird moire effect is just inherent to the way this film captures 'color' - kind of like the way old shadow mask CRT TVs displayed color. Even when new this film was ....odd.... Polaroid's monochrome 35mm PolaPan & PolaGraph were MUCH higher resolution. Although I must admit my old PolaChrome slides have aged surprisingly well. Maybe because it doesn't have the fading dye issues of 'normal' color film? I suspect the biggest problem with this old stock has even more to do with the age of the chemicals in the development pack than the film stock itself.

[@carlosinchile]

Very very cool. Thanks for this.

[@InAnInstant]

Cannot believe you did this video before me 😂 love this film!

[@wackaircaftmechanic2312]

We still have a few projectors, and it's so cool to be honest. I want to buy a good camera I can shoot air photos with. And try to develop it myself because you definitely made the color film development look fun.

[@CookedLight]

That's really cool. And you got a proper chair 🤘🏻

[@alexcarrillo5510]

When I was working at the camera store that we sold LOTS of this film mostly to hospitals, and schools, but it was a big hit to photo students, and that I shot some of this film, I mostly love the B/W film stock, especially the High Contrast one as even though it was 12 shots, the CT version that I did some test shooting push the film, and using the information from the Ansel Adams book on Polaroid photography that I use the method of pushing the film as the results were good, however the film base on the all the Polachrome films were not estar base, they were more acceptable to scratches, and then the emulsion coming off the film base. I wish that Polaroid would bring back the film I still have the hand crank processor after the store close in 2017, a little reminder from the good old days of creative shooting from the minds of Polaroid from Cambridge MA, not the Polaroid from Holland that all they want is to sell high price $$$$ One Step cameras.... Shame Polaroid you had a good thing going...

[@bfs5113]

Oh, I had used that slide film in conjunction with the Polaroid instant slide printer, back then. I think it was useful if one needs to produce slides for presentation on a moments notice, or better Polaroid prints, without the use of a consumer grade Polaroid camera.

[@rezajameel7691]

I started shoot first roll of 35 yesterday..thanks for inspiration man

[@areyoucereals]

“Oh, the light metre started working!” I love how I said the exact same thing in the same unexpected revelation while shooting on my old 35mm XD

[@RamonBrito]

Ayeee made it to see the video great job willem

[@aspookyfox]

Do a video on those Marlboro Vivitar disposable cameras. Im tempted to buy one just to keep but I’d use it if it’s any good.

[@kirkyorg7654]

i had or may still have a camera where the light meter would intermittently work then not work this went on for years been a while since i used any of them great video was interesting info

[@liamdebonis3344]

That's so cool!

[@Bonsees]

I laughed at the smell comment 😂 the slides look good on the light table!

[@n.roberts3638]

Watching your videos has inspired me to buy a film camera! I normally shoot on a Canon Rebel but I’m willing to try something new :)

[@djdublo]

Amazing results for such an old film. So surprised the chemical pack hadn't dried into a rock sold mass in that time. Must resist urge to hunt some of that down....

[@abraxamovic]

Greer and Verbeeck uploads in one day?! Is it Christmas already?

[@palomahernandez872]

It's amazing how it looks so weird for these times, I keep as a treasure 2 films like those, they were from my grandmother that I never met. The edges are made of some kind of paper and the picture looks neat

[@filmic1]

Pretty cool. I used some in a studio strobe and fashion workshop course I took in '95. The film was expired but the results were similar. I managed to scan them and do some after capture findagling. Fun though. Incredible amount of plastic waste.

[@laxmansirsat2227]

The video quality is so much better than before, did you upgrade your camera?

[@MinerDolan]

A modern version of this kit/film would be my grail. All of the film I shoot is slide film for projection and the long turn-around times of E6 film (and limited number of places who process) makes it difficult. Shooting a whole day to quickly process and project the same day would be incredible.

[@Jamie12375]

Haha I shot a few rolls of expired PolaPan (the black and white slide version of this) more than 10 years ago and it also had this goo on it back then. I also thought it wasn't useable at first and only rinsed it to get the nasty chemicals off before throwing it away. Low and behold, some pictures emerged. I still have one roll of it left which I've kept thinking I might do something with it one day. I'm glad to know that these films are still useable even now. Mine is only a 12 exposure roll, though. I remember it had this silver sheen to it which might explain why it's hard to scan.

[@KyleMcDougall]

Man, where did you find that? Haha. Did I miss it? What a weird and also appealing film/processing contraption.

[@WillemVerb]

I came across it on eBay one night and I knew i had to try it

[@joedidit3233]

I shot several rolls of this film back in the late 1980's. It worked well when used as new film. Colors were brilliant, and contrast was excellent. Not as good as Kodachrome, but very good for what it was. I don't remember it being difficult to shoot, except for the low ASA rating. That was what ISO was called back then. Don't know what it would have looked like if it was scanned. But looked good in slide viewers and not bad with projectors. I no longer have any of the slides, so I often wonder how they would have held up over time.

[@adan4860]

i love the vids man, any chance you'll ever meet up with grainy days

[@kiwipics]

@Willam Verbeck ... I remember when this first came out, and it was probably before you were born. The results that I saw back then were far better, but only meant as an instant fix for amateur shooters without the space for a full E6 set up, and for being projected.

[@instantcharlie1225]

Just a testament to the greatness that was Polaroid.

[@ofoosy]

I would eat this film UP if it was released today. It's actually based on the same tech developed for polavision in the late 60's. I've been wanting to try it myself and have a sneaking suspicion that developing it longer would help them come out

[@colejensen6397]

1:13 man I picked up my A1 after not shooting it for months and said the same thing

[@judithbullard6676]

Willem, what was the camera you used? AE-1? Really enjoy your videos.

[@addisontrue8769]

love the starting location

[@WillemVerb]

Elysian Park in LA!

[@addisontrue8769]

@@WillemVerb i'll have to visit some time!

[@NatSegebre]

this is soo cool!

[@nycheeseburger1011]

Maybe that black rubbery stuff was like a Remjet type thing. They coat movie film with it to protect the film while it’s moving through the camera.

[@King_Dragon_13]

I know this is an older video but I just got my kit a few days ago… and I noticed that there is a leader retriever underneath the processor. Idk if you knew or just wanted to try that cool hack lol.

[@violenthell]

Check out "The Icon" in Beverly Hills-ish, it's right down the street from LACMA, they're awesome technicians and will always deliver pro-grade processing and scans (Although scanning yourself is the best way)

[@WillemVerb]

That’s where those terrible scans came from 😂

[@violenthell]

@@WillemVerb Oof oof, dear god lmao, yeah I would talk to them dude, they're super nice they could work it out But a good flatbed or like the Primefilm XE with Vuescan should definitely be sufficient maybe, also messing with the curves in Lightroom might also help meh

[@LA-bq6hf]

Can you see the pictures without a lightpad? Bcos I wish you hadnt cut it from the cannister so that it could be some sort of a keychain where when you pull out the film you could see actual pictures and not the usual negatives