My experience with the LomoGraflok
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
- Instax Wide on a Large Format camera?
Yes, please. How cool isn't that!
Lomography asked if I would like to try out the LomoGraflok for a couple of weeks.
If you don't know, the LomoGraflok lets you shoot instant film, FujiFilm Instax Wide, on a large-format (4x5) camera. It's an alternative to peel-apart film, which is crazy expensive today.
This is my experience and thoughts on the LomoGraflok.
We start off the video out in the field doing some woodland photography with my new Linhof Technika V. Then we hang out in my office, where I share some thoughts about the LomoGraflok. I can't guarantee I have anything new to say, but hopefully, you enjoy it regardless!
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Oscar
P.S. Lomography lent me the LomoGraflok for a couple of weeks. I've since sent it back. They didn't see the video beforehand, and I was not paid. All thoughts are my own. You probably figured as much, but I just wanted to clarify that.
----------------------------------------------
Links:
Blog post: www.thatbeardedguy.photograph...
Lomography magazine: www.lomography.com/magazine/3...
-----------------------------------------------
Photography gear:
Camera:
Linhof Technika V
Lenses:
Schneider-kreuznach 150mm f/5.6 (convertible lens)
Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon 90mm f/5.6
Film: Instax Wide color
Instax Wide monochrome
Fomapan 100 (developed in Kodak T-Max)
------------------------------------------------
Video gear:
FujiFilm X-H2 & Fujinon 10-24 f/4 (gen 1)
Office filmed with Fujinon 50 mm f/2
Sound:
Zoom Field recorder F2 w. lav mic
------------------------------------------------
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:04 Out in the field image 1
03:49 Out in the field, image 2
06:38 Out in the field, new woodland (image 3)
11:01 Out in the field, image 4
12:30 Crop factor of Instax Wide
15:03 Office, three issues
18:59 Office, design thoughts
20:05 Office, The LomoGraflok doesn't make sense
-----------------------------------------------------
#lomography #largeformat #woodlandphotography #landscapephotography #instantfilm #instax #lomograflok
------------------------------------------------------
Correction:
22:05 For details of my calculations, there's a blog post on my webpage about it, which can be found here: www.thatbeardedguy.photograph...
I have an Intrepid 4x5.
you also influenced me to get one
Hope you'll enjoy it!
And you got one before me, which is kinda funny ;)
But it's on my future buy list, I have a few other things above it though.
That's so cool you got to try out the instant film back! I really enjoy the process and surprise of instant film! It's so unpredictable, but that's maybe why I keep trying it again and again! Great to see you out with the large format again! Awesome video, my friend!
Thanks mate!
It sure was a fun experience, and kudos to lomography for sending it my way.
I'm slowly getting more and more into Large Format, but I haven't completely abandoned the smaller format. Actually just got hold of some Adox Color Mission in 135, so I might actually even return to colour photography in the not so distant future :)
I digress, thank you for the support and have a great day!
#3 - awesome. You've influenced me to buy one.
Ohhh...s*t, does this mean I'm an influencer now ;-)
Hi, Thanks for your honest review of the Instax wide LomoGrafloK - you got some interesting results but like all things film related shooting instant film takes practice! I used to shoot Polaroid via a Polaroid back on my Bronica when Polaroid was still relatively cheap and available! It did take a bit of getting used to but never really gave me any real sense of correct exposure or framing because of the crop factor so I just used to use it when I wanted to shoot only Polaroids. I don't own a Graflok but I have been tempted to purchase one just for the different experience it would give me. I am glad Lomo 'reached out' to you and asked you to test this back as ,normally, you only see this type of testing via the 'regular' multi subscriber RUclipsrs! Keep your videos coming as they are always interesting and informative.
Thanks for the kind comment!
It's a shame Polaroids aren't available for those formats anymore. Must have been a fun experience. I do believe the LomoGraflok is one of the best alternatives if one wishes to shoot instant with proper glas and manual controls, that doesn't cost a leg or two to shoot.
As you also said, not for practical reasons. But it is an interesting medium to explore.
Have a lovely evening/day!
I don't like Polaroid! Then or Now! LF is not for me! I tried a Linhof 4x5, lenses, enlarger, the steamer trunk and big heavy tripod! Sorry. Glad you enjoy! Very good video.
It's not for everybody, that's for sure. Large format is slow, cumbersome and impractical. Wich I enjoy, but most won't.
Glad you enjoyed the video though, and keep shooting!
hmmm... very interesting. I've got 2 old cams with the Graflok back so it might be worth the cost getting to play around with them both. Thanks for the video.
It's a fun tool/toy to use, and an easy way to start playing with an old LF camera again.
And if you can't develop at home, it substantialy easier and cheaper than sheet film.
Best of luck!
Good video! I hope more people send you things to play with! 🙂
Ha ha, me too! New toys are always fun. :)
And thanks for the support!
I own a Lomograflok for my Technika, I find the Instax film tricky on hi dynamic scenes and don't really like the colors compared to good old Polaroid 4x5 packs that no more exist
Agreed :)
I never had the opportunity to try Polaroid 4x5, but I trust you own that :P
As said in the video, I preferred the monochrom version, but then again I'm a bit of a BnW fanatic.
Instax is cheaper per shot than b&w negative. Your math is off by a lot.
I made an honest mistake and accidentally calculated for each pack you buy of Instax containing 10 frames per pack. This is true, but they are sold in packs of two.
As added as a flash card, in reality, I would say it's about the same cost (instax vs. fompan 100).
(That excludes printing, and scanning the negatives at home, and assuming you already have the dev. gear.)
I want to add that my point was that it's not significantly cheaper to shoot Instax over BnW negative film.
If you are interested, here's the math (I also made a blog post about it)
50 sheets of Foma 100, incl. Vat costs €42.5
Cost per sheet Foma: 42.5 / 50 = €0.96
Jobo alpha developer and fixer, incl. Vat: €37
Developing cost per sheet: 37 / 50 = €0.74
(It will do 50 sheets according to specs)
Total cost for fomapan 100 per sheet: 0.96+0.74 = €1.69
Cost of a 2 x 10 Instax Wide (colour) pack, incl. VAT: €13.42
Cost of Instax Wide per sheet: 13.42 / 20 = €1.35
Of course, the cost of developing will differ depending on your choice of chemicals and how many sheets you do each run.
Another example:
Rodinal 500 ml costs ~15 €
I use 10 ml per dev run, and I can do 6 sheets on each dev. run*.
15/50=0,3 €/dev run
0,3/6=0,05 €/sheet
Fomafix 500 ml costs ~ 7 €
Mixes 1:5, and 1 l of working solution will do 17 sheets (according to specs).
500 ml will give 3 l of working solution
7/(3x17)= 0,14 €/sheet
Dev cost Rodinal & fomafix: 0,14+0,05=0,19 €
Foma 100 (still): 0,96 €/sheet
Tot: 0,19+0,96€ = 1,15 €/sheet
All prices are EU prices incl. VAT. (taken from fotoimpex or retrocamera, which are my resellers of choice)
The cost of development will vary greatly. You can often stretch chemicals beyond specified numbers (at your own risk, of course). I would say a good approximation would be 1-3 €/sheet for development alone.
On top of that comes the film cost. Fomapan 100 is the cheapest film I've found, and even so, it works beautifully and is what I shoot the most. So for me I would say the cost is about the same.
If you instead shoot, for instance, slide film and have it lab-developed, that's another story. That I don't want to think about, luckily I'm a B&W fanatic :D
Hope that was helpful!
And feel free to correct me if I made a mistake!
* note that using less than 5ml rodinal per sheet is not recommended. I do use, as stated, 10 ml for 6 sheets. So, I'm stretching the developer slightly. If you use 5 ml/sheet instead, that would be 0,15 €/sheet. And that would mean a total of 1,25 €/sheets instead
Side note: I use tap water as a stop bath, and the final rinse is done with tap water and a few drops of rinse aid (for dishwashers). This is not included in my calculations.
EDIT: I cleared up the formatting and the language.