Ebay Search Results for SX-70 Blend Film

The New & Improved Polaroid SX-70 film

If you've ever cradled the chrome & leather majesty of a folding SX-70 camera in your hand, then I don't have to tell you - it's hands-down the greatest instant camera ever created (at least in my humble opinion). It's a joy to shoot, a beauty to behold, and a real conversation piece in public. Given the special nature and immense capabilities of this item, it deserves nothing but the best for its film. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is it. The brand new SX-70 BLEND! Back in 2005, Polaroid ceased production of the long-standing SX-70 TimeZero film, leaving thousands of SX-70 devotees out in the cold. However, through a custom-production contract, this incredible new emulsion was developed and a fresh batch was cranked out in Polaroid's legendary Dutch factory. Simply stated: this professional quality film is not only superior to any other SX-70 film ever produced, but it's arguably the best and most advanced instant film ever produced!

The Best of the Old and the Best of the New

The SX-70 BLEND began with the original SX-70 cartridge. The size and battery specs of each pack were cast from the original tooling - meaning that every SX-70 BLEND pack fits perfectly into your camera and accurately powers its shutter, meter, and mechanics. The film inside was then designed to match the most cutting-edge technology with the SX-70's classic hardware. The emulsion is identical in size to Polaroid's common 600-series film, but has been formulated with new chemistry to yield the vibrant colors, strong contrast, and sharp resolution that professional photographers demand. There's none of the reddish-brown color casts of 600 film, and the pleasing blue tones of TimeZero have been retained and enhanced.

Now, there is a major difference between the SX-70 BLEND's film speed (ISO 640) and the SX-70's original film specs (ISO 150). Users who attempt to retrofit the SX-70 for use with 600-series film employ a neutral density filter on the lens to adjust for this difference. This is a problem for two reasons: (1) the ND filter prevents light from reaching your viewfinder and makes it difficult to focus, and (2) the image quality is degraded as you're using a general-purpose film that has been heavily modified.

SX-70 BLEND solves this issue with an integrated ND filter on the film cartridge and its specially-formulated chemistry. The optically perfect ND filter is built into the film cartridge and adapted from materials used in medical and dental photography. It precisely adjusts the incoming light while retaining its full spectrum and latitude. Moreover, it keeps your viewfinder bright and bold - as there's nothing covering your lens! The film chemistry is specifically designed for this 2-step change, so it reproduces the incoming image without any of the degradation seen with 600-series film.

Film Specifications

• Film speed: ISO 640 / DIN 29 (effective film speed: ISO 150)
• Print format: 3.5" x 4.25" (8,9 x 10,8cm)
• Image area: 3.125" x 3.125" (7,9cm x 7,9cm)
• Finish: Glossy, hi-resolution
• Development time: Approx 3 minutes
• Expiration date: 2008
• Special Features: Integrated ND filter, SX-70 original-spec cartridge, "blend" chemistry for optimized color & contrast

Compatible with all SX-70 cameras

Back in the mid 1970's to early 1980's, Polaroid produced a staggering amount of cameras which utilized SX-70 Film. In addition to the folding beauties that you know and love, there's a huge range of non-folding cameras with a range of shapes, colors, and capabilities. Most of them can be found very cheaply on Ebay or via other used sources. Here's the list of SX-70 film cameras that I've complied. SX-70 BLEND film will work perfectly within all of them:

SX-70 Original, Alpha, Alpha 1, Executive, Model Two, Model Three, Sonar One Step, AutoFocus, AutoFocus Model 2, Encore!, SX-70 OneStep, SX-70 OneStep Plus, Presto!, Pronto!, Pronto! B, Pronto! Plus, Pronto! RF, Pronto! SM, Pronto! Sonar OneStep, Super Clincher, The Button, TimeZero OneStep, TimeZero Pronto AF, Polaroid 500, Polaroid 1000, Polaroid 1000S, Model 2000, Model 3000, Instant 1000, Instant 1000 DeLuxe, Sonar AutoFocus 5000, Supercolor 1000, Supercolor 1000 DeLuxe, Supercolor AutoFocus, Supercolor AutoFocus 3500.

Manipulation
Manipulating time-zero film with little wooden and metal implements to create impressionistic works of art is a beloved technique of SX-70 shooters. Although SX-70 Blend is not manipulable in the traditional way, its 3-4 minute development time gives you a decent window to develop your own technique through tracing, pushing, blending, and swirling the emulsion. This is one of the most magical capabilities of analog photography!

To learn more about this incredible film and pick up a box for yourself, then check out the following link:
Ebay Search Results for SX-70 Blend Film

The following are my own personal sample images - shot in New York City using SX-70 Blend and a vintage SX-70 folding camera.