Instant Photography for Beginners, Part III: Film, Film, Film

In my last post, we talked about the different types of instant cameras you can buy. If you have not read that post yet, I encourage you to click here, then head back to this post when you’re ready.

Today, we will be talking about what kind of film goes with which camera and a few places where you can find instant film.

Let’s get into it.

Polaroid:

Polaroid currently makes 3 types of instant film: i-Type, 600, and SX-70. Each is distinguishable by the coloring of the box it is packaged in.

It is important to note here that the traditional frame color for Polaroids is white, but Polaroid also makes several special-edition films for each of their cameras (with exception of the SX-70, which you can get only color or black-and-white film with white borders for). If you look through my Polaroid page, you will see several examples of special-edition 600 film that I’ve shot over the past 3 years; most special-edition films are seasonal offerings, so it’s good to check in every so often to see what Polaroid has on there site, though there are a few places I will mention later where you can sometimes find discontinued editions.

Now that that disclaimer is out of the way, let’s talk compatibility.

i-Type: i-Type cameras are compatible with both i-Type film and 600 film, because both have the same ISO 640 light sensitivity rating. The difference between the two films in that the -Type film will not have a battery in the film pack because the battery is built into the camera, while 600 film will have a battery in the film pack because 600-type cameras do not have built-in batteries. The 600 film is more expensive, but, if you are browsing Polaroid’s website and see a special edition 600 film that you are dying to try in your i-Type camera, it will 100% work for you. i-Type film is distinguishable by its yellow box.

600: 600-type cameras are compatible only with 600 film, as i-Type film does not contain the battery needed to operate a 600 camera. 600 film is distinguishable by its blue box.

SX-70: SX-70 cameras are different from the other two cameras we previously discussed, as they have a significantly lower ISO (light sensitivity) rating of 160, meaning that the film needs a lot more light coming into the camera for the film to be exposed properly than do i-Type and 600 films. This means that, technically, the only film that works without modification is SX-70 film. However, Polaroid has a handy thing called a Neutral Density (ND) Filter that you can place over a 600 film cartridge, which filters the light coming through the camera to that your film isn’t overexposed (remember, 600 film is a LOT more light-sensitive than SX-70 film is). Here is the video in which Polaroid themselves explain the ND filter and how to install it. If you have an SX-70 camera and are interested in shooting special-edition 600 films on it, this $6 (US) filter is totally worth picking up. Lastly, Polaroid SX-70 film is distinguishable by its red packaging.

Instax:

Instax films are super easy to sort through, since they have only 3 kinds of film for 3 kinds of cameras, and none are cross-compatible, unlike with Polaroid cameras. The three types are:

Mini: Mini film, is, of course, compatible with Instax Mini camera models. Instax does a range of special-edition films for the Minis, including branded collaborations (such as with Disney and Sanrio).

Wide: Wide film is compatible with the Instax Wide camera. To date, I have seen only two special-edition films for this camera.

Square: Square film is compatible with — you guessed it — Instax Square cameras. I have seen a couple of special-edition films floating around for this camera, but, again, there is not the variety in colorful and patterned borders for this camera (or the Wide) that there is for the Mini.

Notes on film development:

When it comes to development times, Fujifilm Instax and Polaroid films differ pretty drastically. Instax films, on average, develop in around 90 seconds, with some variation in timing due to temperature (i.e., in cooler temperatures, it develops more slowly). Polaroid film, however, takes significantly longer to develop; color film takes, on average, 15 minutes to develop, while black-and-white film takes 10.
A lot of people are familiar with the idea that they should shake their Polaroids to help development. However, neither Polaroid nor Instax films need to be shaken, and, according to Polaroid, you should definitely refrain from this practice because the rapid movement during development can cause the film to develop unevenly. Instax film is not as fussy in this regard, as shaking it does not appear to harm it, but it is still an unnecessary step.
One thing you SHOULD do is shield your film during development. This does not apply to Instax film, as exposure to light during development does not appear to harm it (although shielding it from light during development won’t hurt it, either), but Polaroid film should be shielded from light for at least the 10-15 minute time frame it takes for development. When I’m out shooting, I turn my film away from the sun and place it in my pocket/bag/etc. as quickly as possible, and leave it there for at least half an hour to be safe.
Another thing to note is that Polaroid sells an accessory for their cameras called a film shield. This protects the film during the first few seconds of development, which are critical because that is when the highly light-sensitive emulsion layer (the layer that signals the film to begin developing) is spread. One of my cameras came to me with an older film shield in it, but it snaps back into the camera immediately after shooting; if you pick up a camera and find that this is the case for you, too, I would recommend picking up a new shield and installing it (though I have never done this myself — oops), and, of course, if your camera does not have one installed in all, it’s a good idea to install one (again, I have yet to install one in my camera that does not have one — do as I say, not as I do). They cost $12 US and can be found on Polaroid’s website, along with installation guides for both 600 film shields and SX-70 film shields (they are built into i-Type cameras, so you are good-to-go if you have one of those).
- While we are here: If you have looked at either my Polaroids or someone else’s and noticed blue streaks (also referred to as “blue lightning”), this could be due to the film being exposed to light during development. Unfortunately, even with a film shield, this can happen because it is virtually impossible to keep it 100% shielded from light the entire time it is developing (for example, it is generally exposed for a few seconds while you transfer it from the camera to your pocket). This is an effect that I personally have come to enjoy because, in my opinion, it gives the images a unique, ethereal quality, but, if you wish to minimize this, the answer is the film shield.

Where to Buy:

There are quite a few places that you can visit to find film for your cameras; as always, I encourage you to do your own research and to shop with places that are convenient for you and that have exactly what you want or need.

Some big-box store options you have for finding film in the U.S. are:

Best Buy — note that, to my knowledge, they do not carry SX-70 film
Target
Barnes & Noble — note that, to my knowledge, they do not carry SX-70 film

These are a few places where I have seen different types of instant film sold, either in-store or online. Please note that I do not know the availability of these items in your local shop, and that I am in the U.S., so I don’t know where to get film in other countries.

Moving along, here are my absolute favorite websites (other than Amazon) where you can find film:

Polaroid — The first place I go looking for film is Polaroid’s website (obviously, not a great option if you are looking for Instax film). I like to buy from their website because it is easy to navigate, they always have the most recent editions of everything they are offering, and because I enjoy their rewards program. I also like that Polaroid ships to a wide range of countries, including the U.S. & Canada, the U.K., and Europe.

B & H — I have been buying photography equipment and film from B & H for over 5 years now, and they have never once disappointed me. Their pricing is always fair, and, if you are an Instax photographer, they often have great deals on bulk packs of film. If you watch their site enough, you will sometimes find expired film at a discount (if you want to know more about shooting expired film, feel free to send me an email or a message on Instagram — I will be doing a detailed post on expired film at a later date) or discontinued special edition films that you cannot get elsewhere.
Adorama — Adorama has a decent selection of film, and will often have products available at a discount. Much like B & H, you can sometimes find expired or discontinued special edition films.
Freestyle Photographic Supplies — This is a website that I learned about from my photography professor while I was in college. Much like the previous two websites, they are a great site to keep an eye on for expired and discontinued films, and their pricing is fair, if not discounted.

As of the time I am writing this, all of these places are low on stock due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything I have said above is correct under normal circumstances, but I don’t want you to feel disappointed if you check them out and don’t see something you are looking for.

Lastly:

I hope you have enjoyed this post and found it helpful. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to either send me an email using the “contact” link at the top of the page, or by reaching out to me through Instagram (@kelseycollierphotography).

In my next post, which will (hopefully) be up in the next two-three weeks, I will be wrapping this series up with my top instant camera picks, as well as discussing some places you can find instant cameras. I hope to see you all there!