If you read my previous POST about absenteeism, you may recall I talked about not developing film at home since I moved to Las Vegas due to strict Hazardous Waste regulations. To fill that photographic void, I started relying on my "instant cameras" more often than shooting negative film. 
My current inventory of Instant Cameras, where I can purchase semi-affordable/available films, are the:
- Lomography Automat Glass Mini - Fuji Instax Mini
- Lomography Instant Wide - Fuji Instax Wide
- Polaroid One Step 2 (1st Gen) - Polaroid I-Type
Aside from the Automat Glass, the other two Instant cameras have Polycarbonate or Acrylic lenses, which to my eyes aren't tack sharp.
Polaroid I-Type ColorThe Automat glass is fairly sharp, except now both Lomography cameras have developed light leaks around the retracting area of their lens. They are about 10 years-old.
Automat Glass - Instax Mini
I do have 6 packs of Fuji FP-100C (expired in 2018) Instant film, that work with my 4x5 Graflok Adapter, but I'm saving those packs for a special project, which has yet to materialize.
About a year ago, several YouTube videos about Lomography's Lomo Graflok Back were Recommended, and after watching the videos I went online to the Lomography Store and saw they were offering a discount on the "back".
(Photo by: Lomography)
If I recall, it retails for $170 and I paid $130, IMO the Lomo Graflok back is a much better solution than the current offerings Instant cameras with regard to image sharpness. The Lomo back will work on any 4x5 camera with a Graflok back, hence the name.
If you haven't read or watched videos about the Lomo Graflok back, it looks similar in design to their Lomo Instant Wide Camera without the Lens, shutter, viewing window and buttons/levers. In addition to the back, you get a spacer (to ensure your focusing glass is the correct distance to the Film plane and a dark slide. The Graflok back is powered by 4 AA batteries and after shooting 8 packs of Instax Wide, I have yet to replace them.
Also around that time, Polaroid released their new camera, the Polaroid I-2, which retails around $600 and has a glass lens, but it also "had" several issues which have since been addressed through Firmware updates.
Having shot Fuji Instax Wide and Polaroids I-Type Instant Film, I prefer Fuji due to it's consistency in color accuracy, although a bit "cool", and cost. That's not to say I don't like the Polaroid format, but I can't justify the price and consistency.
If you've never used a 4 x5 camera, it is a relatively methodical process and should not be rushed otherwise you may have a higher miss-rate. Here is my process once I have the camera setup for an image:
- Set Lens to the Widest Aperture and cock the shutter - Allows more light in for composing and focusing
- Insert the Lomo Graflok Spacer
- Adjust Focus and verify Composition on Ground Glass
- Readjust Focus
- Set Light Meter to ISO 800 (per Fujifilm recommendation)
- Take several Meter Readings
- Adjust f/stop and Shutter speed on Lens and Release shutter
- Cock shutter
- Remove Spacer
- Remove Ground Glass
- Attach Lomo Graflok back
- Power On Graflok back, which allows you to remove the Dark Slide
- Remove Dark Slide
- Click the Shutter
- Press the Eject button
- Replace Dark Slide and Power Off Graflok back so you don't accidentally press the Eject Button. That's not to say I haven't pressed the Eject button accidentally
- Install Ground Glass
- Insert Spacer
- Repeat
As you can tell, it is a laborious process and not conducive for action shots and is tedious for the model when doing Portraiture. Thankfully, Brooklyn Film Camera sells a 3-D printed Integrated Shim, that has a built-in Ground Glass to reduce the steps, outlined above, by 2 whole steps (Step 2 and Step 9) and costs $85 before Taxes, S&H. I'm reluctant to purchase the shim as it is 3-D printed and may warp during the Vegas Summers.
So, is the Lomo Graflok back worth the price and the time for me? It is, kinda, and here's why.
- I also bring along Sheet Film for the final image, but still haven't exposed any since living in Vegas, and I use Instant film as a rough proof for Composition and Metering, similar to the old analog days of taking Polaroids before pressing wasting film
- I prefer sharp images as I have a mental block when the image is blurry or soft, so the Instax image is relatively sharp as opposed to the Lomo Instant Wide or Fuji's Instax Wide 400*
- I have 3 lenses for my 4x5 camera: 90mm, 137mm and 300mm, while the current assortment of Instant cameras come with fixed lenses with a Wide field of view and some barrel distortion.
The things that deter me from using the Lomo Graflok are:
- Convenience/Portability: It's a lot of equipment to haul around: Tripod, Sport Meter, Dark Cloth, Loupe, and Lenses
- Lack of Spontaneity. I just can't pull over and take a shot.
- It's far from discreet. Every time I set-up, I get the occasional person wanting to talk about my camera
- Then there's the Low Dynamic Range of Instax film, it's real easy to blow your highlights or block up your shadows.
Once I address my Film Developing issues, I'll definitely shoot more Instax Wide on my 4x5 camera for proofing my images, but until then I'm waiting for delivery of my Fujifilm Instax EVO Wide
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