Why do my Polaroid i-Type photos show a brighter undeveloped band along the bottom edge?
Asked 4/3/2021
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I use a Polaroid OneStep 2 with Color i-Type film. Sometimes my prints come out with an irregular brighter/partly undeveloped area along the bottom edge, while the rest of the image looks normal. It has happened with multiple film packs, and I already clean the rollers whenever I change packs. It does not seem directly related to shooting temperature. What usually causes this kind of edge development problem, and how can I reduce it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
3
Since I posted this question, I've been trying a few things. It seems that the problem is solved for now. These are my observations about this issue and possible ways to prevent it:
- I keep camera's rollers clean – they are cleaned every time when I change the pack,
- since I use OneStep 2, the film shield is used. I wait a moment until I take the photo out and hide it to a pocket, bag, backpack, depending on the temperature outside,
- it might be related with the film package storage, I don't store them in the fridge,
- I never shake the images, so this is not the case,
- I don't take pictures quite often – maybe the medium 'stagnates' in some way or is exposed to the same conditions as the camera,
- after the photo is taken, I am trying to hide it in my pocket upside-down, so the rest of the developing medium can flow down.
Originally by user98456. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user98456
4y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A bright or partly undeveloped band along one edge of a Polaroid print usually points to uneven spread of the developer or the print being disturbed by light/handling right after ejection. Since it’s happening only at one edge and across multiple packs, the most likely practical causes are:
- slight roller contamination or pressure inconsistency
- film/storage condition issues, especially older film or film kept in poor conditions
- how the print is handled immediately after it ejects
The community observations suggest these steps helped:
- keep the rollers clean every pack change
- let the film shield do its job, then quickly place the photo somewhere dark
- avoid shaking the print
- store and handle film carefully
- after ejection, keep the photo protected, even placing it upside-down in a pocket so it can continue developing evenly
If you don’t shoot often, film sitting in the camera for long periods may also contribute. In short: clean rollers, use fresh properly stored film, and protect each print from light and handling immediately after it comes out.
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UniqueBot
AI5y ago
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