When the Impossible Project made its first attempt at color film the result came out… blue. Sure, there were specks of color to be seen, but the vast majority of the image was some tone of blue. IP PX 70 First Flush turned out to be a fun little film because of its imperfections, and as the Impossible Project moved on to color films that were far more competent, I sometimes missed the zany film of the first attempt, which is why I was so excited when I received an email announcing Cyanograph 600. The new film created images in monochromatic blue.
Apparently I’m a bit behind the curve here, because the email mentioned that IP had already released a version of this film for SX-70 cameras, but I never saw it and never got a chance to test it out. IP fussed with the formula a bit to create a new, limited edition line of Cyanograph 600 film, which is what I’ll be discussing with you today, humble reader. Stock is limited, but the prices are good, so get the film while you can.
The actual image quality is surprisingly excellent, with sharpness to match the IP Black and White film for 600. In all my images I’m able to clearly discern detail and there are no weird textures to be seen. Even though I compare it to the first flush line of color film, it’s far superior to its older cousin. The only flaw I’ve found is that the photo is prone to cracking if bent after development. So… don’t shake it like a Polaroid picture.
One huge thing to keep in mind when using this film is that it does not appear to have any opacifier to protect the images when they come out of the camera. This means that the newly ejected film is highly vulnerable to being blown out by sunlight, so it’s absolutely crucial use a frog tongue adapter or a black slide to get the best results. The film already tends to have a low amount of contrast, so light fogging up the image can quickly ruin it.
Also important to know is that the film seems a bit faster than normal 600 film. This means you’re going to want to set your exposure compensation wheel to darken a stop or two or else your image will be overexposed and blown out. This took me some trial and error to figure out, but it seems pretty consistent once you get the hang of it.
I’ve been waiting for the Impossible Project to try out some unique types of instant film looks, and Cyanograph 600 does not disappoint. Between the lower price, limited quantities, and excellent quality, I recommend snatching up this film immediately before it disappears. Hopefully if enough people buy and enjoy it, Impossible will continue trying out some bold new films.
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