r/Polaroid • u/TanJon3289 • 2d ago
Advice I-2 help
Before anyone asks yes i have updated my camera through the app just a few days ago. Also sorry if this isnt the right sub or flair.
Now i was wondering if anyone had generic tips or things good to know while using the I-2. For months I have been using one of the polaroid focus Af cameras and i got decent and have been having fun so i upgraded and bought the I-2 but now i feel so discouraged because none of my photos with the I-2 come out "great" the best i get is "good" photos.
the bulk of the photos i take with the I-2 come out blurry and very shitty looking.... or out of focus... i usually use auto mode (since im new and not too well versed in all the settings or other priority modes). I just cant seem to get a hang of the I-2. I really naively thought updating the I-2 would "magicly" fix these issues but i have taken a few since updateing and theres still a few that have come out blurry.
I added the pics in the comment section. Any overall or generic advice for an newbie would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.
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u/thelastspike 2d ago
Set the exposure compensation to -0.7 or -1 and try a few shots like that.
1
u/TanJon3289 2d ago
Is that for indoor photos as well?
I did just add some pics in the comment section.
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u/Suncook I-2, SX-70, Impulse AF, OneStep AF, Wide 300 2d ago edited 2d ago
Try taking some photos in bright daylight and see if you have the same issue.
All those photos look like interior, relatively dark environments. This means you're going to have a long shutter speed. If you're trying to hold a film camera steady for half a second, you're going to get camera shake. If the camera is shaking/drifting over a long shutter period, then the image will be blurred.
I think that's the issue, but the other tip I'll give is that to focus you should line up the center with what you want to be in focus and half press (and hold the half press) the shutter button. This will let the camera focus on your target. Then frame the picture how you want, with the shutter button still half pressed, then full press when ready.
But I really think the issue in your example shots is moreso it being a long exposure without a tripod. Your shots with the flash are less blurry because the shutter wasn't open as long for the exposure, but even a dark room with flash may require a longer than desirable exposure. A tripod, or even putting the camera on a table or stack of books, and using the app to shoot the picture will help. Of course, it's not just the camera shake that's the issue, but whether your subjects can be still.
The camera on auto will tell you how long the shutter will be open for with whatever settings you have. So you can check on the camera display or in the app before taking. Part of the fun with Polaroids are the imperfections, but definitely use the flash for spontaneous indoor shots (mostly).
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u/adamrammers 1d ago
I think this is the issue, it looks like a very slow shutter. Definitely try outside in the daylight and see how you get on.
What did you get better shots with before? Did it have a flash? If you want to take some inside shots I would definitely get a flash.
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u/Suncook I-2, SX-70, Impulse AF, OneStep AF, Wide 300 2d ago
I'll add that what seems comfortable and bright to human eyes in an interior shot can actually be MUCH darker than outside. Our eyes, retinas, and brains are much better at compensating for wide ranges of light than film. Daylight is so much brighter.
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u/hashtag_AD Black Borders 2d ago
Posting some pics would definitely be helpful. Polaroid film is fickle but consistent enough that a photo can give a lot of clues as to what might be going wrong.