The Polaroid Land Camera was named after its inventor, Edwin Land. It introduced the world to the idea of instant photography and, in some regard, paved the way for the modern era of instant digital gratification.
This is a complete guide for getting started with the Polaroid Land Camera. It goes over cheaply acquiring the camera and film, upgrading the battery, basic functionality, timing exposures, photo tips, and using a flash.
It may take a little while to get the hang of it, but you will quickly learn it is a ton of fun. There is a sense of anticipation as the photo develops that you just don't get from digital photography.
This is a complete guide for getting started with the Polaroid Land Camera. It goes over cheaply acquiring the camera and film, upgrading the battery, basic functionality, timing exposures, photo tips, and using a flash.
It may take a little while to get the hang of it, but you will quickly learn it is a ton of fun. There is a sense of anticipation as the photo develops that you just don't get from digital photography.
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Signing UpStep 1: Find a Camera
This Instructable deals largely with 100 series Land Cameras. This includes all cameras with a model number between 100 and 455. Countless quantities of these cameras were manufactured and sold between 1963 and 1976.
You can still find them at thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, antique stores, and online (think Ebay).
Your best bet is to find one at a garage or estate sale. Although antique cameras sometimes tend to fetch a little bit of money, most people think you can't buy Polaroid film anymore and will offload these cameras on the cheap.
The current market for Land Cameras is good because no one wants to buy them and everyone wants to be rid of them. This makes your job of acquiring one all the easier.
I got this whole camera kit for $5, and with the warning, "You know, you can't get film for those anymore."
You can still find them at thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, antique stores, and online (think Ebay).
Your best bet is to find one at a garage or estate sale. Although antique cameras sometimes tend to fetch a little bit of money, most people think you can't buy Polaroid film anymore and will offload these cameras on the cheap.
The current market for Land Cameras is good because no one wants to buy them and everyone wants to be rid of them. This makes your job of acquiring one all the easier.
I got this whole camera kit for $5, and with the warning, "You know, you can't get film for those anymore."
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BUT: Make sure you verify WHICH Polaroid film the camera took, BEFORE you buy it, even if for just a few dollars.
Early Polaroid Land Cameras took ROLL film, which has not been made since about 1970 +/-. The roll film cameras cannot be made to take any modern film without spending a LOT of money on it....
Later models took 'Pack' film, which Polaroid actually stopped making in the USA several [6?] years ago, but which was still made overseas by several companies- England & Japan, among others.
Fuji made the Polaroid 'Pro Vivid', which is still marketed in USA by Fuji. It is the same film under the new Fuji label, FP-10C [colour]. We call it 'FUJI-ROID'. Readiy available at most high end camera stores, and onlne. I think there is also a B&W, and they still make it in the standard film pack & 4"x5" sizes.
** DO NOT BUY OUT OF DATE POLARIOD FILM FROM ANY SOURCE, AS THE CHEMICAL PACK IN THE FILM CRYSTALIZED SOON AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE AND IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS USELESS/UNUSEABLE**
No, ONLY 'POLAROID' marked film packs, as Polaroid stopped selling film many- perhaps 7~8?- years ago, and it will have gone bad.
If the film was frozen, the chemical packs would have crystallized, and if not refrigerated- which only extended the expiration for about one to three years- the chemical pack would have gone bad about 5 years ago.
Anything marked "FUJI' should be O.K., maybe another year if refrigerated, but NEVER freeze it, as the chemical pack goes bad sooner.
Here's a very helpful link for those of you with the affected camera models.
I found a Polaroid 210 locally that was cheap and in excellent condition. It needed a new battery, of course. A cr123 lithium fits perfectly. I soldered the leads directly to the battery. The drain on the battery is such it will probably die from exceeding the shelf life than be worn out by the meter.
I find the exposure is very easily dominated by bright spots. If there's a patch of sun or a bright lamp you really have to lighten the picture or it will come out too dark. Otherwise the quality is excellent.
I only wish I could use the ASA 3000 film with the f/8 aperture and still get a correct exposure. Keep in mind that on most packfilm cameras, setting the speed to 3000 means using f/45 - there is no gain in exposure vs 75 or 100/
I recently saw the "king" of packfilm cameras - the Mamiya 600. Interchangeable lenses, viewfinder focusing, can shoot 120 film etc... costs more than $600.
One issue with the 360 and 450, and any other model with an electronic timer bult in. These models take two batteries of the same type, one for the timer and the other for the exposure control. Performing this mod will disable the timer. What I haven't tried yet is using a 4 cell holder and separating it into two, two cell holders to be able to still use the timer. Next time.
The parts and batteries needed to do the mod are less than the cost of one original spec battery. A no brainer imo.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Packtasticor-How-to-use-100-Series-Film-in-an-/
...which is not quite right, but demonstrates that you can sort of use it in other Polaroid series film cameras.
I'm a photo student, and love using old cameras to take picture. I'm SO excited to try this out, best of all, the camera is cheap on ebay.
Thank you SO much!
Thanks for the flashback,
Charles
Digital photography is great but we tend to rely on quantity with the hope that well get quality with a few of the takes : this goes against common sense and the need to progress and get proficiency with a medium…
I must be about the same age age as you and I guess this instrusctable also says a lot about the pace we should give to our projects and our lives.
Everything is here, crystal clear, comprehensive and no fuss.
Makes me wish to go Polaroid again.
Moreover is is very useful as this type of equipment is due to vanish and we need such testimonials as yours to revive our memories and leave as 20th century technology legacy to future generations.
Thanks a lot.
So don't throw it away! You can always use it later.
Those numbers on the film packs actually correspond to the ISO (ASA) film speed, rather than shutter speed. Yes, that is an ISO 3000 B&W film. Great fun at night with the goblins...
-excellent- instructable! You really covered all the bases.
Most flashbulbs contain a chemical dot to show they are undamaged. This little indicator should be blue if good. Pink means it's gone bad and will be unlikely to fire properly.
Fuji is still making this film! I had given up on buying film for it. I had no idea this was in production. I can't thank you enough for showing this.
I can't wait to get to work on this - Thank you muchly!
I love the vintage effect of the old Polaroids, and the battery hack shown is genius.