Sent in! A Folding SLR!
And it’s a Polaroid too! (An SX-70, to be exact!)
Meet the world’s first instant SLR!
It was design to use Polaroid’s new SX-70 integral print film. More than anything, what it was famous for was it’s uber-cool folding design, which allowed it to be compact enough to fit a jacket pocket when collapsed.
However, Polaroid stopped making film in late 2005. Some may still be acquired, but normally these are quite expensive. Thus, SX-70 users are left with two options for using new film in their cameras (from Wikipedia):
Polaroid SX-70 Blend Film
In October 2006, a brand new SX-70 film pack was licensed by Polaroid and produced at the Netherlands plant in small batches, with only word of mouth and Web to advertise it. It very cleverly used an integrated neutral-density filter and modified 600 film chemistry to yield vibrant colors, strong contrast, and high resolution. As the cartridge was made to its original SX-70 specifications, and the ND filter was placed over the opening of the film pack and not the lens, it allowed for full and normal use of all the camera’s functions. Unfortunately, when Polaroid ceased production of all film, the SX-70 Blend died as well.
Polaroid 600 film
Many SX-70 owners modify their cameras to use Polaroid’s more recent 600 film, although it is now discontinued. SX-70 and 600 film are not exactly the same, however, the 600 having some extra little ‘nubs’, so photographers must either use a playing card or dark slide from a used Polaroid film pack to help slide the 600 film into the camera or slice the nubs off the cartridge.
Another problem with using 600 film is that its speed is two stops faster than SX-70 film, causing overexposure. To address this issue, some photographers simply set the exposure dial all the way to “darken” and replace the small ND filter over the electronic eye with a similar clear filter. Polaroid itself recommends placing a 1-stop ND filter over the lens, and replacing the small ND filter over the electronic eye with a clear piece of plastic (as from a CD case). Even with these modifications, SX-70 users may find they need to set the exposure controls fully to “darken.”
Perhaps the most effective way to use 600 film is to have the SX-70’s exposure electronics electronically modified to accept the film’s higher speed. The advantage to this type of camera modification is that the camera will expose the film correctly without the use of filters or exposure adjustments. Full exposure control is retained, and one does not have to worry about forgetting to set the exposure to “darken” each time the camera is opened. Furthermore, this type of modification allows the camera to benefit from faster exposures, as it causes the camera to function at a true ISO 640 film speed. These modifications are very difficult to perform except by experienced camera technicians.
But hope springs eternal, and there may be some light at the end of the tunnel! According to this article:
“If all goes to plan, the Polaroid factory in Enschede, Amsterdam, will soon be making film again thanks to its new owner, an eccentric Austrian artist and businessman named Florian Kaps.
…Dubbed “The Impossible Project”, the development of new film for Polaroid cameras launches today. Working with the Manchester-based black and white photography company Ilford, the machinery is in place to produce film of two exposure types, each compatible with both the classic SX-70 cameras popular with artists and the more modern 600 series.”
Hallelujah!
BTW, this is what it looks like folded (via RiccardoT):
Pretty cool, huh?
