Polaroid RF conversions to sheet film & roll film...

[Gordon Coale]

Bill -- I've been wanting a Petzval. Would you be willing to part with one of them? Or are you planning on a Petzval stereo camera?

 

[bmattock]

Bill -- I've been wanting a Petzval. Would you be willing to part with one of them? Or are you planning on a Petzval stereo camera?

Well, I just paid for them (Item #7617505259), so I don't have them yet. But let me get them into the lab, and see what's on the slab, and (oh wait, I'm channeling Rocky Horror again) and we can talk. Who knows, they may not even have glass in them.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[kbg32]

Good luck Bill. Don't forget, a few good deep breaths before surgery always calms the hands. A good shot of scotch wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Gordon Coale]

I just bought a $5 250. The madness continues.

You don't need to have your eye right up to the rangefinder on the 250. It's nice and large. The picture is from Noah's Low Profile 4x5 Polaroid 180 Camera Project (scroll down). The 180 is the same as the 250 but for the lens. I don't think there is any reason to move it.

 

[bmattock]

Good luck Bill. Don't forget, a few good deep breaths before surgery always calms the hands. A good shot of scotch wouldn't hurt either.

Bourbon is my tipple, but yes. Sometimes I get so steady, I can hardly move.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Now, what about colors, coverings. LOL

Hammertone grey, of course. Hey, I'm color-blind and have no imagination.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Can we call it something else? That word 'roid' has kind of a negative connotation...

Maybe a Polastein?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Gordon Coale]

Here is a post in my blog on how this Polaroid madness has changed some of my directions in photography.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Can we call it something else? That word 'roid' has kind of a negative connotation...

Maybe a Polastein?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Yeah, 'roid Haxor sounds messy

 

[2maneekameras]

I was just getting ready to take my M3 apart to fix its jammed shutter, and while it was apart to graft on the guts from my cell phone so I could have a leica phone camera WHEN I FOUND THIS THREAD LINKED ON GORDY'S Blog. I have a 110a that I hadn't gotten around to converting to a colorpack back yet. I like the graflock back idea much better. I'll be clearing off my milling machine, dividing head and rotary table to machine one of these things before I bastardize my Leica. The J66 polaroid has the same body as the 110b sans rangefinder, with a different lensboard( more like the newer colorpack cameras). These are really cheap to buy. A person could get one of these, practice adapting to graphlock without damaging a valuable camera in a failed attempt. If the conversion went well, install a better lens.

 

[bmattock]

I don't know if this information is useful, but I bought a box of old parts for a Polaroid MP-3 copy camera a year or so ago - just wanted the Tominon lens, as I recall. Anyway, I got a raft of fun parts with it that I've never found a use for, but might now. One is a 'reflex viewer hood' that has a mirror in it, converts the reversed image on a ground glass to a 'rightside up' image. I saw Horseman sold something like it for a couple thousand dolars - this was 10 bucks plus shipping. Also, the box o' crap contained a 'roll film back' for the MP-3, which appears for all the world to be a Pathfinder 110a body (heavy steel) without rangfinder or mechanism (flat top) and no door/bellows/lens/etc up front - just a rectangular opening where one could presumably mount a cone-shaped device in lieu of a bellows and then a fancy-schmancy wide-angle lens. Convert the back to 4x5 as so many have done, and it seems this would be just like Razzledog's 9x12 camera, except you don't need to cut the snout off, it is already off.

So, if interesting, just do a eBoy search for the MP-3 roll film adapter back. I can't do that from work, but when I get home, I can post a model number / photos if anyone is interested.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Gordon Coale]

My Polaroid 250 arrived. Here it is with the Graflok back and Kodak Ektar 127 that will end up on it. The 250 is quite a bit smaller than the 110b. The Graflok back is usually trimmed to fit on the back of the 110b. The ground glass holder in the Graflok back is about the height of the back of the 250. I want to keep the Graflock back untouched so it's going to extend a bit above and below the 250. Now to start taking things apart and to send the Ektar 127 off for a CLA. And then figure out how it's all going to go together. It even had nice lugs for one of my neck straps.

 

[Gordon Coale]

3 fingers -- would that be on both hands?

 

[remrf]

Very cool. I think I'm feeling just the slightest onset of GAS . A compact folding rangefinder in 4x5" . OOOOOh!.

Is it done yet???????????

 

[bmattock]

I think this is going to be interesting. Bill has his. I just hope we don't end up calling him 3 fingered bill. 🙂

That would have been my great-grandfather, K.C. Jones. A carpenter by trade, he would not put away his power tools just because he could no longer see the boards he was cutting...

I'll try to be careful.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Gordon Coale]

I spent some time today destroying my Polaroid 250. The first picture is as it was, with the back and lens that will be installed on it. The second picture are the tools needed to take it apart. There were very few screws. Some slotted and some Philips. Mostly it was drilling out rivets. And the pile of parts taken off.

 

[Gordon Coale]

Here it is ready to be transformed into a 4x5 rangefinder camera. First I will need to get the lens a good CLA then get it mounted. Then I can find where infinity focus will be and go from there. I have a good idea of how I'm going to get there but mounting the lens will give me some specifics.

The Kodak Ektar 127, on 4x5, will be equivalent to a 36mm lens on a 35mm camera.

 

[Gordon Coale]

I suspect that putting it all back together is going to take a wee bit more time then ripping it apart.

 

[DougK]

Too cool, Gordon! I can't wait to see how this comes out.

 

[Gordon Coale]

Too cool, Gordon! I can't wait to see how this comes out.

Neither can I!