Polaroid Spectra / Image

[clarence]

After viewing Wayne's thread on how he used Polaroids in his large-format camera, I was reminded of how I once wanted to take pictures with Polaroids as well.

Then came the usual trawl on ebay and the flurry of browsing websites to get myself familiarised with the various models and films.

I once owned an unmodified SX-70 but I was never able to take a decent picture with it because I was using 600 film.

I need something cheap and portable. The 180-195 models would, of course, be the best option, because of their large apertures (almost every other Polaroid camera seems to have an aperture of f8.8 or smaller), but I cannot afford them.

Eventually, I decided that the Spectra models (they are known as 'Image' models in Europe) would be best for me, since 1200 and 990 film seems slightly cheaper than 600 film on ebay. I can see myself taking pictures at parties with my Spectra and my flash-diffuser, handing out polaroids to the beautiful and / or wasted. Joy.

Has anyone else used the Spectra / Image cameras? Does anyone have a spare one lying around?

Clarence

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The polaroid 690 is a NICE camera to shoot with. Looks like an SX-70 with a flash built in but uses modern 600 film. same close focus and SLR viewing as the SX-70

 

[v3cron]

You can get a used Spectra Pro (also sold as Minolta Instant Pro) for about $100 on ebay. This camera is the flagship of the line, and has a nice glass lens.

Otherwise the slr 680/690 takes 600 film and has an amazing lens. 680 can be found for $100-$200

 

[clarence]

Thanks for the advice. I found a Spectra / Image on ebay and bought it since it was especially cheap. Unfortunately it happens to be the simplest model, with only one switch to compensate for exposure. I was hoping that it would at least offer the option of turning the flash off.

The maximum power of the flash on the camera is also rather low, so I can't bounce flash with a mirror as I normally would on my Canon Powershot G3. A sto-fen diffuser also cuts out too much light, so not enough flash output is generated.

There's nothing in the low-contrast, low-resolution, lo-fi quality of polaroids that I like. It's just fun to get pictures immediately so I can give them away. It's interesting how every picture is unique since there's no negative. It lets you take very compromising pictures of people; of course, those photographs will never see the light of day.

Clarence

 

[M. Valdemar]

99% of the success of Polaroid for 40 years was because people wanted pictures that they were afraid to send in to be processed.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

99% of the success of Polaroid for 40 years was because people wanted pictures that they were afraid to send in to be processed.

I don't think that's true. I used to work in a photo lab in a big box store about a decade ago when I was in college. Most polaroids were purchased by working-class people because the cameras were cheap and they didn't have to pay for processing. Many of them did not realize how ungodly expensive that Polaroid film was and is. Its cheaper to shoot 35mm and get it developed than to shoot any Polaroid.

We occasionally had customers tell us they used polaoid for dirty photos, something they likely use digital for now...but it was nowhere near the majority. Heck the lab I worked at would process anything except kiddy porn. People brought in the dirtiest hardcore explicit XXX stuff and we happily developed it, laughed at it behind their backs, then took thier money and gave them their prints...as long as the people in the photos were over 18. One of the regular customers was a girl who told us her DREAM was to be in Hustler Magazine! Her boyfriend took pictures of her weekly for several months and they came in together to deveop them. I've always wondered if she "made it". lol

 

[clarence]

I think 30% is a more reasonable number, judging from the photos posted on polanoid.net. Then again, if the point of polaroids is to allow risque photography, posting them online defeats the purpose.

Anyway I'm part of that 30%


Clarence

 

[clarence]

I managed to acquire an Image (Spectra) Pro, and I'm quite pleased with the range of manual functions. The Image (Spectra) camera is now for sale if anyone wants it.

What also got me thinking is: is it possible to transplant a 6x9 or large format camera lens onto one of those cheap, old Polaroid land cameras?

Clarence