Help regarding instant cameras

[ColdEye]

This Christmas I want to give a instant camera for a friend of mine. She has been showing interest in film stuff and is usually borrowing my cameras to play with. She does not like the developing part of the process so she only uses C41 film that gets sent to a local lab here. I know very little regarding instant cameras, I see that there is a brand new one being made (Fuji Instax). How about the older polaroids? I know almost nothing about them and which are the ones with film left to use. Something that uses these kind of film would be nice as they are not that expensive. I guess something with manual controls would be nice, but that is not necessary. Thanks!

 

[Joe VanCleave]

Holga makes an instant film back for the Type 669 peel-apart instant film that you referenced, here's the product link at Freestyle. It works with a Holga camera, so you'd have to get one of those, too.

I think you can also find used Type 669 film backs that permit use of this film in a 4x5 view camera, but that might be out of your friend's price and/or complexity range. The simplest 4x5 solution might be an old Graflex press camera.

I'm not an expert in old Polaroid land cameras, so someone else will have to chime in here about which model of used Polaroid camera uses this type of film. I'm always a bit suspicious of older cameras in terms of reliability, unless your friend is adept at fiddling with these things. In this regard, the Fuji Instax 210 camera that uses the Instax wide film might be a good solution. I have this camera, and it does a good job as a simple point-and-shoot instant camera.

~Joe

 

[one90guy]

The Polaroid 100 uses packfilm which is avalible on the net. There are othere models but the 100 to me is the best for the price. Battery is hard to get, it can be updated to use 3 AAA. There are several dyi sites on the net with excellent information. I think there is a new instant camera on the market but I do not know anything about them.

David

 

[Discoman]

The land lost is your friend here for models of Polaroid that may interest you. They also show compatabiloty with other instant films-some Polaroids have a mirror in the optical path, and cannot use certain modern films without reversing the image.
IMHO, the instax is the best gift camera, unless they may want to try another film in the future. Holga would allow for mf film, Diana's allow for...i have no idea, i think mf as well in the future.
The instax doesn't require peel apart or the risk of chemicals on hands and such.
Point, click, and print.

 

[ColdEye]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the Instax it is. I hope they make the film for quite some time.