Identify this Polaroid model?

[LMNOP]

A friend is mailing me this Polaroid camera, but I cannot identify which model it is based on these vague photos.

Any clue? I would LOVE to hear that it can take FP-100C! If its one of those out-of-make films, that'd be a bummer.

 

[LMNOP]

A Polaroid 100. It takes the Fuji film. I have one.

NO WAY! You mean, the Fuji film that is still in production, and sitting it my camera bag right now? How are the optics on this thing?

I hope its functional!

 

[hamradio]

Yep, cheap 'n' cheerful 3.25x4.25" FP100c works in it. You've got a 100 or a 250...I think the earliest 250s didn't say "250" on the front flip cover, just like the 100s. Easy enough to tell...the viewfinder for a 100 will have separate rangefinder and viewfinder windows, and the 250 has a zeiss-ikon finder that combines the rf and vf into one window. A lot of people place the ZI finder Land Cameras as a premium model of sorts, but personally, I prefer the two-window finder. Same lens between the 100 and 250.

The right battery for this camera is $10 online, otherwise if you're handy with a soldering iron, go get an LED flashlight at a dollar store, steal the 3 AAA holder out of it, and solder it in. You might find that the darkslide and first frame or two are harder to pull out of the camera...some people break off the spring tabs inside the back or hold them back with hair pins. I never have a problem with the tabs ripping off, etc. that others seem to report.

The lens is solid enough, a 114/8.8 triplet. If it has some serious sharpness shortcomings, etc., those are masked by the not-clinically-sharp instant film anyway.

Some test pics on this lens that I shot to sell a 250, a while back:

 

[ambaker]

The only gotcha with the Fuji film is the springs on the Polaroid go right into openings on the back of the film pack and can cause jammed/ruined images. There are several solutions, easily googled. However simply putting something across the spring so that it no longer fits into the holes, seems to work for most people.


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[LMNOP]

I amicably disagree that the film resolution masks the effects of the non-overhauled camera with it's clouded lens. The first thing I did when I got mine was a disassembly and cleanup, along with the battery case work. The Fuji film and the Polaroid 100 together is capable of astounding sharpness. It depends on whether you want to play with your new camera or give it the work-over and have something great. I gave mine the treatment, and it's great. Nice camera, dude.

Sounds like foreign territory for me. As much as I love older cameras, taking them apart them has not yet become the norm for me. Any tutorials you know of?

 

[LMNOP]

Yep, cheap 'n' cheerful 3.25x4.25" FP100c works in it. You've got a 100 or a 250...I think the earliest 250s didn't say "250" on the front flip cover, just like the 100s. Easy enough to tell...the viewfinder for a 100 will have separate rangefinder and viewfinder windows, and the 250 has a zeiss-ikon finder that combines the rf and vf into one window. A lot of people place the ZI finder Land Cameras as a premium model of sorts, but personally, I prefer the two-window finder. Same lens between the 100 and 250.

The right battery for this camera is $10 online, otherwise if you're handy with a soldering iron, go get an LED flashlight at a dollar store, steal the 3 AAA holder out of it, and solder it in. You might find that the darkslide and first frame or two are harder to pull out of the camera...some people break off the spring tabs inside the back or hold them back with hair pins. I never have a problem with the tabs ripping off, etc. that others seem to report.

The lens is solid enough, a 114/8.8 triplet. If it has some serious sharpness shortcomings, etc., those are masked by the not-clinically-sharp instant film anyway.

Some test pics on this lens that I shot to sell a 250, a while back:

Beautiful images! Thanks for sharing! I really hope I can figure this battery thing out and get results like this. FP100C is pricey, it'd be a shame to waste a pack.

 

[hamradio]

I amicably disagree that the film resolution masks the effects of the non-overhauled camera with it's clouded lens. The first thing I did when I got mine was a disassembly and cleanup, along with the battery case work. The Fuji film and the Polaroid 100 together is capable of astounding sharpness. It depends on whether you want to play with your new camera or give it the work-over and have something great. I gave mine the treatment, and it's great. Nice camera, dude.

A hazy lens is a different story altogether...I meant that triplets generally aren't renowned for their wide-open sharpness across the whole frame. The print from 100c is good, but the neg itself when cleared with bleach is definitely sharper. However, neither are as sharp as normal film. Fine details in a shot at infinity can be lost pretty easily. That said, I burn through a ton of 100c between my land cameras and 4x5 stuff, and love it. It'll be a sad day when they axe this film.

 

[LMNOP]

A hazy lens is a different story altogether...I meant that triplets generally aren't renowned for their wide-open sharpness across the whole frame. The print from 100c is good, but the neg itself when cleared with bleach is definitely sharper. However, neither are as sharp as normal film. Fine details in a shot at infinity can be lost pretty easily. That said, I burn through a ton of 100c between my land cameras and 4x5 stuff, and love it. It'll be a sad day when they axe this film.

I've been looking into large format lately but I thought FP100C would not fit any of the backs. Didn't they already axe the larger sheets needed for LF cameras?

 

[hamradio]

100c45 is dead, but you can get the Polaroid 405 holder, which allows the usage of 3.25x4.25" film in cameras with Graflok backs (or springbacks if you take the focusing panel out, but that's a hassle).

Picture stolen from wikipedia:

 

[M Carter]

Here's a great resource for land cameras:

Dead Link Removed

I've got two 100's and a "portrait lens" kit, love 'em.

You can adjust exposure even more by taping a little piece of ND gel over the "electric eye" sensor lens thing, too.

 

[mweintraub]

100c45 is dead, but you can get the Polaroid 405 holder, which allows the usage of 3.25x4.25" film in cameras with Graflok backs (or springbacks if you take the focusing panel out, but that's a hassle).

Picture stolen from wikipedia:

NO! NO YOU CAN'T!***

Geez, guys, stop telling people about these backs. I want one for a good deal!



*** Ok, yeah, it works. I just don't want the prices to go up anymore.

 

[ohnewton35]

A Polaroid 100 is actually my favorite camera to shoot with. Something about both the decently priced and readily available film matched with great picture quality really gets me

 

[1L6E6VHF]

Seeing your camera the way it's presented here, with the back of the camera and the lens board both concealed, no one can say for sure it's the 100, though it quite possibly is.

The 101, 240, 250, and 350 all look alike in this arrangement.

To find out what model you have, hold it with you facing its back, place your hand on the front of the cover and use your thumb up and over the top to reveal the lens board - it shows the model number.

Good news is, in any case it has the preferred triplet lens and can use FP100C.

To reduce the pressure of the clips inside the back, place a thin metal rod between the back and the inside surface of one clip where it meets the other, press down on the clip, near the end, repeat procedure for the other clip.

Yes, we all like to keep things original, but if you try to use FP100C (with its plastic pack), without modifying the spring clips (made for steel pack Type 108), you'll only have heartbreak when the hard steel clips tear the film apart.

 

[Kyle M.]

I'm currently using both a model 100 and model 450 with FP-100C, in the past I've also used a 103 and 104. I've heard a lot of people talk about the spring clips causing problems, but I have personally never seen it. If I ever get to where it's a problem I'm simply cut them out, battery conversions on the other hand I have done and find them quite simple even for my non electronics oriented self.