In praise of the Polaroid Super Shooter

[Theo Sulphate]

These cameras can be bought for a few dollars usually, but the good news about them is that the accept Fuji pack film (now discontinued, sadly).

There are just two controls: focus and the lighten/darken dial (with half-stop) markings. There's a switch for film speeds of 75 and 3000 - from the old Polaroid pack film days.

Unfortunately, I discovered pack film only a few years ago - after FP-3000B had been discontinued and right before Fuji killed FP-100C. However, what I have discovered is just how wonderful this film is and what an excellent job this inexpensive camera does. More than half the photos I make with this camera are nice enough to put in an album or in a collage on the wall. The B&W and color Fuji film is just outstanding.

I never did a massive purchase of the film before it totally disappeared - so I have just a bit over a dozen B&W and dozen color packs left. After that, I suspect there never will be pack film again. Just looking at the complexity of how this film is packaged - the positive and negative sides, the paper overlays, the tabs - it's just too complex and costly for anyone to try to manufacture again - film sales would need to be at 1980's levels to justify it.

I also have two Polaroid EE 100 Specials - that's a folding version of the Super Shooter, but it has an extra setting that allows the aperture to be wide-open at the 3000 speed - great for existing light photos indoors without flash.

 

[BAC1967]

If you like that one then you’ll love the Polaroid Big Shot, less controls than the Super Shooter. You’ll need plenty of magicubes, that’s the only way to shoot with it.

Polaroid Big Shot by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

 

[mshchem]

If you like that one then you’ll love the Polaroid Big Shot, less controls than the Super Shooter. You’ll need plenty of magicubes, that’s the only way to shoot with it.

Polaroid Big Shot by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Double 100+ on the Polaroid Big shot! With Polaroid 669 oh my ! I have some incredible portraits of my friends and family, 30 years old still blow me away. Before you buy one find some Magicubes. Every photo requires flash. Magicubes are mechanically fired, something akin to a primer or detonator. I used to be able to find these for 2 bucks at Goodwill . One I made a back for my old Crown Graphic. The rangefinder is incredibly effective. Best plastic camera ever made.

 

[mshchem]

God I miss the 20th century!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Isn't that what Andy Warhol liked to use? It's intended mostly for portraits though, isn't it?

 

[BAC1967]

The Big Shot is made for portraits. The focus is set to one distance, you look through the rangefinder and dance back and forth to focus.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Seems like we tend to discover something when it is too late. Back over a decade ago I got the idea to make a custom Polaroid 250 with a Schneider lens. The goal was to shoot Polaroid 665. It produced extraordinary negatives. I built the camera a month before Polaroid announced they were discontinuing 665. Lol.

 

[EdSawyer]

I have a couple spare Magiccubes if anyone still uses those. I have cannibalized 2 Bigshots to use the Rangefinders/viewfinders on Cambo Maxiportraits, where they are a great fit and work well for that purpose. I have a spare Bigshot back with an intact rubber T-handle if anyone needs one of those too.

The Maxiportrait is basically a pro-level Bigshot, built from aluminum and with a 4x5 back and 240mm lens.

-Ed

 

[1L6E6VHF]

If you like that one then you’ll love the Polaroid Big Shot, less controls than the Super Shooter. You’ll need plenty of magicubes, that’s the only way to shoot with it.

Polaroid Big Shot by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

I found a way many years ago. I had a pack of an ISO 400 B&W pack film (664?), and opened up the L/D control (diaphragm) for the correct daylight exposure (I'll have to post it soon).

 

[BAC1967]

I found a way many years ago. I had a pack of an ISO 400 B&W pack film (664?), and opened up the L/D control (diaphragm) for the correct daylight exposure (I'll have to post it soon).

I would like to hear how you did that. Too bad that film isn’t available anymore.

 

[Cholentpot]

Me too. This one so far has been royally fouled up from the first day. The crazies started coming out of the woodwork in the 1960's, and have been pushing for what we've got now. The ones who died before getting to see their creation deserve to be dug up and have their noses rubbed in it.

To be fair, the early 20th didn't really get off to a great start...

I miss peel apart film. I have one shot left and I'm saving it for a special occasion. I switched over to instax, the film is great the cameras are terrible.

 

[Chrismat]

The Super Shooter was the first camera I ever purchased back in 1975.

 

[Paul Howell]

In the early 80s I had to get my passport renewed, I was living in Italy at the time so had to go Rome. There were a number of studios near the embassy, I just picked one. The State Dept had just oked Polaroids for passports and this shop had a set up for the Super Shooter. He has his clamped to a wooden tripod, tape on the floor to indicate where to stand, I seem to recall he used black and white film with a 3 hot light set up. He masked the print down and cut to the proper size. Best pass port photo I ever had taken.