Looking for suggestions on a Polaroid camera

[B&Wpositive]

I want to get a Polaroid camera to use with the new Impossible film.

I'm on a budget and don't need anything fancy, but I'd like something usable and reliable. I don't know much about the Polaroid line. But I saw a lot of cameras of various formats, models and vintages on ebay...many at good prices.

What are your suggestions? Where should I start?

Spectra?
600?
SX-70?

 

[Akki14]

Spectra's a different format to what Impossible currently have available new. If you can get a working and affording SX-70, I'd go for that. They're SLRs. Some models even have a tripod mount built in.

 

[matt S]

polaroid cameras...

If you want to use the impossible film, you will want an SX-70 or 600 camera. They should be coming out with Spectra film sometime in the future, though.

As far as price goes, the 600 cameras are MUCH cheaper than the SX-70 cameras. But the SX-70 cameras are down right sexy; glass lenses, manual focus on some, real leather covers and a serious heft to them. SX-70 cameras are also limited by their flash- the older models are designed to take the no longer available flash bars. You can do some conversion, but it is not straightforward.

Many of the 600 cameras come with built in flash- and with the current polaroid films being ~100 and ~400 speed- you need a flash if you ever want to take a photo indoors.

Check out the Land List for details on specific cameras:

Dead Link Removed

And have fun,

Matt

 

[roboflick]

don't let flashbars scare you i bought 6 flash bars (60 flashes) on ebay for 20 bucks. When you compare that to what you will be spending on film it is a pittance, the sx-70 will also stop down to f90 to use a flashbar for macros down to 10.4 inches, cool stuff!

 

[patois]

I would recommend getting an sx/70. The black sonar models can be found on ebay relatively cheaply and are a lot of fun. They would use the px100 film. You could also get a less fancy 600 style camera that would take px600. I just bought a polaroid onestep for $7. From what I have seen the px600 version of their film is much more advanced than px100.

 

[j.eff]

Don't forget also there are several Polaroid models other than the SX-70 that use the same film (PX100 from Impossible Project). You can find the full list that were made for use with the SX-70 film at Dead Link Removed .

I've got a OneStep that I paid very little for ($1 or $0.50 - don't remember) at an estate sale and a Pronto! Sonar OneStep that was $8 at an antique store. Neither of these are near the quality or visual appeal of an SX-70, but they are definitely less expensive and easier to snatch up due to lesser desirability.

For real cheap it's hard to beat a 600 (using PX600 from Impossible), but they aren't nearly as nice as the SX-70 either. The versatility of exposure and focus control of the SX-70 puts it way up on my list.

If you'd like a later model 600, I'd make you a heck of a deal. As in you pay for shipping and it's yours. I managed to pick up 3 in one day for around $1 each from garage sales in my neighborhood, none of which I really needed. I haven't tested them with film, but I did put film packs in and the motors do run. I'd rather see someone using one than having it collect dust here and they're not worth enough to hassle with selling them.

Send me a PM if you're interested.

FWIW, do your research on the PX100 and PX600 films and use them as well informed as you can. They're a bit pricey for experimenting with and you can bypass a lot of the learning curve that lots of folks have already been up. It's tricky stuff to shoot well.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Polaroid 250 is a great packfilm camera! Or you could go the way of an SX-70....