Polaroid back on TRL cameras???

[johnny9fingers]

Is it possible to use a Polaroid back, like the one that fits on a Mamiya Universal, on a TRL camera? If so, which models?? I'd like to get something I could shoot waist level and use the new Fuji instant films.
Thanks,,,,...... John

 

[JRJacobs]

I am not aware of any TLR for which a Polaroid back was made - TLR's don't generally have interchangable backs.

If you want instant film with a waist level finder, you could use a Hasselblad with a polaroid back, or a Pentax 67 with a waist finder and Polaroid back, or so on. Of course, those will not give you full coverage of the film.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

The Mamiya RB67 gives what amounts to 8X8 CM images from a polaroid back, and these cameras most commonly come with a waist level finder. Also, prices are pretty low for the cameras and I think for the polaroid backs as well. The biggest downside is probably size and ease of hand held shooting.

 

[ic-racer]

This Phillips unit used the older Polaroid rollfilm but the concept is the same.

 

[milosz]

Rollei had Polaroid back for T and F series...Literature says that there was a type of Polaroid back made especially for Philips, intended for scientific work, to photograph the oscilloscope screen. The camera with this back was only able to focus at ~20cm (+/-3cm or so). I have actually seen a Rollei T with a Polaroid back and the owner claimed that the camera was used by Swedish police to take mugshots and other documentary work. I could not say about the focusing range of this camera though...

 

[ic-racer]

Doesn't seem like it would be much more difficult than, say, converting an old Polaroid camera to 4x5 sheetfilm use. If you could get one of these optical pipes a little bit bigger for less then $5.
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3001542

 

[fschifano]

Well, there's at least one Mamiya C330 Frankenkamera that was adapted to use Polaroid film. Read it here: http://cameraquest.com/m330pol.htm. Kind of neat as a curiosity, but not something I'd care to do. If you really want Polaroids for whatever, perhaps an RB or RZ camera would be a better choice. There are Polariod backs for these cameras that work simply and reliably.

 

[johnny9fingers]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'll look into RB & RZ option. I've also decided to try to find someone willing to trade their Fuji Fotorama FP-1 Pro or Konica Instant Press for some digital gear. I truly have instant film fever.......John