Polaroid SX-70 Repair tips?

bwesso · Jan 10, 2023

Hi all--

Got my hands on an early SX-70 for a good price this past weekend. Tested with two different packs of 600 film and was met with essentially no response: no immediate darkslide ejection, but the mirror did manage to move when I pressed the shutter button. It wasnt a full shutter cycle, but Im hoping that means there is still power getting through and some mechanism is just getting caught up on old gunk.

Mostly coming here looking for any tips/advice about usual suspects to look for, as I intend to tear it down and see if I can get it back up and running. Weirdly, at a glance I didnt find much helpful info pertaining to the typical issues of the camera-- all I've come across is some mention of a switch that is associated with the opening of the camera and dirty battery contacts. I tried to address both and was met with no visible improvement. Any other things to look out for would be much appreciated.

I believe it is a model from 1974 if that affects anything.

Thanks! I've heard plenty of good things about this cam, not willing to give up on it yet

rcphoto · Jan 10, 2023

You need to use the correct film. An sx70 takes sx70 film not 600

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 10, 2023

rcphoto said:
You need to use the correct film. An sx70 takes sx70 film not 600

You can use 600 in an SX-70. To counter the over exposure, you need to use a ND filter.

rcphoto · Jan 10, 2023

Andrew O'Neill said:
You can use 600 in an SX-70. To counter the over exposure, you need to use a ND filter.

Really? I thought thought the packs were different. Thanks for the info.

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 10, 2023

rcphoto said:
Really? I thought thought the packs were different. Thanks for the info.

Yup. I had one of the little ND filters that adheres to the lens. Fell off and lost it...

Andrew O'Neill · Jan 10, 2023

Sounds to me like that little lever that pushes the film out after exposure, is faulty. There are some videos on youtube that may be helpful...

Donald Qualls · Jan 10, 2023

Andrew O'Neill said:
You can use 600 in an SX-70.

rcphoto said:
Really? I thought thought the packs were different.

They were, originally -- two little nubs on the edge of the pack shell that act like wards in an old fashioned lock; you could always use 600 in an SX-70 and vice versa by trimming those little nubs off (I've done it). The batteries and dimensions are the same, and the cameras in general differ only in the auto exposure system (that is, a One Step and an early 600 are physically virtually identical; the last model SX-70 and the SLR680 differed only in electronics and presence of the permanently mounted flash.

When Impossible Project started manufacturing new pack shells, they left all the lockout nubs off, so they could save money by only needing one set of molds. That also meant their film could be used in either camera family, with appropriate measures to correct exposure, but no physical alteration of the packs needed. I've used Impossible 600 B&W in an SX-70 Model 2 -- I didn't even need a filter, just turned the Lighten/Darken all the way to "Dark".

bwesso · Jan 10, 2023

@Andrew O'Neill Ok that sounds like a start. Ill look into it more closely on my own, but wouldnt you think I would hear a sort of straining of the gear train trying to move it at least?

bwesso · Jan 10, 2023

So somewhat positive development: I was able to trip the motor into operating by nudging this nub forward. It still wont do it on its own though- I have to nudge each time and it also wont stop unless film door opened.

Looking into it more-- found a repair manual online-- but if theres an easy fix here, let me know.

Guivd · Jan 11, 2023

Be carreful also with expired films. A five years old expired pack from impossible was totally dry...

Donald Qualls · Jan 11, 2023

Guivd said:
A five years old expired pack from impossible was totally dry...

Newer transitional and "new Polaroid" films should be better but you also need to watch for expired batteries in the packs in SX-70, 600, and Spectra films.

Guivd · Jan 11, 2023

Donald Qualls said:
Newer transitional and "new Polaroid" films should be better but you also need to watch for expired batteries in the packs in SX-70, 600, and Spectra films.

Battery was okay (the camera worked and fired correctly) but the chemical was completely dry...

Donald Qualls · Jan 11, 2023

Guivd said:
Battery was okay (the camera worked and fired correctly) but the chemical was completely dry...

This was a big issue the first few years of Impossible films. The current material is supposed to be almost identical to the last production of SX-70 and 600 (not Time Zero) from the original Polaroid.

bwesso · Jan 11, 2023

After doing more digging, the issue now sounds like a broken motor/gear train coupler and an out of adjustment S3 switch. Gonna take a closer look later

bwesso · Jan 12, 2023

Alright-- in the home stretch. Can anyone help me understand how the heck the switches associated with the frame counter work? Thats the last step to a working camera-- if manually contact the switch (S8), it will initiate the dark slide sequence.

It looks as though a little arm beneath the ribbon cable that keeps the counter from resetting itself is having trouble engaging

Polaroid SX-70 Repair tips?

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