Unitron polaroid microscope back

[Bioflex]

I picked up this polaroid back at a antique store over the weekend. Unitron made microscopes and backs for them and also a 220 film back for telescopes. From my research it has Zeiss optics. Has anyone tried to use this as a stand alone camera? I believe the film is still available. Thank you

 

[Donald Qualls]

It's probably got a fixed focal distance of ten millimeters or so -- meant to photograph the aerial real image inside the barrel of a microscope, with the built-in optics replacing an eyepiece for what amounts to eyepiece projection.

 

[Bioflex]

It reminds me of the polaroid CU-5 1:1 camera I used in law enforcement to photograph fingerprints. I guess if a ground glass was placed at film plane then one could focus? Thank you

 

[Donald Qualls]

It's overall similar, but this is probably set up for something closer to 10:1 (image at film plane 10x the real image to be photographed) in order to get microscopic levels of total magnification. And I don't see how you'd insert a ground glass into this without gross disassembly; it was probably intended to use by focusing the microscope with a reticle eyepiece (to ensure your eye isn't compensating; if the reticle and object are both in focus, the focal planes match), then lift out the eyepiece and insert the camera in its place.

Further, the pack film this uses is getting awfully close to Unobtainium. I'd call this more of a curiosity, unless you're willing/able to do the work to convert to 4x5 film holders and want/need to make film photos through an actual microscope. Even if you find the correct focus (possible, with the back open as if for loading) and install a distance reference frame, it's a roughly 10x macro with depth of field thinner than aluminum foil...

 

[Bioflex]

I bought it to resell. It is interesting looking and has a industrial feel. Someone might be inclined to make a lamp out of it. I also learned to never say ever when it comes to “obsolete “ film and polaroid cameras. I have been amazed at some of the repurposed items brought back to me at these Punk Rock Flea Markets my son and I sell at.

 

[Donald Qualls]

If I could still buy Type 100 pack film, I'd be interested. My partner has a microscope, and Polaroids/Fujiroids of the coral fragments it was bought for would, to me, have some value (vs. cell phone photos through the eyepiece). I don't have quite enough interest to bother converting one of these to roll or 4x5, though. I can build a 4x5 for this purpose with less effort.

 

[AnselMortensen]

It appears to still have film in it, judging from the white paper tag sticking out.
Some handy, creative person with a lot of time and the right tools could convert it to something useful.
The Copal shutter, if working, might be the most useful part of it..
In fact....if you measure the distance from the film plane to the center of the shutter, there might be lens cells that could screw into the (#1? #0?) Copal shutter to use at something other than micro/macro focusing distances...

 

[Donald Qualls]

A folder lens -- 105 f/6.3 or similar -- might well fit that Copal. Many of those are front element focusing, but this might still be macro only due to more than 105 mm flange distance.