Which MF cameras are compatible w/ Polaroids?

[jasonjoo]

Yet another question from me! Please bear with me folks!

I was wondering which MF cameras were compatible with any sort of polaroid back. Preferably something that has polaroid film readily available for it (especially b/w, but color is fine too!)!

Thanks,

Jason

 

[ijsbeer]

The Mamiya RB and RZ are compatible with polariod backs and these backs are good available on e-bay.
I don't know if the film is availble easy or not.

hope this helps a bit.

cheers

 

[Donald Miller]

The Bronica cameras have polaroid backs as an option. I also do not know about availability of film.

 

[hka]

Hasselblad and there is also a Polaroidback for the Mamiya 7 both for packs

 

[Helen B]

The Rollei SL 66 series. I know of at least three versions. They can take one 6x6 or two 6x4.5 pictures per sheet. Film is readily available, both colour and B&W.

Best,
Helen

 

[JRSoto]

Ditto on the RB 67. There is film available from Polaroid and Fuji. I have the 3.25 X 4.25 Polaroid back. There is also one that uses 4X5 film. The pictures are square 77 x 77mm.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Many of them. I have a Polaroid back for my Bronica S2a, but these are difficult to find.

The RB/RZ and Hassy Polaroid backs are probably the easiest to find, if that's important to you. The Polaroid image is not the full Polaroid frame, so if you want the largest possible image with a MF camera, go for a 6x7 camera.

 

[Nick Zentena]

Wouldn't it be easier to ask which modern cameras don't?

Didn't a 3rd party even make backs for 35mm cameras?

 

[Moopheus]

Polaroid backs also made for the Kowa Super 66, though these days they may not be that easy to find.

 

[Silverhead]

Mamiya 645s will take Polaroid backs as well...I know this because I have one Definitely not full-frame, though.

 

[jasonjoo]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses!

By "not full-frame" do you mean the entire area of the polaroid is not exposed? So in addition to the already-occuring white polaroid frame, a part of the negative will not be exposed?

In terms of options... I seem to have many options

 

[bdial]

Didn't a 3rd party even make backs for 35mm cameras?

Not sure about third party, but Nikon made one for the original F. It had an enlarging lens in it to enlarge the 35 mm frame to Polaroid size.

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

The enlarged Polaroid for Nikon F was called a Speed Magny. Somewhat rare item, so probably sort of expensive. Dead Link Removed still make many Polaroid adapters for various medium format and 35mm cameras. Sometimes you can find these used at reasonable prices. NPC Photo new prices are sometimes better than dedicated Polaroid back prices from medium format camera companies. They also make a cool dedicated camera, like the old Polaroid 195.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Dead Link Removed

 

[yurihuta]

Bronica SQ series - and they do make several films that are compatible.

Both the Pentax 645 and 67 series can take Polaroid backs. I believe both are aftermarket and I think the 67 needs to be modified. The 645 series uses a fiberoptic bundle to make it work and the cost is a little dear - $350 used.

 

[kb244]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses!

By "not full-frame" do you mean the entire area of the polaroid is not exposed? So in addition to the already-occuring white polaroid frame, a part of the negative will not be exposed?

In terms of options... I seem to have many options

Most of the polaroid backs for medium format cameras take standard peel-apart film such as 667, 669, 655, and so forth, which is if I remember correctly 3.25 x 4.25 in recordible area. Course when you consider 6x6 for example, only 2.25 x 2.25 of the polaroid sheet is going to get exposed, and smaller for 645 cameras.

One nice thing about the Mamiya RB67 and RZ67 polaroid backs, is due to the RB's "Rotating back", there is 7cm of clearance not only horizontally but also vertically, which allows for 6x7 negative to be shot in portrait or landscape just by rotating the back. But this also means that by putting a polaroid back on, you get a 7x7 cm square image on the polaroid leaving just a small strip on the edge for the extra inch or so thats not covered, but need less to say a 7x7 square on a sheet of polaroid film is about the best you are going to get, shy of finding a polaroid back for a 6x9 camera (or using a pack back on a 4x5 view camera.). I also use a pack back for my crown graphic which takes the same type of film, except in the case of that, the entire polaroid film gets exposed (even though cropped since you are working with a 3.25x4.25 film area inside of a 4x5 coverage).

So while it's nice the RZ/RB will cover most of the polaroid sheet, regardless if you use a 645, you are still going to be exposing a sheet at a time as opposed to getting more shots in a pack, so it can go either way in terms of looking at it.

 

[kb244]

Bronica SQ series - and they do make several films that are compatible.

Both the Pentax 645 and 67 series can take Polaroid backs. I believe both are aftermarket and I think the 67 needs to be modified. The 645 series uses a fiberoptic bundle to make it work and the cost is a little dear - $350 used.

The pentax 67 would need to be modified since it has a hindged back, as opposed to using modular film backs. So you'd have to get the hindged back off and find a polaroid back that can easily fit in it's place. And I think the Pentax 645 (if its anything like the newer Mamiya 645) has to have a polaroid back that seems to stick into the camera, not sure how it works, I assume has some kind of built in optics to correct for the film plane distance. ( I could be wrong of course).

 

[rpsawin]

Bronica SQ (6x6) series has a polariod back.

Bob