mh2000
Well-known
Must... resist... urge... to... buy... into... yet... another... old... camera... system... :O
madNbad
Well-known
It's tough to resist the siren call of ca-clunk, whirr and then like magic a real picture in your hand. Like G says, the film keep getting better.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Attachments
robert blu
quiet photographer
robert blu
quiet photographer
Excellent photo Godfrey, well done.
I agree the SX 70 is a beauty in itself and a great piece of engineering!
I hve one very old which is a present from a friend who unfortunately passed away to young and two others I bought from Impossible which work well.
Just bought one B&W and one color pack to have an idea of the latest production. It's summer here and light and contrast can be strong. Let's see !
I have around a few old packs I labelled "expired but good for creative use" Not so sure!
Than the 600 and the i.camera are around...
I agree the SX 70 is a beauty in itself and a great piece of engineering!
I hve one very old which is a present from a friend who unfortunately passed away to young and two others I bought from Impossible which work well.
Just bought one B&W and one color pack to have an idea of the latest production. It's summer here and light and contrast can be strong. Let's see !
I have around a few old packs I labelled "expired but good for creative use" Not so sure!
Than the 600 and the i.camera are around...
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Thank you, Robert!
I had a bunch of old packs of Impossible film. When I did the kitchen renovation, and then floors renovation, they sat outside of refrigeration for most of a year. When I tried to use them for creative fun, most exposures just died completely. I dumped it all after trying four different packs. That was a painful and expensive experience! Probably $350-400 worth of film down the drain. Sigh.
Now I tend to buy in smallish quantities with the notion of using it all up within a half year at most, three months otherwise. The film packs are more stable when refrigerated, but I have only very limited space in the refrigerator for film.
It's okay. Better for me to have a small amount of inventory and use it up now and then..
G
I had a bunch of old packs of Impossible film. When I did the kitchen renovation, and then floors renovation, they sat outside of refrigeration for most of a year. When I tried to use them for creative fun, most exposures just died completely. I dumped it all after trying four different packs. That was a painful and expensive experience! Probably $350-400 worth of film down the drain. Sigh.
Now I tend to buy in smallish quantities with the notion of using it all up within a half year at most, three months otherwise. The film packs are more stable when refrigerated, but I have only very limited space in the refrigerator for film.
It's okay. Better for me to have a small amount of inventory and use it up now and then..
G
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Took a short walk today and had one frame left on the current pack in the SLR670x ...
Ivy on Fence - Santa Clara 2021
Polaroid SLR670x by MiNT, Polaroid B&W 600 film
Scanned with Epson 7100 flatbed scanner
enjoy!
G
Ivy on Fence - Santa Clara 2021
Polaroid SLR670x by MiNT, Polaroid B&W 600 film
Scanned with Epson 7100 flatbed scanner
enjoy!
G
agentlossing
Well-known
The monochrome film is good-looking stuff, but I've also had issues with both the color and B&W going bad quite quickly and/or just having several defective sheets in the pack. It's no sure thing shooting modern Polaroid films, even though it's expensive to purchase. That is offset by the fun of using the old cameras, I guess. I have a OneStep that's in great working condition and a beautiful SX-70 in which, sadly, the big flippy mirror inside came loose right away and then shattered inside soon after. When I can, I'd like to have it repaired.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I’ve had no problems with bad film units since about 2017 or so. I use ten to twenty packs of all emulsions per quarter.
G
G
filmtwit
Desperate but not serious
$1000 for a $50 camera..... ummm... nope.
Exploring RF
New at RF
I have to say, I have an original 1973 SX-70 as well as two of the MiNT uprated SLR670 models, the "m" and the "x", with manually settable exposure. But the SLR670awhich is essentially the original SX-70 but modernized to take the 600 speed film, completely refurbished and with a new well-calibrated light metering sensor, is just about my favorite of the set. It seems to embody the best of Dr. Land's camera concept, to me at least, and 600 film gives it just that nice two-stop edge in light gathering so you don't need to use the flash unit as much.
Bush & Leaves by Godfrey DiGiorgi, on Flickr
Bush & Leaves - Santa Clara 2021
Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT
enjoy! G
I too have the 'Ming SLR670x" model (had the Instantkon you've referenced elsewhere), and I dig the MiNT SLR670x. Can you say more about why you prefer the 670a over the 670x? Great photo! Thanks!
I sent my SLR680 to Retrospekt for repair. They charge a flat-rate, and my camera required some major work. Came back like new. I also have an SLR690, but the fresnel mirror in the 680 is better.
I have an original SX-70, converted to take 600 film. I removed the ND disk over the electric eye and set it one notch to Darken. Use a film cover as a shoehorn to get the 600 pack into the camera, if it is notched.
I have an original SX-70, converted to take 600 film. I removed the ND disk over the electric eye and set it one notch to Darken. Use a film cover as a shoehorn to get the 600 pack into the camera, if it is notched.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Thank you!
It's a little strong to say I prefer the SLR670a over the SLR670x, I use them just about interchangeably most of the time, but I like the simplicity of the -a model since I most often find myself using the -x in automatic mode with 600 film. The -a has no controller to come free in the shoulder bag and/or lose, and I can pop the flash onto it without having to think "which film am I using, what settings are needed, where do I stick the Time Machine controller while I'm using the flash" ... etc. The -a is basically just simpler and fewer decisions to make.
But I like the versatility and options that the -m and -x give me, and I tend to just use all four of my SX-70 cameras (SX-70 original, SLR670m, SLR670a, and SLR670x) in rotation unless I have specific needs that only one or the other can perform, or I have one loaded with B&W and I want to use color, or whatever. They're all excellent cameras.
G
Exploring RF
New at RF
Thank you!
It's a little strong to say I prefer the SLR670a over the SLR670x, I use them just about interchangeably most of the time, but I like the simplicity of the -a model since I most often find myself using the -x in automatic mode with 600 film. The -a has no controller to come free in the shoulder bag and/or lose, and I can pop the flash onto it without having to think "which film am I using, what settings are needed, where do I stick the Time Machine controller while I'm using the flash" ... etc. The -a is basically just simpler and fewer decisions to make.
But I like the versatility and options that the -m and -x give me, and I tend to just use all four of my SX-70 cameras (SX-70 original, SLR670m, SLR670a, and SLR670x) in rotation unless I have specific needs that only one or the other can perform, or I have one loaded with B&W and I want to use color, or whatever. They're all excellent cameras.
G
Got it. Helpful! I am going to get mine going again, and with fresh film. I tend to let the film sit around. Also, for those unfamiliar with MiNT Camera, founder Gary Ho is VERY responsive to his customers.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Yes, Gary and his staff are great to deal with.
I was out with the SLR670m on my walk yesterday and stopped for coffee ... snapped this of the camera and the photos I'd made so far:
I'm almost out of 600 film, and getting low on SX-70 film ... time for an order while the Black Friday special is still on.
Shouldn't let the film sit around too long. I try to buy just enough to use it up within about 5-6 months. I have been shooting with the Polaroids pretty regularly this past year and some.
G
I was out with the SLR670m on my walk yesterday and stopped for coffee ... snapped this of the camera and the photos I'd made so far:
I'm almost out of 600 film, and getting low on SX-70 film ... time for an order while the Black Friday special is still on.
Shouldn't let the film sit around too long. I try to buy just enough to use it up within about 5-6 months. I have been shooting with the Polaroids pretty regularly this past year and some.
G
Exploring RF
New at RF
Yes, Gary and his staff are great to deal with.
I was out with the SLR670m on my walk yesterday and stopped for coffee ... snapped this of the camera and the photos I'd made so far:
I'm almost out of 600 film, and getting low on SX-70 film ... time for an order while the Black Friday special is still on.
Shouldn't let the film sit around too long. I try to buy just enough to use it up within about 5-6 months. I have been shooting with the Polaroids pretty regularly this past year and some.
G
Nice contrast! You've inspired me! Out doing chores today, and will take it. And ordering fresh film now!
Exploring RF
New at RF
Yes, Gary and his staff are great to deal with.
I was out with the SLR670m on my walk yesterday and stopped for coffee ... snapped this of the camera and the photos I'd made so far:
I'm almost out of 600 film, and getting low on SX-70 film ... time for an order while the Black Friday special is still on.
Shouldn't let the film sit around too long. I try to buy just enough to use it up within about 5-6 months. I have been shooting with the Polaroids pretty regularly this past year and some.
G
And what's your take on SX-70 vs. 600? I've almost exclusively used 600. Am I missing anything that SX-70 provides?
hap
Well-known
As Godfrey has given a lot of time explaining some of the intracacies of the Polaroid Instant world to me....he knows I have a original sx 70 but needs work. I did not get good results from Impossible film. I suspect the electronics needs some freshening up. I have some images I took when I had good real original polaroid sx color film. these images were manipulated with small stick and it's a gas to engage this process....although no longer available. I'd like to show a few mine copied by an old camera phone. How would I upload them
Godfrey
somewhat colored
The re-created SX-70 and 600 films from today's Polaroid (remember that these films were recreated by The Impossible Project, rebranded to Polaroid Originals, then re-branded once again to Polaroid over the course of the past 10 years, and are completely new and unrelated to prior film made by Polaroid that was discontinued in 2005.. ) are very similar: There are minor nuances in the color rendering and in the B&W microcontrast, but the differences are not huge. The SX-70 film is slightly better for longer exposure work if you have one of the cameras that supports time exposures (like the SLR670m, SLR670s, and SLR670x by MiNT)... it has just a little less reciprocity and seems to hold a longer tonal scale with long exposures past 4 seconds. By and large the 600 film is advantageous (presuming your camera is calibrated for ISO 600) due to the shorter exposures in normal light and less need for flash most of the time.
These films have been through quite a number of revisions over the past ten years ... The early versions of both B&W and color were extremely inconsistent both in ISO and color characteristics, aged out quite quickly when unrefrigerated, and were very very slow to develop and image.
The current versions are consistent, process to an image in a reasonable amount of time (the B&W is quicker and I can tell whether my exposure is on target in 5-10 minutes (takes some experience for sure), the color takes a bit longer to get to that point; both continue to finalize in color and contrast over the course of about 24 hours). The B&W rendering is a good, medium to strong contrast look; the color on a properly exposed frame is quite good.
Both B&W and color are sensitive to the ambient temperature when processing, and like all instant film have rather limited latitude: figuring the 'best exposure' for a given scene and lighting situation takes some experience and experimentation as the film's latitude and dynamic range will certainly be less than most scenes. You have to be able to 'see' what is going to be lost, both in shadows and at highlights, and choose the exposure that will give you the results you pre-visualize. There's a knack to it. That said: For average, medium contrast scenes, the in-camera exposure meters are remarkably good!
Going beyond just the film:
Another point of variability is the cameras themselves. Most SX-70 and 600 cameras are quite old now ... shutters tend to slow down as they age if they aren't cleaned and lubricated, the older meters lose some of their calibration too. How much abuse they have withstood is also an issue. My original SX-70 camera was a coddled favorite owned from new by my uncle (bought in 1974...), who was a fairly knowledgable photographer himself. He never abused it and always kept it in good storage conditions ... As a result, although it has never been serviced, it responds almost identically to different lighting situations as my overhauled and upgraded SLR670 series cameras from MiNT. Other SX-70s I had in the past did not fare as well and produced exposures with a wide variation in different lighting, even from shot to shot in the same lighting.
The modern era with digitization of the images opens up further possibilities for image processing and enhancing what instant film can do. I usually don't like to manipulate the Polaroid images too much, prefer to get it right in the original print as best possible, but there are cases where scanning with a good camera or scanner and then working the image with image processing has created something well beyond what the film and camera could achieve on their own.
I've been shooting Polaroid from ages past to the present, and shoot with it regularly. I'm now at the point where I can get 8 good frames out of a pack of the modern film pretty consistently and reliably, unless I get sloppy and don't stop to think about each exposure. And still I am sometimes surprised—in both directions! I know my cameras well because I use them often, and I study my results after every session to see where I made mistakes, try to remember and not make the same ones too often in the future. For me, this is fun and challenging. And I love the way the photos look when it all comes together.
G
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Well, an 'old camera phone' is doubtless not one of the best ways to digitize a Polaroid print. A relatively modern smartphone with today's in-phone cameras and some image processing work either with a dedicated app or with something like SnapSeed can do a pretty good job. You can then add a photo to a post here on RFF using the usual means ... either host it on Flickr.com like I do and link to it here, or upload it to RFF as an attachment.
The photo I've attached here was captured by my iPhone 11 Pro using the 2x camera with the Moment app, minimally processed in SnapSeed4, and uploaded directly to this post as an attachment from the phone.
G