Modify Polaroid Spectra Camera To Use Non-polaroid Film

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Modify Your Polaroid Spectra Camera to use Non-Polaroid Film by Nano_Burger on March 14, 2010

Table of Contents Modify Your Polaroid Spectra Camera to use Non-Polaroid Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

Intro: Modify Your Polaroid Spectra Camera to use Non-Polaroid Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Step 1: Spectra Camera Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Step 2: Stuff You Will Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Step 3: Powering Your Spectra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

Step 4: Modifying the Exposure System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Step 5: Modifying the Film Ejection Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

Step 6: Light Proofing the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

Step 7: Preparing the Film Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

Step 8: Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 9: Test Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 10: Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Author:Nano_Burger I was born at a very young age....skipping forward a bit, now I like to fool around with cameras, film, digits, ect.

Intro: Modify Your Polaroid Spectra Camera to use Non-Polaroid Film Lets face it...Polaroid has mostly abandoned its commitment to analog instant photography. I understand the hard business facts behind this move, but as someone who bought the camera, I feel a little cheated. They have stopped making all integral film and the price of the last stocks of fresh film is skyrocketing in price. For example, Spectra film use to be $1 an exposure but is now $2 and exposure in most markets and will only increase as the supply dwindles. A project to restart production called, "the Impossible Project" (the "p" on impossible is backward for some hip and trendy reason) is restarting production of integral and other Polaroid films, however the cost is still in the $2 to $3 per exposure range. What is the cheapskate hipster to do? Well here is one idea. In this Instructable, we will convert a Polaroid Spectra to operate with regular sheet film. >>>Warning<<< This modification will pretty much destroy your cameras ability to shoot regular Polaroid Spectra or Impossible Project Image film, so there is no turning back! Also, your camera will no longer be an instant camera! You will have to develop and print (or scan) the images yourself.

Step 1: Spectra Camera Overview After Spectra stopped trying to take over the Earth, its peoples and resources with giant mechanical assault robots in the 70's, it switched to making upscale instant photo cameras in the early 1980's in collaboration with Polaroid Inc. Spectra cameras had higher quality lenses and better overall fit and finish than other Polaroid cameras. The original Spectra came with quite a few photographic controls. Sadly, Polaroid winnowed those down with each successive Spectra camera model. The only real tick up in quality was the Spectra Pro...designed (and priced) for professionals. Its always been expensive to shoot Polaroid film, but now that Polaroid has stopped production and future production will be a boutique film item its time for this camera to modify this camera to use cheaper film.

Image Notes 1. Strobe.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

2. Viewfinder. 3. Self timer indicator light. 4. Lightmeter. 5. Plastic Quintec lens. 6. Sonar focusing emitter.

Image Notes 1. This lever opens the film chamber door.

Image Notes 1. Viewfinder 2. Distance units (ft or meters) 3. Chime off or on. 4. Self Timer 5. Autofocus on or off. 6. flash on or off 7. Exposure compensation about 1 stop worth either way. 8. Flash charge indicator lights and remote control plug. 9. Exposure counter (counts down from 10). 10. Shutter release. 11. Tripod socket.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Step 2: Stuff You Will Need My idea for this instructable came from the realization that the cut film holders I have for 3.25" X 4.25" film fit nearly perfectly into the mouth of a Spectra camera. I filed the idea away until the price of Spectra film started climbing and it was clear Polaroid was getting out of the Spectra film business. These film holders are familiar to Graflex camera owners and fairly common on eBay and dusty camera shops. 1. A Polaroid Spectra Camera. 2. 3.25" X 4.25" film holder(s). 3. 4 X AA battery box with power switch. 4. WIre glue (conductive glue) or make your own: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Conductive-Glue-and-Glue-a-Circuit/ 5. Epoxy..the wonder adhesive from the 1950's! 6. Various lengths of wire. 7. 3.25" X 4.25" film. Freestyle has precut Efke in 100 and 50 ASA. 8. Neutral density gel filter (about 3 stop). 9. Black felt. 10. Nerve enough to hack this camera!

Image Notes 1. 4 X AA battery pack...6 volts 2. Swatch book of polyester filters. 3. 3.25 X 4.25 cut film holder. 4. This is what an (empty) Spectra film pack looks like. Not needed, but good to have around while modifying your camera.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Step 3: Powering Your Spectra Polaroid had the ingenious idea of building a battery pack into each film pack so you never had to worry about the batteries suddenly dying. To replace the six volts of power that feeds the camera, I bought a nifty 4 X AA holder with a nice switch on the box for about $2. 1. Remove the door that has the rollers. This is easily done by bending the tabs on the left and right side. This will make it a little easier to get at the insides of the camera. 2. Next attach wire to the metal battery contacts inside the film chamber. A pair of needle nose pliers are great for twisting the wire onto the posts. 3. The camera has way too much plastic to properly solder the wires on the contacts, so I used wire glue...a conductive glue which works fine for the low voltages we are working with here. 4. Wire glue is not that strong, so I reinforced the bond by flowing epoxy over the connection. Make sure the electrical connection is there before doing the epoxy! 5. Once both battery contacts have a wire attached, feed the wires out of the camera. 6. Solder your battery pack wires to the wires from the battery contacts. Pay attention to the polarity! I finished these connections with some heat shrink tubing, but electrical tape would work fine. 7. I used double sided tape to stick the battery pack to the top of the camera. It may look awkward, but it does not interfere with the cameras operation or the tripod socket there.

Image Notes 1. Polaroid battery. 2. Positive 3. Negative

Image Notes 1. Wire glue. 2. Attaching wires to the terminals. 3. Removing the door allows easy access to the film chamber.

Image Notes 1. Battery Contacts. 2. Film ejection hook.

Image Notes 1. Wires attached with conductive glue and reinforced with epoxy. 2. Latch Catch.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Image Notes 1. 6 volt battery pack. It has a switch to turn on and off. Image Notes 1. Heat shrink tubing (not shrunk yet). 2. Join wires and solder together.

Image Notes 1. Fire! he he he....he Image Notes 1. Ready for solder.

Image Notes 1. splice

Image Notes 1. Big tube goes over the splices and shrunk.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Image Notes 1. Completed battery pack. 2. Double sided foam tape. 3. I put the door back on for this shot.

Step 4: Modifying the Exposure System The Spectra camera was designed with one film speed in mind...that is 640 ASA. Although the technology was originated with 600 Series film, the actual film speed is 640. This is way too fast for the 100 ASA Efke I got from Freestyle Camera. Sooo you have to fool the camera into increasing its exposure. The camera has a lighten/darken slider, but this only varies the exposure by one stop. To get the exposure in the ballpark, I simply glued a neutral density filter over the light sensor. 1. Cut the appropriate neutral density filter out in a shape that covers the light sensor. I used one that would attenuate 2.7 stops (about 115 ASA). 2. Glue filter over the light sensor on the camera. I used white caisein glue so it would be easily removable if I chose to use another ASA film.

Image Notes 1. 2.7 stops will fool the camera into about 115 ASA. Well within the exposure lattitude of 100 ASA film.

Image Notes 1. Light sensor

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Image Notes 1. A little white glue to hold the gel on. Can change it easily when using different ASA film.

Step 5: Modifying the Film Ejection Mechanism The camera has a hook that pulls the film from the pack and through the rollers to develop the picture. This is no longer needed and will only screw up the film holder we substitute for the film pack. 1. Grab the film ejection hook cut it out with some wire cutters. Incidently a common problem with the Spectra is that the hook bends and can't catch the film anymore. Sometimes you can bend the hook to function again. However if that is not an option anymore, this method of hacking the camera is an ideal way to "recycle."

Image Notes 1. Battery Contacts. 2. Film ejection hook.

Image Notes 1. Hook part

Step 6: Light Proofing the Camera The new film holders are about 2mm or 3mm less wide than the Spectra film pack. I used this difference to glue some light proofing felt on the right hand side of the camera (as looking at the lens). You can use felt on the other side, but only for a few cm's as there is a switch the film holder must engage for proper camera operation. 1. Use the side of a real film pack as a template and cut black felt in the shape of the side of the film pack chanber. 2. Use glue to glue your felt into the right side of the film pack chamber. 3. Glue a small patch of felt on the left side of the chamber, but don't interfere with the sensor switches on the left side.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Image Notes 1. A few mm less wide than a real film pack.

Image Notes 1. glued up felt for the side. 2. Apply felt here.

Step 7: Preparing the Film Holder The film holders are a little too long for the camera. To make a light baffle, I used a width of a piece of electrical tape. 1. Wrap about the final 3/4" of the film holder with black electrical tape. Reverse a piece on the underside where the tape encounters the dark slide of the film holder. Otherwise the tape will stick to the dark slide...don't ask me how I know!

Image Notes 1. The latest word in Croatian film technology. 2. Dark Slide

Image Notes 1. Black electrical tape.

Image Notes

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

1. Tape was also stuck to the underneath so the tape would not stick to the dark slide. I only ruined two sheet of film to figure that out.

Step 8: Operation To take photos with your newly hacked Spectra. 1. Load cut film holders with film. 2. Expand the camera by activating the slider switch on the left side. 3. Open the film pack chamber by depressing the lever on the right side of the camera. 4. Press metal tab at the film door closure until it clicks to fool the camera into believing that the film chamber door is closed. 5. Insert the film holder into the film chamber ensuring the film holder is fully to the left to engage the camera's sensors. 6. Turn on your battery pack and ignore the noise the camera makes (it is trying to eject the dark slide for the film pack). 7. Pull out the top dark slide. 8. Compose your exposure and press the shutter release half way to engage the autofocus. 9. Once you are satisfied with your composition, press the shutter release fully to expose your picture. 10. Ignore the grinding, ejecting noise (nothing will happen because you took out the ejection hook). 11. Reinsert dark slide. 12. Turn off the battery pack. 13. Pull out film holder and reverse the film holder. 14. Turn on battery pack. 15. Repeat. It sounds more laborious that it is. Once you have it down, it will take only a few seconds to get ready for a shot. Here is a video of the standard operation:

Image Notes 1. Wires attached with conductive glue and reinforced with epoxy. 2. Latch Catch.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Step 9: Test Photos Polaroid cameras don't have to have the sharpest, or even well corrected lenses since the "negative" size is the print size....so don't expect tack sharp negatives! Even with this low expectation, I think the negatives came out rather well. I was convinced that this whole adventure would not work, so I just tossed the negatives into a tank with some 35mm film on steel reels. The damage to the negatives was caused by the reels scraping against the sheet film. Now that I know it works, I'll use my cut film tank! Well, there ya go. Have fun with your modified Spectra!

Image Notes 1. This holder have bad baffles, hence this light leak. 2. Note that the format is now pretty square...like 600 film. 3. You could write on this portion if you wanted to.

Image Notes 1. Damage I caused during developing. 2. Close up test. 3. My long suffering photo model.

Image Notes 1. Damaged during developing. 2. I turned off the flash for this one which led to long shutter speed. 3. Distance test.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Step 10: Update I've been using my modified Spectra for a few weeks now and I thought I would update the instructable with a few issues I've encountered: 1. Springs. The camera has two metal springs that ensure the film pack is pressed against the film plane. With all the putting in and taking out of the cut film holders, one popped out. Upon closer examination, it appears that the springs have a small hook that could impede the cut film holder. To solve the problem, I took out the other spring and bent it in the opposite direction so the hook is facing down and reinstalled the springs. Once I was satisfied with the position, I epoxied the springs in place so they could not come out again. 2. Light leaks. Although using the camera indoors seemed OK, the small light leaks ballooned when I was taking photos in bright sunshine. To help this, I added some extra electrical tape to the sheet film holders. I added the tape right up the the edge of the image produced by the camera. That is about 1.5 inches. Remember to add a backing to the tape so the darkslide can move freely. I'll keep on updating this instructable as it seems like there is a lot of interest now that the Impossible Project film has hit the streets and at least for now has some issues...

Image Notes 1. Spring in its original configuration with hook pointed up. 2. Bent spring with hook facing down.

Image Notes 1. Once bent, the hooks should slide back in place. Use some needle nose pliers if you have trouble.

Image Notes 1. Spring placement. I epoxied it in place so it will never come out again.

Image Notes 1. About two widths of electrical tape for added light leak protection. 2. Image area. More square like 600 film than wide Spectra film, but what are ya gonna do?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Image Notes 1. Photo from the newly modified film holders. Light leaks have been eliminated for the most part. This was in full sun. 2. Statue of a fallen cavalryman in Arlington National Cemetery.

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Comments 29 comments Add Comment

kanalav says: Would it be possible to modify this for the Polaroid One-Step?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Apr 14, 2011. 4:36 PM REPLY

ElvenChild says:

Jan 7, 2011. 12:46 PM REPLY

Now polaroid has a digital self printing camera called the polaroid pogo instant digital camera

rrrmanion says:

Oct 31, 2010. 5:36 PM REPLY NO DON'T DO IT! PLEASE? I BEG OF YOU! .... and here's why... some people, really like Polaroid not for usefulness, but of how iconic it was, to me, it's up there with the Box Brownie, and it was the equivalent of a camera phone, not in features or functionality, but in what it did, and how it set photography free, making it mass market and bringing it to everyone.

Nano_Burger says:

Nov 1, 2010. 6:33 AM REPLY

rrrmanion, I respect your viewpoint, but do not share it. Cameras take photographs. If I have to modify a 100 year old antique Box Brownie to use modern film formats (and probably destroying its value on Antiques Road show), I will! This is a little different as Image film is available from the good folks at the Impossible Project. However, the film is currently too expensive for me to use as freely as I like. I also have some issues with the quality of the film, however that is slowly getting better as the Impossible folks improve their formulas. This modification allows me to use the camera with inexpensive sheet film. If you want to keep your Polaroids in a non-working state on display behind glass as a symbol of photographic freedom...more power to ya! I'll keep putting Dremel to camera to make the camera work and produce images as a symbol of photographic freedom. Two methods, same goal!

rrrmanion says:

Nov 7, 2010. 2:00 AM REPLY well, think a lot of people may start wanting to use the Polaroid range again, and i know there is a new instant camera, but it's just an instamax that has been re-branded, what i would like to see, is an instructable on how to convert an sx-70 to run on the new 300 film,

Nano_Burger says:

Nov 10, 2010. 3:02 PM REPLY The camera your refer to is the Instax by Fuji Film. Polaroid has a branded an Instax Mini as a Polaroid camera. More power to both!

rrrmanion says:

Nov 13, 2010. 9:57 AM REPLY

yeah, but it's not really Polaroid is it? it's the owners of the brand name polaroid, it's just not the same.

-chase- says:

Apr 1, 2010. 8:08 AM REPLY

Interesting Hack of the Spectra for use with with the 4x5 film holders. And nice instructable. May i ask - What was the issue you were having in the Darkroom that scratched your film? Those are some pretty nasty scratches! Are you dip processesing your film or using a can of some kind? I like the write on idea - be nice to have flod up door to do so added on to a dedicated film holder for this hack. I was looking at a old Kodak folder with the write widow and pen in the back yesterday is why it comes to mind - camera was in real bad shape as the people that had it up for sale didn't know about how to work it - (open and close it) and bent the slide for the lense carrier on the rail. - might pick it up and use it for a mod if they come down on the price enough. and since i saw it and you mentioned writing on the lower section of film with your Hack - this came to mind. Now to get it to all come together! lol Unless you have another easier way to write on it with out expossing the lower half of film? thoughts on this?

Nano_Burger says:

Apr 2, 2010. 2:23 PM REPLY

Chase, I used 3.25 X 4.25 film holders, not 4 x 5. 4 X 5 film holders are too big to be used in this way. The scratches came from spiral reels that were holding 35mm film. The normal inversions during this type of developing scraped the film. I have since used my cut film tank. The Kodak cameras you are referring to are called "Autographic" cameras. They had a light tight carbon paper that you wrote on. This would allow light to hit the film. They have not made this film for several decades. Cool idea, but historical surveys of old negetives reveal it was not used very often. WHen I suggested writing on the film, it would be with a sharpie. The film would make a nice presentation when contact printed on to 5X7 photo paper. Nice since you don't need an enlarger for that type of print. You would get a black boarder with white writing.

-chase- says:

Apr 10, 2010. 2:41 PM REPLY

Thanx for the reply Nano_Burger. You're kinda loosing me on the film holder with the size you mention. The image size opening for the 545i [which i have] for instant film and cut film is 3.25 x 4.25. This fits a standard 4x5 camera - [which i also have] Link to the 545i holder for instant and cut film:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

The cut film holder you show - looks to be a standard two sheet holder for 4x5 cameras. or Double cut film holder as it is refered to. Link to one here Are you talking about a non-standard 3x4 holder - quarter plate size holder - which takes the non-standard quater plate size film 3.25 x 4.25? sorry if i'm missing something... thanx

Nano_Burger says:

May 6, 2010. 6:15 AM REPLY

Chase, Sorry for not getting back to you quicker. The sheet film holders are for 3.25 X 4.25 sheet film. They are commonly called 3X4 film holders. They are not as common as 4 X 5 film holder that you have. They are smaller and used most often in Graflex Cameras. You can buy them new here: http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/LS3400/?t=GB01&a=CA01&CAWELAID=36795254 But I would cruise eBay where can get them much cheaper.

LvdH says:

Apr 12, 2010. 12:48 PM REPLY

I'd wait with this mod; the Dutch Polaroid factory has recently started producing again: www.theimpossibleproject.com

Nano_Burger says:

Apr 12, 2010. 2:05 PM REPLY Yes, the Impossible Project is starting to produce film. Right now, they have SX-70 film and will add 600 series film soon. Spectra film is slated for production later in the year. Right now I'd say that they have two major problems. 1. Poor photo quality. The current batch of SX-70 film is of abysmal print quality compared to fresh Polaroid film. Perhaps this is an unfair comparison considering the limited resources that IP has access to. However, some artists have embraced the limitation of this film and have become vocal advocates. To each his or her own. I won't be using IP film until it at least comes close to the Polaroid film it is trying to replace. 2. High price. As I have said before, shooting Polaroid film has never been an inexpensive pursuit. However, by my calculation IP film is at about $4 per exposure (this includes shipping). I would hope that with standardized production costs will decrease and this will be passed on to the consumer. I'm not so sure though. Once we are sensitized to paying that much, I don't see IP from giving up that funding stream. I have an unmodified Spectra just waiting for good quality and reasonably priced IP Image (Spectra) film if it ever comes. Until then, it is pretty much a paper weight. I personally don't like cameras sitting around on their butts and not earning their keep. I'm giving IP a year to wow me.... if not then out comes the dremel!

snowmonster says:

Apr 3, 2010. 12:09 AM REPLY Just to note, I don't think the 'p' being made backwards in 'impossible' was meant to be hip and trendy. Before it was revealed to the public that the impossible project would be possible, the 'p' was forward. It was probably reversed to signify that the project wasn't impossible. Nice instructable!

Nano_Burger says:

Apr 3, 2010. 6:52 AM REPLY

Ahhh. That distinction was completely lost on me. Thanks for the info!

Tom Bucher says:

Apr 1, 2010. 12:09 PM REPLY Don't sacrifice all your old Polaroid cameras just yet. According to "Wired" magazine several ex-employees bought up what was left of Polariod. Unfortunately for some reason they were unable to concoct the chemicals for color "Polariod" or what ever they were going to call it. Seems that now Polariod has had a change of heart and is willing to jump back into the market. This if my memory serves me about the article which I cannot put my fingre on at the moment or I would quote from it.

Nano_Burger says:

Apr 2, 2010. 2:42 PM REPLY

Tom, The project is called the "Impossible" project. So far they have produced SX-70 film and a promise of 600 film soon. The film produced so far is of very poor quality when compared to the original Polaroid product. They blame this on not being able to procure the same materials that Polaroid did. They want to produce Spectra or "Image" film as it it known outside the US market. However, it will be later this year before they will dedicate their line to Spectra film. Even if they are able to produce a quality film, it is likely to cost at least 4 times the original film cost. This instructable is designed for the folks who can't afford the film, but still want to use the camera.

Ninzerbean says:

Apr 1, 2010. 5:17 PM REPLY According to the WSJ you can buy sepia film for the Polaroid from the Impossible Project and they promise to have color film again by this summer.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/

Nano_Burger says:

Apr 2, 2010. 2:56 PM REPLY The current impossible project film is for the SX-70 series cameras. 600 series film is promised soon and after that and Spectra film will follow after that. So far we have low contrast, muddy, sepia toned film that is highly sensitive to temperature. OK, any artist will work within the limitations of the media and likely produce excellent images. The whole Lomography/lo-fi/toy camera movement has shown us that. But as a former Polaroid user, this film is just not up to snuff. If they ever produce quality color film at a reasonable price, I'll be the first in line.

Ninzerbean says:

Apr 2, 2010. 3:07 PM REPLY

Oh, I wasn't paying close enough attention, thank you for the clarification.

mr monoply33 says:

Apr 1, 2010. 12:39 PM REPLY

Bookmarked! Eventually I'll need this. :D

Nano_Burger says:

Mar 24, 2010. 7:55 PM REPLY It looks like the PX 600 is for the SX- 70 and not the 600 series. However from what I remember, the 600 easily fit into the SX-70 camera with a little modification.

Nano_Burger says:

Mar 24, 2010. 6:09 PM REPLY Not really solved...unfortunately. The PX 600 is for the common 600 series Polaroids not the Spectra (or Image) format and as I mentioned, the price is approximately $4.00 per exposure. That is for 8 exposures per pack at that! And...monochrome at that! Although from what I have seen, it is more sepia than true black and white. This impossible project is getting a whole lot of hype and (so far) some poor quality and value (read expensive) film in result. I'm afraid that the Impossible Project is in serious danger of....going Lomo!

zoltzerino says:

Mar 24, 2010. 2:23 PM REPLY

Problems solved.

Nano_Burger says:

Mar 23, 2010. 2:33 PM REPLY I had 3 Spectras when I started out. One was wonky in the first place and I pretty much destroyed it on my 1st attempt at modding the camera. Taking cameras apart is usually pretty easy, but Polaroid made their cameras particularly difficult to take apart. The second I did entirely from the outside and resulted in this Instructable. The third is being reserved for the impossible project film. It does not look good though. They just came out with PX600 (for 600 series film cameras), but $22 for 8 exposures is $2.75 an exposure. Not even including shipping which will add at least a dollar an exposure to the price. Also, it only comes in grainy sepia monochrome. It will take them a while to get around to Spectra (Image) film, I was thinking that I might just give up and try to convert the last one to 120 roll film. It is certainly easier to find than 3X4 film....

Doldrum says:

Mar 23, 2010. 9:34 AM REPLY

i have two polaroids at home so one of them is going to be subjected to this :) thanks for the great instuctable!

caitlinsdad says:

Mar 19, 2010. 5:52 PM REPLY Nice, I guess you now need to think about hacking on a digital film back or place a gutted digital camera into the Polaroid shell. They will probably abandon traditional film soon...

lovepirate9 says:

Mar 20, 2010. 12:54 AM REPLY I honestly don't think they ever will, there is still a big demand out there for photographers to develop their own film, because some people think digital just isnt "rich" enough. Digital vs film is two totally different experience for photography and photographers :) They might take it out of stores eventually for personal use, but somewhere out there there will always be photographers that have their own black room, OR specialty photography companies and stores. The chemicals by the way, are dangerous to work with

caitlinsdad says:

Mar 20, 2010. 6:19 AM REPLY I have a friend that will spend hundreds on finding the right ink-jet printer and archival papers just to get a regular photo-print. I hear ya, some things are better the old-fashioned way.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-Your-Polaroid-Spectra-Camera-to-use-Non-Pol/