#Polaroid camera retro manual#

I hold the opinion that if you’re going to own an SX-70 you might as well own the original.

There are a number of models available, some in different colors, some with Sonar focusing. An advanced automatic exposure system is capable of shutter speeds ranging from 1/175 of a second to more than 10 seconds, and this exposure may be manually adjusted via an exposure compensation wheel on the front of the camera, putting quality photos in the hands of masters and beginners alike.

#Polaroid camera retro manual#

A split-image rangefinder equipped viewfinder allows for manual focusing as close as 10.4 inches (26.4 cm). Optical prowess follows – the SX-70 uses a 4-element 116mm F/8 glass lens that makes stunning images.

It was the first instant camera capable of shooting five photos in ten seconds. It was the first instant camera to use automatic-developing integral film (this meant no waste to clean up, as all process chemicals are permanently stored in the print). This visionary design is paired with equally impressive engineering, making the SX-70 a camera of many firsts. I love it for its remarkable design – when folded closed it’s an unbelievably compact and elegant assemblage of brushed chrome and leather, and when deployed for photo-taking it’s unlike any camera in the world. To think that this thing came out in 1972 – it must’ve been mind-blowing. The masterpiece product of famed inventor Edwin Land (second only to Thomas Edison when measured in number of registered patents), this camera changed the entire landscape of American camera culture. If you’re going to own only one Polaroid camera, this should be the one. I begin our list with my personal favorite. Good news for us, many of these rarer Polaroid cameras can still be bought and used today.įor serious photo geeks and lovers of all things uncommon, here are five special Polaroid cameras and the reasons they’re worth you’re attention. No surprise then that over the course of fifty-plus years, Polaroid would release a number of exciting and interesting machines that set the then-nascent tech world ablaze. Under Edwin Land, Polaroid was an enterprise cut from the same high tech and innovative cloth as modern companies like Steve Jobs’ Apple. These are the Polaroids for the masses that we’ve all seen a hundred times, and they’re all just about the same.īut not all Polaroid cameras are so run-of-the-mill. While I love the ubiquitous 600-series machines for their ease of use and their ability to pull me right back to the ’80s, I can understand why some shooters and collectors regard them as a bit boring. Polaroid cameras are a dime a dozen, and utterly fantastic.