Polaroid 150... can it become a medium format folder?

One more thing PaT if the new metal film holder changes the factory distance from the film plane to the rear lens element even slightly (like 3mm) this will cause your rangefinder and inf. focus to be off a little. I can;t tell from the photos though. Its a really easy thing to fix and a great thing to know. Just make a ghetto frosted glass from Cd or tape holder case plastic and polish one side slightly with fine steel wool. check out the link too for details http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/focadj.html

Patrick:

 

I am totally impressed by your surgery ! You just gave me the urge of doing the same thing to this type of camera.

 

I will not make one for 6x6, but for 6x12 or something like that, which is somewhat panoramic format. This will maximize the usage of the lens. For 6x6, IMHO, it is better to get a dedicated camera, much more compact. Nevertheless, it is a lot of fun doing that.

 

For the infinity setting adjustment, this is what I did:

 

First, look at the URL provided for the inf. focus adjustment. This is a good way of doing it. I chose to do otherwise.

 

What I did was to get the Ground Glass installed in my camera, to which, with a pencil, I marked a crosshair in the center of this GG. For this, use Scotch tape, the "frosted" type, this works well.

 

Then, I took another camera, set it at INFINITY, and aimed it dead center right though the modified camera lens, so that I can see the crosshair on the GG.

 

For the Pola, I needed to drill out the tiny rivets that hold the infinity plate (you will see them) and remove the two small screws that hold this same plate. The lens carriage is now free to move.

 

Slide the lens carriage up of down the rails until you see through the other camera the crosshair coming into focus. Once there, this is your infinity setting. Now, very carefully, put a piece of very sticky tape on top of the infinity plate and the bed. Slide the carriage back, lift the tape and put the strongest expoxy that you can find to hold everything together. Very carefully, because the infinity adj. is a delicate affair.

 

Thanks for sharing the procedure that you have done. As I said, this is tempting me to do same. Lots of fun on muggy summer days when it is unpleasant to go out to take photos.

 

I am seriously thinking of putting my procedure to a 4x5 on a web page and a CD with lots of details on the steps. If I may suggest, you should think of doing same.

 

This could be really useful to lots of people that would like to have this type of camera but wouldn't know how to come about doing it, or that do not wish to pay exhorbitant and exotic amounts of money to do this simple thing.

 

The results with my 4x5 are identical to the most expensive type available. It only cost me $10 or so and a rainy afternoon to do this. Granted, it is not a view camera, but on the other hand, it is really portable and fun to use.

 

Thanks.

Patrick:

 

Now that I think about it, the best way for the film advance for 6x6 is to drill a hole in the back of the camera so that you can see the film frame number.

 

Counting winder knob turns can be tricky, if you are as distracted as I am. This will lead to overlapping frames and other types of calamities. With the drill press, this hole should be easy to center and to drill.

 

I have a red window from an old Kodak that you can have.

 

For the 6x10, well, that is another story, the turns counter will do.

Diwan, the 6x6 mask is just an "option" I plan on useing the full 6x10 frame of this camera... im pretty excited about that paroramic format. And since I intend on using both formats, the best way to go is just count those winds. BTW, because Im keeping both doors on this camera, i would have to drill a big hole in the pressure plate and the inner door. The outer door of course still has that big window for pulling out the polaroids.

Patrick:

 

Sorry, my misunderstanding. To drill through both doors can be a feat. Panoramic photos, you will love them. I tried that once, and it is great.

 

I patched all the drill holes in my camera with J&B weld, works like a charm. You may have problems with light leaks through the original polaroid doors and slot to pull the polaroid tab out. Maybe, depending on how much pola equipment you have left in the camera. I resolved my situation by glueing a batten of thin plywood at an angle to obscure the pola film slot left over in the right side of the camera.

 

I am totally curious as to what results you will get with this. It is a great adventure. You have to promise to all that you will post the results. What you are doing is extremely exciting. An "alternative" camera and at the same time salvaging, rather, giving new life to an old useless clunker.

 

I am also curious as to the perfomance of this lens. I only saw it once but not on film, only through an adapted GG. I hope its a good lens. Pola made lots of junky cameras and lenses in its time.

 

Congratulations ! Your adventure gives all of us lots of things to think about ( how to productively pass a rainy day ).

 

Best.

OOOOPS. When drilling through the top... be careful, take the top apart immediatly and clean it out. I realized today that my veiwfinder/rangefinder was covered in metal chips on the inside!!! Nothing too bad, i just had to take it apart and vaccuum and clean. (I needed to clean all those elements anyway.) While i was in there i took some black electrical tape and fixed the veiw finder to show the slightly smaller 120 proportions. <Br>

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I took the spring which was originally used to hold the film down and trimmed it down and bolted it to the new part of the door:<br>

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<img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/patrickjdempsey/Polaroid%20Land%20Camera%20Model%20150/poladoorspring.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"><br>

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And heres the finished product... I hope you'll agree that my film winder has that oh so 50's flair. I cant wait to buy film tomorrow!<br>

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<img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/patrickjdempsey/Polaroid%20Land%20Camera%20Model%20150/polafinished.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"><br>

Patrick:

 

Your adventure is definitely very interesting. I forgot to tell you about the spring for film tension earlier, but you have it already figured out.

 

As for the film advance knob, if I may suggest, you may find someting more "esthetic" at Radio Shack, try the stereo replacement knobs, they surely have one that will match the look ($2.00 ??).

 

Definitely awesome ! Radical in all respects ! What more to say. Please, once you get and process the film, post the results. I cannot stop insisting on how curious I am of seeing the photos.

 

Your next project: Pola model 110 A, has the Rodenstock supersharp and supernice lens and Prontor manual shutter, no EV #$%&. They are quite affordable nowadays ($60 or so).

What can I say? This is the coolest Mod I've seen in a while.

Ohh and by the way I'm pretty sure this camera doesn't have a bulb option. but something tells me the simple spring shutter design has to be close to the holga and if so you should be able to follow this holga guide and ad time exposures. Check it out. If this doesn't make sence I can guide you through the pics

 

http://holga.com.hk/bulbset/

 

I only wish all Mod sites had suck clear pics..

Cool work, Patrick.

Why is it the sites you give me never seem to work Wes? And YES this camera does have a bulb setting... a fun little shperical knob on the front with I and B on each side. What does suck... no cable release mount.... (guess ill have to get back to the workshop and drill and tap a hole ;)

You seem to say that a lot? I don't know they work for me but I use a foxfire 1.0.5 browser and a dsl line..who knows? Maybe your computer hates you?

Or maybe your fancy pants browser stored the website on your computer that actual site is not really there :P

Nope not on this computer

A while back someone asked about converting an old polaroid to a view camera. I had done this several years ago, so I posted some pictures of it on the internet, and they are still there.

 

http://www.glenandmandie.com/hmmade/hmmade.htm

 

I took the entire back off, and attached an old rollex 120 film adapter.

Awesome glen. I love that enlarger focus rack, looks awesome as a camera... reminds me of a largeformat veiw camera!

 

In my supreme stupidity i went out and got 125 speed film during a week when its supposed to be rainy and dark all week. If this persists ill just have to go out with the tripod and do some super long exposures. :(

I would shoot a few tripod shots anyway. Are you shooting PLUS-X?

I would stop it down to around f8-f11 and shoot with the tripod. Maybe that sweet yellow filter too! Just to see how sharp it can get this is always good for a test roll.

has anyone thought about using 70mm rill film in these??

Diwan,

I am new here and just found this thread while researching my own polaroid conversion. I am currently converting 2 polaroid 150's. I have one already completed and ready for pack film. the other I am converting to roll film. I have been running into problems creating an adapter like patrick created for this thread. I am contemplating using your photo frame idea, but I think I would like it to serve as a cradle for multiple self contained backs. Each will have a calibrated film counter, each will be masked to specific dimensions, and each will possess a darkslide so I will be able to change backs in mid roll. What do you think?

 

Chris

Chris. what you are describing is exactly what a 4x5 does. what you want to do is convert this to a 4x4 and then you can add the different roll film backs you described. And the best part is like you said the different size roll film backs come with dark slides so you can interchange them without having to wait till the roll is empty and you wont have to create masks. Also the really great part is, that when you want to capture that big beautiful 4x5 image you can.