B&W Polaroid Swinger

<p>Hello!<br>

I was given a Polaroid Swinger which takes Black and White film - is anyone able to advise the particular type that it needs as I can't seem to find anything!<br>

Any information would be really appreciated!<br>

Many thanks! :)</p>

<p>Vicky </p>

 

<p>Fujifilm-FP100c (color film 100asa)</p>

<p>The Fujifilm will not fit. The Swinger makes a 2.25 x 3.25 image on Polaroid roll film. The Fuji is a pack film which also is bigger as it makes 3.25 x 4.25 images. Also, the original Polaroid film was must faster than the Fuji. There might be old stock floating around somewhere, but likely it would not be useable. Some Polaroid models have been converted to take 120 roll film, but I don't know if the Swinger could be adapted. Just the same, at least you do have a collectible item as the Swinger brought instant photography down to a price that almost anyone could afford.</p>

<p>Ah, I had just watched a youtube video on "Big Swinger", was not aware of a difference. </p>

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<p> </p>

<p>Fun camera, I used to buy those for $5 or less in pawn and thrift shops in the 1980s-'90s. But not practical now. For awhile I considered modifying one for use as a pinhole camera with direct positive paper, but never got around to it.</p>

<p>Fortunately I went through my hipster phase with Polaroids during the 1980s-'90s when the older cameras were cheap and film packs were plentiful. Too expensive now, although some of the Fuji instant cameras look pretty nifty.</p>

<p>Lex, ex-hippies cannot later become hipsters. It would cause a warp vortex in the space time continuum, resulting in Hillary Clinton's un-birth and Bill's exile to Argentina where he marries the granddaughter of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun's evil twin sister Gretchen.<br /><br />Geez.</p>

<p>That was my beat generation hipster phase: post-hippie, pre-cowpunk. I'm pretty sure one of my Polaroids became the inspiration for Stephen King's short story <em>The Sun Dog</em>. I accidentally left that Polaroid in a bag for a month in a hot car trunk along with some belladonna stomach medicine, Camel non-filters, an a charm made from turquoise and human bone. Never buy jewelry from a strange woman in a bar called Shadowland in Arizona.</p>

<p>I don't think the "Lomography" set will glom onto the Swinger either since no film is available. Some roll film Polaroids could be adapted to take 120 roll film, but since the type 20 film that the Swinger used was ASA 3000, the closest film in 120 available would be Ilford's Delta 3200. FWIW, the Swinger had a single 1/200 second shutter and a 100mm meniscus lens with a maximum aperture of f 17. Not sure what minimum aperture could be reached as one turns the "yes" knob to adjust exposure. Possibly, if light was bright enough one could (in total darkness) place a sheet of 2.25 x 3.25" sheet film across the film gate and try a single shot to be developed in a tray. Wide open there would just be enough exposure to expose ISO 200 material in bright sunlight.</p>

<p>Big swinger takes regular (black and white only) pack film (expects 3000 like Swinger). <br>

Regular Swinger had its own film, not used by any other (that I know of) model.<br>

You can easily find the pack cameras, the 1xx, 2xx, 3xx and 4xx series in thrift shops or on auction sites for low prices. Lower than the Fuji film price. <br>

There is also the Colorpack series, which will work with the lower speed film, and also 3000.</p>

<p>Should be noted that Fuji has discontinued the FP-3000B packs - the price has shot up to $18 or $19 a pack from B&H and Adorama (it was $10 to $12 last fall). So a "big Swinger" isn't a great investment. I grabbed a few B&W packs last fall to use with my Land 360. I really love that film.<br>

They're continuing FP-100C. For now. <br>

I'm hoping that when Fuji finally ends production, the equipment gets to the Impossible Project folks somehow, but I'm not counting on it. </p>

<p>As far as I know it, the pack film is a lot easier to make than the SX-70 style films.<br>

<br />Otherwise, the Colorpack II was from about that time, with aperture for both 3000 and 75 film.<br>

Most ofl the Polaroid cameras I remember adjust the aperture for film speed, and shutter time for the light available. <br>

The regular and big swinger were, as far as I know, the exceptions. For them, the shutter speed was fixed, and the aperture adjusted with the YES/NO light meter.</p>

A Swinger was the first camera I ever owned. Just wrote an article about how to run 120 film through it and actually take pictures with it. See Shooting with a Polaroid Swinger