Polaroid 800 shutter help?

Hello out there!

 

I recently decided to break out my grandfather's old Polaroid 800 from storage. On inspecting I found that the shutter isn't opening. On checking further, it appears that a spring is loosely floating around within the shutter assembly, and this tiny little plate.

 

I've been searching high and dry for some type of photo or diagram or a repair manual that shows what the inside of this shutter assembly should look like. Or even what the model 50 or 95A/B should look like, as they are similar, both with mechanical shutters. The only information I can find online is in reference to electric/battery operated shutters and models.

 

With that said, would anyone else here happen to have an 800 or similar model that could share a photograph of what the shutter assembly should look with all of it's parts in place? Or know of a place where I can access one?

 

Anyways, I realize most say just go by another 800 because they can be found relatively cheap, but this is more of a sentimental thing for me to use this specific camera.

 

Any help appreciated!

Well, I have had two of those lens/shutter mechanisms saved for years, sure I could fix one some day. I had removed them with the grand vision of putting a different lens/shutter on and converting one to 4x5 film. Others have done it but it's more work than I wanted. I still had plans for the lens/shutter assemblies. People have converted them to 120 film for a very wide format...about 2-1/4 x 4" negative. You could find websites with various levels of elegance for methods of installing rollfilm holding and winding mechanisms.

 

But you still have a shutter problem.

 

I had opened one up to study how it worked, and repeatedly operated it to watch the mechanism operate. I also observed mine had some shutter 'bounce', closing then opening a little & reclosing a couple more times. That was easily fixed. There is a magnetic brake or 'catch' to stop the shutter from re-opening. It has a piece of foam rubber as a cushion stuffed inside. It had become brittle on one and crumbled on another...two different vintages of foam recipe on two cameras. I picked the old stuff out & determined how much thin sheet packing foam (approx. 1/16" or 1.5 mm) rolled up was needed...took me a few tries.

 

I didn't notice something creeping out of position and the shutter release spring flew across the room, never to be seen again. So I opened another to figure out what the missing spring looked like...thinking I would wind another from music wire. Again, a grand idea, but there is a learning curve.

 

I had the same thing happen on a 2nd one, and also lost the B/I release spring. (Bulb vs. Instantaneous switch).

 

This past week (15 years later, perhaps?), I determined to fix one again.

 

I began experimenting with springs from 3-1/2" floppy disks but that didn't quite work.

 

I decided I needed a leaf spring instead of a wire see & would epoxy a lever on to my floppy disc spring. I then noticed there was a leaf spring right where I needed one if I abandoned the 2-prong bayonet external flash connector. I removed that and bent the flash contact leaf spring until I had enough force to make the release function work.

 

I believe I know where your spring goes. It also looks like the brass plate is free because two screws are missing.

 

I just put mine back together, but will take the back off again & take photos to compare. If I can access what has come undone on yours, I'll measure & report what is missing/needed.

 

I have a phone that has variable video frame rate so I would like to document how this 'time-of-flight' shutter works. It's cool, if clunky. I also call it a pinball machine shutter but that's a bit of a stretch.

 

So now I can fix my 2nd one, but the B/I problem is a 2nd challenge.

 

Hopefully yours won't be too hard...certainly less work than converting it to 'modern' film.

 

I am probably going to 'freelens' it in front of DSLR before making a 120 camera. I abandoned that idea when I realized how many functional 120 cameras I have.

 

I also gave away a Polaroid 80 for the same reason.

 

I'll be back.

I took mine apart to see what made it work and to see how hard it would be to modify for 4x5 work. I lost a spring (found it) then spent a couple of hours putting it back together. here are some pictures.

Yours looks like it is missing a screw, that must set shutter speed. and a brass thing that causes the shutter to snap shut when on T mode.( thats the part that took me a long time to figure out. Any how this is a picture of a fully funcitoning THE 800 shutter assembly .

@diggerodell, I recently acquired a Land 800 and am lost as to how the shutter ought to function... This is the first non battery operated Polaroid I have a owned. I noticed in your photos that the shutter cover is down. Mine is as well. What lifts the shutter cover and removes it from the magnet when the shutter lever is depressed? When I depress my shutter nothing happens. Does film need to be loaded in order for it to work?

@diggerodell

(snip)

Does film need to be loaded in order for it to work?

 

It wouldn't surprise me.

 

Not so long ago, I was testing out a newer, maybe 360, Polaroid camera.

 

After testing the battery, I found that the shutter didn't work.

After not so long, I found that the shutter only works with the bellows out.

 

I suppose that makes some sense, but it wasn't obvious to go through the

extra work to put in the switch for something that would rarely happen.

 

Land does seem to like using all the fun tricks he can think of when designing

things. Don't try to outsmart him! (He has more patents than you do.)

I have never been inside one of these Polaroid shutters, such as those found on the 95, 150, 700 and 800. However, I can definitely say that none of the roll-film Polaroid cameras have any type of interlock that prevents the shutter from functioning whether or not film is in the camera. The model 800 is a fully manual camera, no electronics.

I have never been inside one of these Polaroid shutters, such as those found on the 95, 150, 700 and 800. However, I can definitely say that none of the roll-film Polaroid cameras have any type of interlock that prevents the shutter from functioning whether or not film is in the camera. The model 800 is a fully manual camera, no electronics.

 

I suspect you are right. You will learn pretty quickly after taking a picture that there isn't any film.

(Unlike normal film cameras, where you might not know until the exposure counter goes

past the length of the roll that isn't there. For 35mm, you should watch the rewind knob,

but not everyone does that.)

 

If desired, though, I don't believe that a mechanical shutter limits the ability for an interlock.

If Land wanted one, the cameras would have one.

 

It is nice to be able to test a shutter without film.

This camera does not need film in it to fire the shutter.

 

The shutter "flap" is operated when the spring goes past its cam point and kicks the assembly around the hairspring. The outer gear/cam has detents that change where/when the flap gets bounced back to closed. I suspect it is common for some one to have turned the small flat head screw on the outside too far and disengaged the brass plate that holds this "kick" spring. IF this has happened, when you shake the beast, it should have a rattle in the front shuttter box. This small screw is there to adjust the shutter speed so if you do move it you should set the shutter speed with it when your done.

I happened to have a junk model 800 lying around, so I made a short video that describes and shows the function of this shutter:

 

Very nice video!! This describes the operation very well. Thank you.

Land has a lot of patents, and if there is a new way to make a shutter, it is likely

that he figured it out.

 

The EV selector is interesting, so only one dial instead of two.

 

The usual pack camera electronic shutter charges a capacitor through a photocell, such that the

current is proportional to the light intensity. More light and it charges faster.

 

If you cover up the cell, the shutter stays open. In my high-school physics class,

we used these cameras with a rubber cup over the cell. Then photograph moving

objects with a flashing neon lamp, so you can calculate the speed.

Anyone bother to notice when the OP started this thread?

 

"noisy shark was last seen: Dec 18, 2017" So I don't think she'll be back to read replies from 2019.

 

Furthermore, these old relics don't have film made for them anymore, so why does an inoperable shutter matter in the slightest?

 

(snip)

 

Furthermore, these old relics don't have film made for them anymore, so why does an inoperable shutter matter in the slightest?

 

I believe some put sheet film in them. Why one would do that, I don't know.