Polaroid 800

I just had a Polaroid 800 handed to me a couple of weeks ago. It's

in full working condition as best as I can tell, but I'd like to run

a film through it. Would I be able to get a film for it, or is it to

be consigned to being a museum piece/door stop?

Rob,

 

There's good and bad news.

 

Bad news: this model takes instant rollfilm, no longer made by Polaroid (last manufactured in the early 1990s, I think).

 

Good news: people have tried and been successful with using 120 roll films in some of the rollfilm Polaroids (though that isn't instant photography) or converting them to use Polaroid packfilm.

 

The Land List at http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landhome.htm has good info on all things Polaroid.

 

Here's info on converting the 800 and others to instant packfilm:

http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/how2-packconv.htm

 

And another page, this time on other films: http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/how2-rollalt.htm

 

--Micah in NC

Hi Rob , the 800 is not a good camera to convert. The very simple dual element lens makes this a bad choice. Better is the 110 Pathfinder model B is best. The superb lenses are the Raptar ,Ysarex Rodenstock or the Yashinon.

These lenses can stand up to modern optics. There are a number of professional conversions on offer. Pack film would be best.

The lens fitted to the Polaroid 800 (and 150) is in fact a very high quality 3-element all-glass coated 130mm F8.8 lens. It will cover 3"x4" with no problem. The bad news is the film is long obsolete. The good news is the lens/shutter unit from this camera can be removed fairly easily and used on a 2x3 Graphic type camera.<div></div>

"the 800 is not a good camera to convert." in my book a free camera is the BEST type to convert ;) Alot of people dont think the conversion is worth it. I converted my Polaroid 150 to accept 120 rollfilm and I have found it to be an excellent camera. Your 800 model is the same as my 150 except for the electronic shutter. A conversion to 120 rollfilm is pretty darn simple and requires no focus adjustment... your rangefinder will still work and that is a pretty nice lens. Not as fast as the "professional" polaroid cameras like the 110, but definitly a decent lens.

<br><br>

You be the judge, is a few days in the workshop and a few dollars in screws and sheetmetal worth it?

<br><br>

<img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/patrickjdempsey/Polaroid%20Land%20Camera%20Model%20150/img095.jpg" width=600><br>(Right click, Veiw Image, to see it bigger)

<br><br>

Check around on the Alternative Cameras forum under Polaroid Cameras or do a search under "Polaroid Conversion" theres a mountain of information on photo.net about a couple different types of conversions.

Guys, thanks for the leads. I'll check into running 120 film through it. I picked up a bunch of Konica 400 at a camera show recently for $2.00 a roll. What have I got to lose except my dignity...

Dignity, what's that?

Definition of dignity:

 

Something that left when the wife said, "I do."

Dont worry, nothing spells dignity like walking around with 30 pounds of Polaroid camera around your neck! Be warned though, these things are magnets for college-aged women... if only I knew that 10 years ago...

NEITHER 800 nor 150 has electronic shutter...900 does, and supposedly has same viewfinder as one of the 110 series.

A number of people say that the 800/150 will cover 4x5 withthe existing coated triplet lens.

 

See http://2hot2cool.com/11/deacon for some polaroid conversion projects. This guy points out that the Depth of Focus (lens-film distance) with the small apertures in the 800/150 lens is fairly forgiving about the film position, but I would be prepared to make my own observation and adjustment because that's a big assumption. This guy makes filmholders from matboard...thinner, probably might fit inside the original door. You don't get ground glass, etc, but he shows some pretty humble ways to get decent results without obsessing over perfection.

 

Sometimes the shutters get bouncy as the 'cushion' was a piece of foam rubber and it can deteriorate.

 

Rwhirled.com site will eventually lead you to f/# & shutter speed for those lens/shutter combos. I found it easier to adopt the EV system. My spot meter has it, most of my handheld meters do, the Argus C3 Matchmatic I have uses it and once you make the effort to learn it it is very handy. I even use it for pinhole (there are a few steps involved).

 

Murray

Funny about the college-aged women, I got on a plane some time ago with my Pentacon 6. It was a transatlantic flight and plenty of open seats. So two you -- early college aged girls came and sat with me and were having all kinds of cool conversations with me. At some point the conversation came over to what I did and when they found out I WASN'T a professional photographer, they were all disappointed.... Had I KNOW the Pentacon was A CHICK MAGNET.... I would have tried harder...

 

Now I travel with my Polaroid 100...

 

Mike

I am buying 4 Polaroid 800's on ebay at this moment for less than

$10.00 with like amount for shipping.....

marvin .. i hate you , i guess in 2 years the prices must have doubled anualy ...lol

<p>Not so fast Patrick....I just converted an 800 to 4x5 and was quite amazed at the results. I shot wide open (f8.8?) on EV 10 using Efke 25 film, hand held using the rangefinder....a 110B type.</p><div></div>

<p>And here's a pic of the old Ovlov...taken with the 800 at full bore. Efke 25 ISO 4x5 sheetfilm, hand held using the rangefinder.........</p><div></div>

<p>when it comes to converting, the older roll film cameras look great, but have really slow shutters</p>

<p>Dean,</p>

<p>Beautifully done...would love to pick your brain! I just sent you a PM (and thanks to Photo.net for never deleting an old thread!)</p>

<p>Sam</p>