Polaroid 600 SE

[chris_antidote]

<p>Just got this Polaroid 600 Se and, there seems to be the same light mark on every photo I take. I imagine this is a light leak? Im just wondering if this is a camera fault? I think it's probably just the polaroid back. Any suggestions? Thank you. </p>

[ondebanks]

<p>Hi Chris,</p>

<p>My suspicion is that the rollers in the Polaroid back could be dirty. Developing gel can ooze onto the rollers, and when it dries out, the dirt bumps on the rollers cause the developer to be spread non-uniformly, creating specks and streaks on the developed print.</p>

<p>After you finish each polaroid pack, ideally, you should inspect the rollers. If there's any residue, pop out the roller unit and wash it in ordinary water and detergent. It's made of stainless steel and plastic so it's completely safe to wash it. Old, hard residue can be soaked for a while to soften it. Also, check that the rollers meet tightly and turn smoothly (it is normal for one to be stiffer to turn than the other).</p>

<p>If you could scan in an example to show us, that would help to confirm the cause.</p>

<p> </p>

[eric friedemann]

<p>1. I agree with Ray about cleaning the camera's rollers. I've always used Windex, paper towels, Q-Tips and dust-off to blast out any hard-to-reach gunk.</p>

<p>2. Sorry for this being a little off-topic, but there's new, though absurdly absurdly-expensive, B&W film for 600 cameras:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/PX-600-Silver-Shade-Monochrome/dp/B003E5I85C">http://www.amazon.com/PX-600-Silver-Shade-Monochrome/dp/B003E5I85C</a></p>

[ondebanks]

<p>Interesting! Thanks for the link, Eric. I wasn't aware that the Impossible Project had moved on to make this sort of medium-format-back-compatible 600-series pack film, as well as the SX-70 and Spectra types. But at that price...the Fuji FP instant films look much better value!</p>

[chris_antidote]

Thank you for the response. I do appreciate it. After a few test, I figured out

That the light leaks were coming from the dark slide slot in the Polaroid back.

I Put a small piece of electrical tape along the slit and as I suspected and no more leaks.

Finally, Back to shooting!

[eric friedemann]

<p>Ray, I could be wrong, but far as I know, Fuji does not make a film pack for 600-series cameras.</p>

[chris_antidote]

Fuji fp 100c !!

[eric friedemann]

<p>My bad, you guys are talking about the Mamiya/Polaroid camera:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_600/600_SE">http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_600/600_SE</a></p>

<p>I thought the thread was about the Special Edition 600 camera:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.petapixel.com/2010/03/29/impossible-project-releases-polaroid-600-one/">http://www.petapixel.com/2010/03/29/impossible-project-releases-polaroid-600-one/</a></p>

<p> </p>

[ondebanks]

<p>Eric,</p>

<p>Now I'm confused too. Is the Impossible Project's "600 film" not the same format as the 600 series packfilms we all knew and loved, and in some cases used in the Polaroid 600 and 600 SE cameras? Polaroid 665, 667, 669 and so on?</p>

<p>If not - then why would the Impossible Project choose such a confusing, misleading name as "600 film"?!</p>

<p> </p>

[j_yabrow1]

<p>I think the Impossible Project is carrying forward the 600 name to be compatible with Polaroid's originally-named 600 'integral' film, which was an evolution of the sx-70 film for the Spectra cameras of the 1980's & 90's. These are easily confused with the 'older' 100/660 pack films made for cameras with model numbers 100 through 400, and the 600/600SE press camera--the pack films to which you refer are the 660-series, not 600-series. To be even more misleading, the Polavision movie film was also designated 608, 617, and 618. The 600 series film even had one 'professional' film called--wait for it-- 779! Polaroid couldn't have come up with a more confusing, consumer-unfriendly product naming system if they tried. And people wonder why they went out of business ;)</p>

<p>You can learn about all of the Polaroid cameras and film at http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landfilm.htm. But, it doesn't look like The impossible project is making pack films (yet). So far just 'integrated' film for sx-70 and Spectra cameras.</p>

<p>FWIW, I recently dug my old spectra camera out of the garage and have been shooting off some expired film, which is surprisingly fun. I hope to try the Impossible film, although it is pretty pricey at $3.50+ a shot. I'm still in awe of the bizarre, almost schizophrenic product and film lines that Polaroid sustained for all those decades.</p>

<p>If you're looking for pack films, Fuji appears to be the only reasonable choice. Expired polaroid films are selling online for insanely outrageous prices--some as high as $10/shot for film that expired years ago. FP-100B, FP-3000B, and FP-100C are still available, fresh, at $2-$3/shot.</p>

[chris_antidote]

<p>The light leaks were actually coming from the Polaroid back. A little bit of electrical tape fixes everything.</p>