nate_weis

<p>How about shooting real instant film...like a peel apart packfilm Land Camera?<br>

http://www.instantoptions.com/faqs/faqcam.packfilm.php</p>

<p>There is NO way to put a 4x5 back onto the Automatic Land Cameras and have it still be pretty looking. The 114mm DOES NOT cover 4x5, period. So you have to change the lens. Which changes focus in the rangefinder (since its made for 114mm). Plus, a 4x5 back would block the finder and it needs to move up, changing parallax and more.<br>

Adjusting the RF would be a task far beyond most people and equipment, I have never attempted it and really dont want to. It requires re-camming the finder. You cant just adjust RF's for focal lengths only focus. Actual changing of a focal length requires a different curve to the RF mirror travel.</p>

<p>Adding a lens like the 127mm to it is possible, but focus is not accurate anywhere but infinity and/or at f8 or greater.<br>

(im option8, fyi)</p>

<p>Might be more than a year later but I just couldnt help myself...thanks for those who like my site and my work. I am here to help instant photography.<br>

<br /> Id throw my 2cents on the ranting inhere, but I doubt anyone is listening anymore.<br>

<br /><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6054915258_c59303e20a.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="345" /></p>

<p>:P</p>

<p>And all the links to my "old" site need to be updated to www.instantoptions.com</p>

<p>110mb.com is crap and I shut it down.</p>

<p>Whats wrong with the Automatic Land Cameras?<br /> Take full frame 3x4 shots, and are aperture priority. Manual focus, not exactly point and shoot, but as close as you'll ever get.</p>

<p>http://www.instantoptions.com/faqs/faqcam.packfilm.php</p>

<p>There are no manual cameras with an auto switch or anything like that. The 600SE is a fully manual camera, and if its too big, the 180 or 195 are smaller, lighter and more compact and still manually controlled.</p>

<p>Smelly films?</p>

<p>Maybe for the first day at the most. Cant say ive got any film, old, new, expired or otherwise which continues to smell.</p>

<p>http://www.instantoptions.com/faqs</p>

<p>may help answer alot of your instant photo questions.</p>

<p>No matter where you get the film, from today into the untold future...</p>

<p>expect to pay between $1.50 on a good day and $3+ normally per shot of integral films.</p>

<p>Any flash with a PC connection would be fine.<br>

Nothing TOO big or it wont fit next to the viewfinder.</p>

<p>But you can always go off camera with the flash and keep the trigger on the camera.</p>

<p>The psinrgs to remove are in photo #2.</p>

<p>I dont know if Id consider #1 or #3 to be "springs" in the sense of pressure.</p>

<p>My solution if the spring thing isnt something you want to try or cant because youre out in the field:<br>

when you feel a white tab about to break, STOP.<br>

open the back door slightly. just enough to unlock it and relieve the pressure.<br>

pull the white tab slowly until the 2nd tab comes thru the rollers.<br>

close and lock the back door.<br>

finally remove, if not already, the white tab.<br>

pull 2nd tab as normal.</p>

<p>only needs to be done for the first 1-4 shots.</p>

<p>Fuji makes an integral film like the 600/SX70, its called Instax.</p>

<p>Packfilm, peel apart instant films, can not fit into an SX70. Someone had the idea like you but I never think it went anywhere because of all the problems: the difference in film speeds would make it difficult electronically...the physical differences would at least give you a cropped image because the SX70 is square and packfilm rectangular.</p>

<p>If you want a good camera that takes fuji films, stick with the packfilm automatics from Polaroid.<br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/FAQ/faqcam.packfilm.html</p>

<p>http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/holga/holga.1.html</p>

<p>maybe this one?<br>

You take a holga AND a diana to make a somewhat useful full-frame holga/dianaroid.<br>

Figuring out a shutter and fstop combo is a pain though...</p>

<p>http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/110hybrid/110ah.10.html</p>

<p>This part of that site will give you easy to follow instructions how to fix the focus on any kind of conversion where you move the film plane back.</p>

<p>Most shops, photo or not, dont sell the peel-apart packfilms. Which is why you arent finding any locally.</p>

<p>http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/FAQ/faqfilm.pack.html</p>

<p>will give you online shops and more info.</p>

<p>Its not veneer but very thin wood for modeling, so its not sticky backed....Ive yet to find a good source for anything like that. I did do real snakeskin swaps before, and some others have done the faux leather swap. Ive fallen in love with the woodys, so its basically become my signature. Though I do whatever people ask.<br>

I glue the wood to the camera, sand where needed, and stain to suit. One drop of glue on the front surface ruins the wood, though. Stain will not take anywhere glue HAS been, even after sanding.</p>

<p>As for a 4x5, I am currently finishing my first real one. Just waiting on a tapping tool before I can get some photos out of it.<br>

<a title="Secret Workshop by Option8, on Flickr" href=" title="Secret Workshop by Option8, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3397855781_353f17e712_o.jpg" alt="Secret Workshop" width="600" height="488" /> </a><br>

I am comfortable converting other people's cameras to 4x5, but supplying a graflok back or 4x5 back of some type is required...I dont have a pile lying around. Nor do I have the want or desire to mill my own.</p>

<p>If you havent seen my site about Polaroid conversions, you should check it out. Might inspire, might help.<br>

Only packfilm really, so dont look for any 120 film conversions on there.<br>

Way more photos than I can post here:<br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/galleries/option8.html takes awhile to load them all</p>

<p>Mine are "professional" only because Ive made so many now...just because I dont have some name-plate on my work doesnt make them less so.<br>

:P</p>

<p><a title="Woody 3.0 - Front and bottom by Option8, on Flickr" href=" title="Woody 3.0 - Front and bottom by Option8, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2659717854_618d27c3f0.jpg" alt="Woody 3.0 - Front and bottom" width="500" height="386" /> </a><br>

Is one of my favorites.<br>

<a title="Polaroid Manual 250/360 - opened by Option8, on Flickr" href=" title="Polaroid Manual 250/360 - opened by Option8, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3247854954_601e3dcafe.jpg" alt="Polaroid Manual 250/360 - opened" width="500" height="500" /> </a><br>

Is too.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You can always try to mix it up witha Holgaroidiana:<br>

<img src="http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/holga/images/10%20-%20done2.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="417" /><br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/holga/holga.1.html</p>

<p>Gives you a full frame...but absolutely ZERO control over fstops. :(</p>

<p>Using 100 series rectangular film in your Holga/Polgaroid and the black side and vignetting got you down?<br>

Fear not, if you are keen on it, you can try modding a Holga, Diana and Polaroid back into a full frame camera.<br>

No shutter to speak of, but hey, its just for fun.<br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/holga/holga.1.html</p>

<p>All Automatic Polaroid packfilm cameras (and the manual 180/195) have metal backs. Even if the body is plastic.<br>

The 360 has the electronic development timer, which along with the mechanical one, leaves less room in the film back for the actual film pack.<br>

Fuji film packs are plastic on the back, Polaroid's metal. This causes more flexing when you close the film door, and pressure on the film making it harder to pull.<br>

The solutions are to swap backs with a non-timer camera (pull hinge pin and swap), remove the timer by force and gut it, swap the metal back from an empty Polaroid pack to an unused Fuji one.<br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/FAQ/faqcam.packfilm.html will help you see which models have what.</p>

<p>http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/104/104.1.html</p>

<p>Will help you with getting power to it, more than likely your problem.</p>

<p>You can always try it yourself:<br>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/index.html</p>

<p>Converted 110A/Bs can focus as close (about 3ft) as an automatic packfilm camera (http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/FAQ/faqcam.packfilm.html).<br>

And both 110A/Bs and auto packfilms can accept closeup lenses. However, the closeups (as close as 9 inches) for the automatics comes with goggles for the rangefinder, so you do not need to bust out your tape measure like with a 110A/B to get correct focus. But the lens/shutter of the 110 series is 10x better than any automatic packfilm camera.<br>

The other choice is a 180 or 195, which is the manual version of the automatic packfilm camera. They cost just as much as a converted 110A, but are a little lighter and have faster shutters. And 180/195 parts are interchangeable with the cheap automatics in case something breaks.<br>

A 600SE is not as good a choice as a Mamiya Universal Press because the 600SE just doesnt have the amount of accessories as the Mamiya. Though its a bit more rare they still seem to cost the same typically.</p>

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/batteries.html

Spend $2 and get it modified to 3xAAA batteries. Wasting time and effort looking for the original batteries is silly.

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/batteries.html

no need to spend $$$ on hard to find original batteries.

convert to AAAs!

You need to bend the springs in the film door down to accomodate the fact that Fuji packs have a plastic casing vs the metal of the Polaroid ones. The plastic flexes under the spring and makes it hard or impossible to pull the film.

Either swap the plastic for a metal back (easily done before inserting a new pack) or bend/remove the springs.

Rollers dont even need to turn to work, it just helps.

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/batteries.html

Convert it to easily found and ubiquitous batteries instead of spending $$$ on hard to find originals.

http://option8.110mb.com/polaroid/batteries.html

dont waste your time finding the original batteries, convert it to AAA or photo lithiums, easily!

If you can open the shutter housing:

http://www.chemie.unibas.ch/~holder/sx70tech.html

You can see if there is just gunk or something else that is the problem. Cheaper than buying a new one.