Aries Polaroid coin stage: Why not?

This is one of those things I bid on and then thought, geez I hope someone outbids me! Someone else actually bid on it, but $2 short of my bid. Oh well. So here it is (deep breath): The Aries Model 195 Coin Stage/Model 4000 Coin Camera.
Okay, so sure I have a lot of coins in boxes and drawers...but I have little to no desire to take photos of them. Sure, we all know coins are cool.


But I just bid because it looked interesting. Other than being odd, there aren't many reasons to own one of these. But now I do. So now I'm sharing a little bit of my madness with you.
This "thing" had no instructions with it; just a brochure. Which helped a little bit. Not much, but a little bit.



My favorite part: lightweight and portable. Okay, it is actually much lighter than I would have expected. But at 18" tall and 12" long...not exactly a compact camera. I guess you could throw it in the back of your van...


...and head off to the coin show with it. Impress your friends with instant coin photos.
Ha...I just noticed that's the wrong brochure. Here's the right one for this camera. Very important, I know. But mine has adjustable magnification, the other doesn't. Obviously better.


Anyway, so I had to use this in my kitchen, because it isn't small, and I don't have any outlets left in my office-type area. It's more authentic, anyway, to photograph your coins in the kitchen. Your mom doesn't want it on the dining room table. So, here is the beast.


Yes, I agree. Unnecessary purchase. I sacrificed a pack of Fuji FP-100C to figure out how this thing works. It probably was meant to be used with 3000 film, but I didn't want to waste a pack of 667. This is basically how it works.
There is a light table that you put your coin on...


It is supposed to light up the coin face and provide a white background. The black slide allows you to position the coin and expose one side and then the other, so you have both sides of the coin on a Polaroid.


It is also supposed to have different magnifications, adjustable via a bunch of pegs and the bellows. I couldn't really get this part to work.


So I thought I should just jump right in and take a shot as a baseline. I set the magnification at 1:1, or actual coin size.


Okay. Too dark. Let's open the aperture and increase exposure time.


Okay. Too light. And out of focus. Which is odd for a fixed-focus camera.
Sooo...to check that focus. I have a focusing screen for my 600SE. Let's see if we can fix this.


It seems to only be in focus at maximum magnification. I have no idea how to make it stay in focus for the different magnifications. The lens doesn't focus; it's all the bellows' work. Maybe with 3000 film? Not sure what difference that would make. But, whatever, I got it into focus. Looking at the brochure, maybe the base is adjustable...too much trouble to figure that out, though. I prefer to view my coins close up. Let's take a couple more shots.
Oh, I forgot to mention...this thing is awkward as hell to use. You have to reach in the narrow area where the lens is to adjust speed and aperture, and cock and fire the shutter.


And when you take the shot, you have to press on the light button and hold it down. In doing so, the entire unit moves, so you have to brace it with your hand while pushing, and then reach around and fire the shutter. Kinky.
Moving on. I try a few more shots, guessing at the exposure settings.



Ha. Okay...so maybe let's try a smaller coin. And a brighter coin. Uno mas...


Success! Wow! I'm going to take Polaroids of all of my coins now! Not. This is probably my very last coin shot. Ever. But...what else can I do with this thing? It's basically a slight macro camera. Anything flat will work. Let's try a couple shots of old stereoscope photos.

"Red Rock from Below, Grand Canon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Park. 1903."


"Doing the Chores."


Kind of cool, I guess. How about a couple of photo scraps of mine from around 1988?



Yeah, I like that. But that's the end of this pack.
Okay, so it's cool for what it is...a strange piece of photographic equipment. It has a few issues. Use is limited by the small stage, about the size of an actual Polaroid. The bulbs are very yellow, so everything photographs brown with color film. And they are super hot. When I was working on focusing, the coin was practically glowing red. What are my future plans for the coin beast? Not sure. I might take it apart. I can't imagine using it more than a couple times as it is. I'd like to separate the camera from the base, see what I can do with it. How awesome would it be to carry this around on the street? Might be a neat portrait camera, as the focus can be a foot or more away from the lens.


Someday.

I have couple things I'm working on for future posts. The Kowa Super 66 is sweet. And I've got the Fuji film in a Kodak instant camera thing figured out. Until then...

Polaroid copycat: Keystone 60 Second Everflash!

Okay, quicky review here for fun. I bought this thing for $4 on a whim. The Keystone camera was made by Berkey, which seem to be an electronics company that made calculators and cameras (film and movie). Not sure who was on the design team, but Keystone cameras are some of the ugliest available. Some are so ugly, they aren't even "cool" ugly...they are just ugly! The biggest 126 camera ever is a Keystone.


So...Polaroids. They must have had a license with Polaroid to produce what are basically ugly copycats of Polaroid products. Check out this horrible 600 camera. The camera I bought is known as the 60 Second Everflash (also sold as the Rapid-Shot with no flash and red trim instead of blue).



Now, sure it's not attractive...and it's an obvious mockery of your typical hard case Polaroid - your Super Shooters and Colorpacks. But! It's actually quite an interesting bit of plastic. It's kind of a combination of various ideas from different Polaroid cameras. Above, note the button to open the back instead of the metal/plastic bar most Polaroids use to keep the back shut. And I love the pleather back. Maybe it provides padding for your cheek and nose.
Okay, the shutter system. A Polaroid hard case shutter is just one single button that does it all. The Keystone has a two-step shutter system like the folding Polaroids.


Step 1 is to cock the shutter. Step 2 is focus (there is a 2 above the lens). Step 3 is press the blue button! Wheee!
Next up is the obvious flash unit on top of the camera, like many of the 600 Polaroids. This is actually a great idea. The name is referring to the flash being there forever, but not sure what the 60 seconds means...60 seconds to charge? And an Everflash is a great idea....except it doesn't work. Not at all. No powering up, the test button does nothing, no flash. Not ever. The bulb must be burned out...not sure if this is something that can be fixed?
Then we have the electronic timer on the side. Only a few Polaroid cameras feature an electronic timer.


Another great idea! But...it doesn't work. The red light stays for awhile after you pull the film, but nothing happens. I assume it works much the same as the electronic timer on some of the folders. You set it and it activates when you pull the film from the camera.
And speaking of batteries, this camera takes three AA. I assume to provide ample power for that flash and timer. That don't work. But they control exposure, as well, so they have to be there.


The battery compartment is on the underside. The Keystone has two exposure settings: Color and B&W.


Color means ISO 80 and B&W means ISO 3000. Also present is the lighten/darken knob, and it focuses the same as every hard case Polaroid.
One thing that kind of bugged me when using it was the placement of the viewfinder. Not sure why, but I kept going for the left side, but the finder is on the right! So...how does it work? Was it worth $4? Even with all the broken bits? Yep. Check out some shots from the camera (with Type 669, expired 12-2003, except for a single Fuji FP-100C shot)...






Very similar to the hard case Polaroids! But somehow different...maybe because it has a glass lens? But the depth of field is fantastic, and the blur is super silky. It has some of the same exposure issues in lower light that my Colorpack III has, where it can't decide whether to expose light or dark.


And the parallax is off and aims more towards the ground like most cheap cameras, so it's easy to lose what you were aiming for at the top...


But, overall a fairly competent (and ambitious) camera!

I'll be back soon enough with some more interesting stuff I have in the works. Adios!

Hot on the heels...the Banner Instax!

Didn't take long for me to start messing around again. This project was much easier, as the Banner is all plastic and similar to the Diana+.
The Banner is a really cheap Diana clone. You think the Diana is cheap? Well, the Banner is designed like someone cast a bad mold of the Diana and tried to make all the pieces fit...and they do. Poorly. It has a super blurry lens and the back barely fits on the camera. In other words, it rocks.






Here are a couple images taken with 120 film in the Banner.



So, I wanted to take a Banner and stick an Instax back on it, like I did with the Fujipet. I figured the lens on the Banner was interesting enough that it might make some sweet shots. The Fujipet took me an afternoon to build. I think I spend maybe an hour and a half on this.
First up was figuring out what's different between the Diana+ and Banner. They are both based on the Diana camera, but the Diana+ has some very obvious differences, like the longer barrel.
The Banner back doesn't fit on the Diana+...


...and the Diana+ back doesn't fit on the Banner, partly because the tripod mount is in the way.


Which means the Instax back doesn't fit on the Banner.


So the goal is to make it fit, only modifying the Banner and not the Instax back.
First to come off are the spool holders. You would need to remove these on the Diana+, as well.


Then I needed to enlarge the exposure area, so I get a full frame on the Instax film. I used a saw and an Exacto knife.




I also had an issue with the lock on the bottom not quite lining up, so I removed a small piece that was blocking it. With luck, I could slide it together and be able to use the lock. I also cut off a small area on one side of the camera that was too thick to fit past the Instax back parts.


Those were the only modifications! I also needed to put the diopter in the camera to fix the focal length. I removed the lens from the mount and used white glue to secure it (this worked with the Fujipet, so why make things difficult).





Now to put it all together!






The fit was a bit tight, but I was able to slide them together and use the lock. The only issue I had can be seen along the bottom on the camera.


The banner back is about 1/8th of an inch shorter than the Diana+ Instax back. No real way to fix this, so I figured if it leaked, I would just have to tape it up. Let's take this baby outside for a couple test shots!



It works! But there is definitely some leakage along the bottom edge. I just threw on a piece of black electrical tape and then took it out with me while walking the dog. The shutter on the Banner is pretty slow, so it performed better in the shade. May make a small ND filter for it at some point. Anyway, a few more test shots!







Nice! I like the output better than the Fujipet Instax. Has the blur along the edges, a bit more toy camera-ish. Will definitely take this camera out with me on my next road trip.
No idea what I'm going to do next. I have a 110 that I want to convert to pack film, but I kind of want to use my Type 47 in it before I take it apart.
So, until whenever, keep shooting!

The Fujipet Instax Conversion: Dreams and Nightmares

I had thought about doing this for awhile, since I saw the Lomography Diana+ Instax back. I have a Diana+ that I rarely use, but that just seemed *boring*. The Fujipet is classy and I figured, hey, why not? Encouraged by Skorj who attached an Instax back to a Polaroid J33 (who was encourage by my J33 conversion), I moved ahead with the project. And, seriously, what a pain my my butt. In retrospect, the final product should have ben much easier to put together, but in the beginning I had big ideas and little planning. So this is much messier than it looks. I may do this again at some point with another back (FYI...much cheaper to buy from Amazon with free shipping). As it stands, the current version has some issues with leaks.
Ooo-kay. So we start with a fresh Fujipet camera and a fresh Instax back. And, yes, I am about to shred that poor little Fujipet into bits. Not for the faint of heart!





My original plan was to attach the Instax to the Fujipet back. The Diana+ is a different shape so it doesn't readily fit onto the Fujipet.



There were some problems with this right off the bat. The Fujipet back is taller than the Diana+ back. The cameras are pretty similar in size, but because of the way the screw on the bottom of the Fujipet works, it needs extra space to store the parts. Because of this, the rounded part on the Instax doesn't have a place to go so it doesn't line up properly. If the Fujipet was plastic it wouldn't be an issue...just carve it up. But it's all metal, which is difficult to manipulate with the tools I have.



But I wanted to make this work. I had the bright idea of cutting away part of the plastic on the Instax...but the gears that eject the film are right there (which I discovered after cutting the plastic). And there was the issue of cutting a hole in the metal back so the film would expose. This was basically impossible to do with my tools. I also had to remove some parts from the Fujipet, like the spool holders. Anyway, I'll just let some pictures tell my tale of whoa trying to fix the Fujipet back.






That last shot reminds me of the scene from Alien when the creature bursts out of Hurt's stomach.



Okay, so in the end that was a complete waste of time. It still didn't fit together properly and there was no way to attach the two parts. I still like the idea and if I do this again, I'll have someone (that has tools and skills) cut the opening the same size as on the Diana+ back, and shave out an area for the rounded part on the Instax. Then I can just screw them together using the screw holes on the Instax. But that's for another day.
So, yeah, that was a waste of time and gave me a couple blisters. But I didn't really start making a mess of things until I started tearing apart the Instax back. This was seriously unnecessary, but I didn't figure that out until I was done screwing it all up. My idea was just to use the Diana+ backing on the Fujipet. Not sure why I just didn't try it before I cut it up. But I had the bright idea to combine the Diana+ back with the sides of the Fujipet back. I did have to cut off the bottom of the Fujipet to correct the height difference. That part wasn't a mistake. Anyway, some more shots. Not as many, though, because I was too busy being annoyed to take more photos.




Yeah, that doesn't work. So what I did was glue and tape the Instax back together again. I would just attach it directly to the Fujipet.


You can see it doesn't quite fit, but it's doable. And I have zero shots of all of this. I was just too busy working on it to bother, I guess. But it just took some Superglue and black tape to get it attached. The final product!






Looks pretty sweet! The Diana+ back has little feet that pop out so the camera can stand on its own. I broke these and had to glue them back in place. One more thing to do, as well. There is a diopter that adjusts the focal length (and ISO mysteriously, even though it is clear plastic).


I just removed it from the plastic mount and glued it inside the Fujipet. I figured this would be the most likely issue. The focal length on the Fujipet and Diana+ is different.
Okay, no test shots, right? Yeah. Well, I took it to California with me, figured, hey, it will work or it won't. This is what I got.




Them's some pretty mighty leaks. Okay, so I thought I checked for leaks, but obviously missed something major. Those feet I broke and glued back together? When I got home I found those to be the culprits. Black tape and no more leaks, I hoped. Looks to be in focus under the leaks, though!
Let's do a test shot after the fix! Boring shot out back.


Yipes! Well, that worked a million times better than expected. To be honest, I was correct in my thinking that the camera would look cooler than the output. The Fujipet lens isn't particular crazy, and there isn't really any warp in the middle. So what I get is a pretty darn good photo! Focus and exposure is perfect!
Okay, so I've only used the camera once since then, and only took a couple shots before it started leaking again.



There is a bit of warp, but my guess is it's from the diopter, as the Fujipet doesn't really have much warp in the middle of the lens. Also, aperture is very important. Two shots, first at 16 (all the way open), second at 22 (smallest setting).



So, it's a pretty nifty camera when it works. It's a mess because I made it a mess. Looking back, I should have just taken the Instax back as is, cut off the bottom of the Fujipet, and attached the two. I like the idea of integrating the Fujipet back, but we'll see how that works if I do this again. I also need to figure out how to best put it to use. It takes shots pretty much like an Instax camera. The film is kind of snapshoty. Not sure yet how to make it work for me.
I have another Instax back. Before I go tearing apart another Fujipet, I'm going to try it with something else...a Banner camera. The Banner is the crappiest Diana clone you can get. Super bad lens, super cheap build. Maybe the perfect match for the Instax! Something a bit wonkier but still manageable. I'm sure I'll be blogging about it someday.
Also looking to get a Print Gocco set. More stuff to play with! I'm also working on BSN classes, so busy times ahead. And I need a nap. Until whenever, seeya!

Polaroid sans Auto: The Manual Cameras

Been awhile since I've posted...but I did post like three in two weeks. I've been out shooting quite a bit, but haven't really done anything new with my cameras. A few projects in line, but nothing finished yet. I've been wanting to talk about the manual pack film (peel-apart) Polaroid cameras, so this little dead spot seems like a good time to do so. Skorj has an excellent review of the 195 here, and the 600SE here, but I still have to put my two cents in, of course (aside from my little 180/195 comparison here). I thought this would be useful for those trying to decide which manual camera to buy, a question I see frequently on forums.
The fully manual pack film cameras are the 180, 185, 185 (2000 version), 190, 195, 195 SE, NPC 195, 600SE, Fuji Fotorama FP-1, and the Konica Instant Press. I'm not including every other manual camera that can use a Polaroid back (including the Mamiya Press that some say is more versatile than the 600SE). I don't have enough experience with all of that. I'll mostly talk about the cameras I own: the 180, 190, 195 and 600SE (and maybe the 110A conversion), with a few asides on those that I don't own.
What defines a manual Polaroid camera? Well, they are fully manual, meaning no exposure help, auto or assisted, and no auto-focus (which none of the pack film cameras has, while most integral cameras do). You set your aperture and shutter speed and you focus through the rangefinder. Simple as that. Every other Polaroid pack film camera aside from those listed above has some kind of auto-exposure (aside from the Swingers, which have an assisted exposure...you set it using the simple YES metering). This includes all the folders and hardcases and, well, all of them. I like to have both manual and auto cameras with me, but the manuals are certainly more versatile, and are all of a higher build quality. I'll also say right up front that most of the "technical" info on these cameras, such as date and numbers produced, comes directly from The Land List. After the general camera info, I'll talk a bit about advantages and disadvantages...just a comparison and maybe why you might choose one over another.

Polaroid Land Camera Model 180
This is the first fully manual pack film camera, produced from 1965-1969. Estimated production numbers are 51,000-80,000, with a retail price of $189.95 (theoretically almost $1300 in today's currency). It features a 114mm 4-element glass Tominon lens. Aperture is from 4.5 to a miniscule 90, with the speeds being Bulb, 1, 2, 4, 8 , 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, and 500. Focal range is 3.5 feet to infinity. Has M and X flash sync, as well as V, which is the self-timer mode (approximately five seconds). Usable film types include all Type 100s (including the Fuji equivalents), as well as all Type 80 films.






While this camera is fully manual, it does feature a nice EV scale on the side of the lens mount.


What this allows you to do is use a meter with an EV, or the way I use it is as a starting point for my exposures. The scale is 12-21, and the manual explains it better than I could.


The Zeiss viewfinder is a single window, containing both the rangefinder and viewfinder. It works how you would expect...a little box in the middle in which you line up your object until it is in focus.



A couple shots taken with the Polaroid 180...100 Sepia, Fuji FP-3000B and ID-UV.




Polaroid 195 Land Camera
This camera was produced from 1974-1976. Estimated production numbers are unknown. Land List states more than 10,000, but I see just as many 195s for sale as 180s, so the number produced was probably similar. Retail price of $199.95, which is actually cheaper than the 180, given that it is a newer (and better) camera. It features a 114mm 4-element glass Tominon lens. Aperture is from 3.8 to 64, with the speeds being Bulb, 1, 2, 4, 8 , 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, and 500. Focal range is 3.5 feet to infinity. Has M and X flash sync, as well as V, which is the self-timer mode (approximately five seconds). Usable film types include all Type 100s (including the Fuji equivalents), as well as all Type 80 films.
I've had to make various repairs to my 195, so it's not quite minty.




The case started to fall apart awhile ago, and I had it taped together. Then I lost it in Japan. The red "racing stripes" are my fix for leaky bellows. I tried liquid tape, which just crumbled after a few months. I then tried to patch the individual leaks with black electric tape, but there were too many and the tape wouldn't hold. This was my final fix. It was 9:30 at night in the town of Kochi in Japan, and the only place open was a department store and all they had was red tape for 100 yen. So I patched it up in my hotel room...and it works great! No more leaks.


You can see the 195 also has a manual timer on the back, which is lacking from the 180. The original was broken. I bought another cheap camera with a timer to replace it...it was broken as well. So I gave up and attached an old timer in its place. I never use the timer anyway, but I wanted something to fill the gap.
The viewfinder is a split finder, which presumably was cheaper than the Zeiss. You focus in one window, and then frame your image in another.


Some people replace the finder with a Zeiss, which can be found on some of the cheaper folding cameras. It doesn't bother me, personally, so I left it as is.
Another difference is the lack of an EV scale on the lens.


Though the red numbers are kind of used as the base exposure settings. 60 with 8 or 11, then you twist both to maintain the same exposure. 45 and 64 is in blue, for 3000 speed probably.
There is also a 195 SE. Skorj's 195 does have an EV scale on it, so I presume that his is probably the SE edition, as everything else on the camera is the same.
Some shots from the 195, two with ID-UV, one with 100 Chocolate.




Polaroid 190 Land Camera
This camera was produced from 1974-1977 for non-US markets. Estimated production numbers are unknown, but probably over 8,000. These are actually fairly rare. I assume this camera was made for European and Asian markets (my instructions are in Japanese). It features the same 114mm 4-element glass Tominon lens as the 195. Aperture is from 3.8 to 64, with the shutter speeds being Bulb, 1, 2, 4, 8 , 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, and 500. Focal range is 1.2 meters to infinity. Has M and X flash sync, as well as V, which is the self-timer mode (approximately five seconds). Usable film types include all Type 100s (including the Fuji equivalents), as well as all Type 80 films.





This camera is basically the same as the 195. The biggest difference is the inclusion of an electronic timer instead of the manual timer.


It takes batteries, of course (if you open the battery compartment on the 180 and 195, it is empty). It's kind of an odd duck. You set the time, and when you pull your film it turns on, making a funny whining sound when the time is up. I don't use it. One downside to the electronic timer is it adds a level of tightness to the pack, as it is pressure sensitive (turns on the timer). This is fine for Polaroid packs...but Fuji packs are a very tight fit. You have to pull the tab very slowly so it doesn't rip. On cheaper cameras with electronic timers, some remove the timer, or bend the clips that press down on the pack. So far it hasn't really been an issue for me, so I've left it alone.
Another big difference is the use of the single-window Zeiss finder that is used on the 180.
Other than that, the only other difference is the meter scale on the focus bar replacing the feet of the US 195 model. I assume there aren't any 190 cameras with an EV scale, but there are so few of them about that it's hard to follow up on.
And a few shots from the 190, with Type 690, ID-UV and Type 108.




Also in this line of cameras is the 185, which was produced in very limited numbers and sports a different lens than the 180 and 190/195, and also has an exposure meter built into the shutter body.


I've only seen a couple photos of this camera, but it looks like maybe the exposure meter is basically a needle that tells you if you have enough light for your shot. There is one person I know of that has one, and he paid around $1000 for it.
There is also the 185 (2000) camera...


...which was later rebranded as an NPC 195.


I haven't used either of these, so I can't say much about them. Except I'm not sure why they chose to use existing camera numbers instead of calling them something else. They certainly don't look anything like the originals! I'm sure they are decent cameras, though.
Okay, so out of 180, 190 and 195, which is best? Well, they are all pretty similar. As for as photo quality, they are all exactly the same. I would probably recommend the 195 over the 180. The 3.8-64 aperture is going to be much more useful than the 4.5-90 apertures. The metal surrounding the lens of the 180 is softer as well and tends to get bent, making it difficult to screw on the filters.



These filters work with the 180, 190 and 195.
If you don't like the split finder on the 195, you can always swap it out with the Zeiss finder. Just be aware that sometimes the split image in the Zeiss viewfinder can "drift", making it difficult to focus, which doesn't seem to be a problem with the dual window finder.
You can also buy close-up and portrait kits for these three cameras, but they are different for the 180/190 and the 195, as the viewfinder is different (unless you swap).
The 190 is kind of cool just because it is less common than the other two, but other than the finder and timer, a 195 is the same thing. The 190/195 is also newer than the 180, so they tend to be in better condition overall. At least I see more beat up 180s for sale than 195s.
So is there any reason to have the 180? Some believe the lens is sharper than the 195, but I haven't found this to be the case. The f90 aperture is probably for use with 3000 speed film, but I've never had to go that small. Maybe why it's not present on the 195. If you are planning on owning more than one manual, getting one of each is an option.
There is another manual option, though...

Polaroid 600/600SE
The 600/600SE is basically a Mamiya Universal Press body designed specifically for Polaroid backs. You can't, in fact, use the same back as the Mamiya Universal Press because the mount is different. The difference between the 600 and 600SE is that the SE allows you to use three different lenses, while the 600 lens is fixed and not removable. And, also, this camera has absolutely nothing to do with 600 integral film. These only use Type 100 films (and the Fuji equivalents).



The 600SE is, of course, the better option of the two with the ability to swap the lens out. The main lens is a 127mm, with an additional 150mm "portrait" lens and a 75mm wide lens also available. My 127mm lens is broken, so I just use the 75mm, which is the reason I wanted it anyway. The lenses have apertures from 5.6 to 45, with a focus of 3.5 feet to infinity.


When you change lenses, there is a switch on the camera that changes the viewfinder to match the 127 and 150mm lenses. If you are using the 75mm lens, there is a special viewfinder that hooks onto the top. It also sports a parallax correction...you set it depending on the distance and it fixes the 'up/down' problem. I find this viewfinder a bit difficult to use, though. The edges don't seem particularly accurate, and it's virtually impossible to shoot a level horizon through the thing. So I usually frame through this finder, and then use the regular viewfinder if I need an accurate line in the photo.


Another advantage to the 600/600SE is the removable back with darkslide.



This allows you to use multiple film types if you have multiple backs. You have to use 600/600SE backs, though. That little split "key" on each end isn't split on regular Polaroid backs, so they don't fit on the 600SE and vice versa.
You can also get various accessories, like macro spacers.


Now some will say that a Mamiya Universal Press is a better buy than the 600SE. I bought the 600SE because I got a good deal on it, and it required less thinking and research on my part. Camera body and three lenses. Easy enough. But the Mamiya Press cameras are typically cheaper than the 600SE, and there are more options for lenses. So it is another way to go.
So which is better, the folding manuals or the 600SE? Why choose one over the other? Well, the biggest turnoff for me with the 600SE is the size and weight. It is large and very heavy...not compact by any description of the word. So ease of use and comfort is definitely a factor. The obvious advantage to the 600SE is the interchangeable lens set....though if you were out in the field, carrying all three plus the camera, and then unscrewing the shutter cable and swapping them out, etc., is a bit of a hassle. You are more likely to choose one lens at a time. I only use the 75mm because I already have a "regular" lens with my folders. There seems to be a lack of filters for the 600SE, as well, and I like to use my ND filter with my 190/195 so I can open up to 3.8 in full daylight (also noting that the 600SE cameras are only 5.6). I get a lot of overexposure with the 600SE here in the land of endless sunshine. But the 75mm is an excellent lens and is super-sharp, so it's nice to have. The 600SE tends to be more expensive than the folders, as well, and with all three lenses expect to spend more than $1000.
Some shots with the 600SE and the 75mm lens, using ID-UV.





One other manual option that we have is to convert a roll film camera. I did this with a 110A.


There are a couple advantages to going this route. One is the cool factor. It just looks cool. That's it. Another is price. Well...if you do it yourself. If you buy one, you can pay anywhere from $250-$1000, depending on build quality and who made it. If you do it yourself...I spent $45 on the camera and $10 on the back. So time is the biggest cost.
A couple shots from the converted 110A. Mine is a bit leaky.




As for practical advantages over the cameras above, there really aren't any. The lens is nice, but no better than the 195s. It's smaller than the 600SE, but bigger and more awkward than the folders. So it really comes down to personal choice, and the head turn factor. Though the 600SE is beast enough to turn heads...and any Polaroid camera garners quite a few stares.
ALSO (always an also), you can get the Konica Instant Press or Fuji Fotorama FP-1. I've checked out Artyken's Fuji, but I can't really vouch for either of them. They are typically very expensive when they show up in an auction...so it's up to you. The output I've seen from both is nice enough.



So...in the end. My recommendation? One of each...haha. Well, it works for me. If you had to buy just one, I would say get the 195. Good overall camera, better than the 180, easier to use and cheaper than the 600SE. Takes all pack film formats (Polaroid and Fuji) with no issues. Speaking of which, you can use Type 80s in the 180/190/195 (if you can find some), but not in the 600SE. You just have to aim towards the left side of the viewfinder, as it doesn't adjust for the smaller film size. Here are a few parting shots of Type 88 in the 190.




And Type 87 in the 195.




So whatever you choose, enjoy! I'm off to California in a week, camping at Yosemite.
Seeya.

Polaroid peripheral madness!

Instead of working on the proper blog post I'm planning, I'm doing this fun filler episode instead. I buy lots of Polaroid cameras (duh). Well, when you buy a Polaroid camera, you rarely get just a camera. You also get an assortment of sometimes useless, sometimes useful, usually interesting extras. So here are about 20 million photos of some of the junk I've gotten with my Polaroid cameras...at least the stuff I haven't tossed (yet). Oh, and none of this is for sale!
First of all, flashes. Useless to me, as I rarely use a flash, and all of these are just too much work for me. Don't ask me which goes with what camera.
Model J-5 (uses M3 bulbs)


Model 268 (uses M3 bulbs)


BC Flash Model 281 w/diffuser (uses Press 25 bulbs)


Wink Light Flasher 256


Wink-Light Model 250


Focused Flash Model 490 (uses flash cubes)


Bounce Flash Bracket Model 292


Model 259 for the Swinger Sentinal (takes AG1 bulbs)


And, of course, flashbulbs...






The AG-1 bulbs are most useful, as they work in the Big Swinger 3000. And the flash bars, of course, for the SX-70. Flash bulbs are a little funny because there are a couple different mounts, so you have to find the camera they fit on.
I also get lots of batteries, which I usually throw away since they are typically decomposing inside the cameras.



I have a bunch of cold clips....


Spools from roll film cameras, both Type 40 and Type 30.


Light meters...




A cable release for folding pack film cameras, which is very useful.


Some kind of development thermometer. It has ASA and developing time (and no temperature), but I don't really understand it.


Lots of filters, some which are very useful, others which aren't so much. Still cool to have, though.
For the 180, 190 and 195...lens hood, orange filter and UV filter. And then a 5-stop ND filter, as well.



The equivalent set for the 110, 110A and 110B roll film cameras.


And a set for roll film cameras with the lens size of the 80, 95A, 150, etc. Includes yellow, orange and polarizing filters.


This is a 4-S ND filter for the same cameras, for use with 3000-speed film.


Filters for many of the pack film bellows (folding) cameras...orange and UV.



I've talked about these lens adapters before.


Along with these copy stands that I don't have the diopters to use with.


Lots of print mounts (to combat the curliness of color film).


Lots of cases that I don't use. I've thrown/given away many others.


And, of course, camera boxes...


And what kind of junk do we find inside of those boxes? Registration cards...





Junk mail for enlargements and such...










These cards are hooked onto the camera handles of hard case Polas.


And how about manuals? I have plenty of manuals. Don't ask me to scan any of these (I've had a few requests). There are plenty of resources on the Web (including this blog!) that show you how your Polaroid camera works. Scanning and e-mailing 30 pages of instructions isn't on my agenda!



















And that's about it...at least the stuff that isn't buried somewhere. I also have counters and a few other odds and ends.
Wait! What? You want one more story? Okay, how about those little instruction sheets that come in the film boxes? Tons of those, too. And then I'm done and straight to bed for you!








Lights out!

J33...the loneliest conversion in the world!

Moving on from the J66, I decided I wanted to convert the previously mentioned J33, a smaller version of the J66 designed to use Type 37 (and 32) film. Type 30 films are smaller than Type 40s (which have an image size similar to 100), but the same size as Type 20s (used by the Swinger family). I haven't held Type 20 or Type 30 in my hands, so I'm not sure how the two rolls differ. So the J33 uses film that has been discontinued forever, basically. There were quite a bit fewer J33s produced than other roll film camera, only about 280,000 over three years according to Land List. But there are still plenty of them available. So what am I planning on doing with the J33 again? Oh yeah, converting it to pack film.
But...didn't I say the film size is smaller than 100 pack film? Yep. So the camera is smaller, and the resulting image is smaller. So, is this possible? That's what I wanted to find out!
Okay, so we start with the J33, unscathed.



Certainly a pretty camera. Many of the steps are exactly the same, and this camera was actually a bit easier to convert. First remove those pesky doors.


Here you see the difference in size between the camera and a 100 film pack back. The idea is to make that big thing work on that small camera.


Then that pesky spool holder. Note that there are no screws, only rivets. So just a bit of brute force needed. You want to keep those two silver rivets in place, as they secure the front clasp.



This has the same plate that the film slides across and also holds the bellows in place. I wanted to be able to leave this in place, but it has two raised edges, and the back needed to be as flush as possible because of the way the two pieces fit together. So I ended up ripping it off, and regluing the bellows in place.



The spool holder on the right side can stay, as it will add needed support for the pack back. Here, check out the image size difference between the camera and back, and how the back will sit on the camera.



No need to cut the top, as the back sets against it perfectly. But we do have all that extra open space on the back to take care of. I used a couple 600 reject cards and cut them into a mask. Black tape to secure everything.



And, quite honestly, that's about it! All that's left is to fix the back onto the camera and clean up the end. I used some foam tape to level out some on the indented areas, and then just epoxied the back on! I did cut the end piece as well, which was the most painful part of the entire process. Not sure how this metal differs from the other roll film camera, but it was stupid hard metal. The saw wouldn't cut through it! It just kind of rubbed its way through. I didn't even have much dust left at the end. Was a real pain in the butt. So we have the finished camera already! Much easier process.






Notice the small piece of leatherette from another camera on the front bottom of the back to pretty it up. Nifty looking! But, the big question...how does it work?
The J33 was designed to use Type 37, which is 3000 speed film, with an adapter (that I don't have) for color film. So I used Fuji FP-3000B for my test shots. I only had a couple left in a pack, so not many examples, but enough to see what the camera does. First shot, you can see the difference in image size.


Kind of like a Hassie shot! But not. Or looking at a dog through an airplane window. Okay, so I expected the image size to be smaller, but I didn't expect the bottom to be cut off. This is because the back doesn't sit quite high enough on the camera to allow for the additional white border. So if I did this conversion again (or if I decide to pop this apart and rework it), I would cut out about 1/4 of and inch from the plastic camera cap to bring the back up a bit, allowing for the full image to present itself on the film.
Moving on, cropping it actually produced a kind of cool image size!



Nice! I actually quite like this! Again, be nice if the entire image fit on the film, but still pretty cool! And the same shots, goop side, along with another test shot.




The end! Again, I actually like this camera quite a bit! I like the interesting shape of the final image, and the camera is easy to hold and use...quite a bit smaller than the Type 40 roll cameras!
This will probably be my last conversion for awhile. Can't really think of any other cameras that I'm super eager to try. I've already done the odd choices, the rest would probably be more of "less interesting". We shall see, though. Really would like to get the full image on this camera, though. And get the color adapter. Will have some fun using this one! Should get some looks, at least.
Seeya!

**UPDATE**
Okay, so I didn't much care for the image being cut off, so I took the conversion apart and reworked it. SA?ELfJC E GF/Lhes?gK RDEPzbnjZGHE (sorry, that's how I feel like I'm typing right now...I keep backspacing every other letter to fix something). Anyway, so I know I would have to take the top off and keep it off, as cutting it would be very difficult. There is glass and metal in the finder...would have just been a pain. So I took it off, readjusted the back and set off.


I used a J66 finder since I couldn't put the J33 finder back on. Looks okay, problem though. I fixed the up and down, but not the left and right. It's still cutting the image on the side and I can't push the back any more to one side. So, I had to do what I didn't want to...cut the end off the camera. Mostly because -- hardest metal to hack through ever! Seriously, not sure why these are different than the other roll film cameras, but the saw would not cut through the long way. It just kind of rubbed through from friction. Huge pain in my butt. Did it though, and unfortunately had to cut more off than really desired just because it would have been impossible to saw on the curved part of the body.
Redid my mask for the back and used a piece of Fuji film pack for bracing so the pack back would have some more support.



And the final product! Surely a bit uglier, but 100% more functional.



And the results! I like! With Type 667.




And you can crop, of course...



Some leaks to contend with, though I kind of like them. But chances are they will get worse before I got through another pack. Now all I need is the color adapter set and I will be...set!