Polaroid Pronto RF - AAA battery and 600 film mod on a very special box camera

[@googleuser3163]

I'm a big advocate for the non-folding SX-70 cameras and the Pronto RF has always been a favorite of mine, great to see it getting some love!

[@theinstantcameraguy]

they are super capable! So many people write them off as toys

[@gordwrath6811]

My nephew got me an, in box, never used, sx-70 polariod one step plus, with q-light. Gotta say, the q-light flash is the best ever. Just such a perfect match up. The sx-70 would have remained my favorite, if he hadnt found this treasure! I dunno if the sensor on the flash makes the better focus, but it does it for me.

[@hil-3000]

Picked up a working one for $11 US dollars after watching this video. Thank you for the info i didn’t even know they had RF box sx70.

[@linusjarnbjer3740]

@19:40 I did this on a 2000 (can't remember the reason why, but the camera didn't work to begin with), and snapped a small plastic post that keep the shutter blades in place on the opposite side of the solenoid. CA-glue and baking soda, followed by a lot of filing and testing. But it got there in the end. The camera now functions again - kind of wish I'd cleaned the electric eye though... But I'll be taking it apart again to switch the capacitor now after watching this video!

[@tonygraham6140]

Thank you for my Pronto RF, it is fantastic. Nice Video.

[@TheCcrew-wj6bn]

I love to thrift at my grandmothers house and I found a pronto.

[@andrewhamop6665]

Nice end result as always Jake! It's neat to see all the little differences between the different models of box type cameras. I've got a Sonar Pronto which seems to be quite sad at the moment. Sometimes it won't focus, sometimes the shutter doesn't open, etc. Maybe I'll send it your way sometime in the future, but for now I'm excited for my SX-70 Sonar to arrive at your doorstep!

[@monochromebluess]

Was the Pronto RF designed to have the facility to work from an external power pack. On the back of the Pronto RF there is a socket for future accessories. I believe underneath there are two ports going to the positive and negative terminals that would normally feed off the battery pack. Could you use this socket etc in your battery adaptions etc ? Update - ha ha. That will teach me to stop your cinematic camera restoration magic 2/3rds of the way through for a drink and to make a post. You highlight the alternative made in my comments and using your vast experience suggest that’s not the way to go re dangling wires etc.

[@michaelbruchas6663]

Always wanted a Pronto way back when…

[@evan6978]

I have a couple 600 mods and an itype mod under my belt, but man my Pronto RF is fighting with me 😂. Any tips on dealing with delaminating paper circuits? (Specifically where the electric eye & 600 capacitor are)

[@parkers.5776]

Very great and informative video. I only have a question being I’ve seen some Polaroid onestep cameras having blue capacitors so I was wondering if those were 200pf like the green caps or 400pf like the red capacitor or if they were some value in between

[@theinstantcameraguy]

I've never seen a blue one before! You'd need to measure it to know for sure

[@Michele_aka_Latente]

ok now i need it

[@azkahafizh8581]

Hey Jake, Great Video! I might consider doing this myself for my polaroid Pronto non RF. Also Question: Do you think it's worth it to do this mod on a Pronto Sonar/Polasonic 5000 models? If possible at all. There's barely anything about them in the internet from what i can see.

[@theinstantcameraguy]

Those models are harder to take apart that's why Whether it's worth it or not is up to you :)

[@ganderer]

I just picked one of these up at a local antique shop, and all is working except for the strap!! For whatever reason, the strap has been cut so that both ends dangle off. I went ahead and bought a new one off the Polaroid website, but quickly realized that the factory strap is essentially embedded into the body... As such, I'm not sure how the strap is secured, and don't want to risk cutting it out (in case that makes things worse). Seeing as you've cut some of these open before, would you happen to know if I'd need to take one apart in order to replace the strap? or will an x-acto blade do the trick?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

You'll need to take it apart to access the strap sadly It's hooked up internally

[@endingman]

Jake, I have a Polaroid OneStep SX-70 that does nothing except emit a very ear-splitting screeching sound when a film pack is put in. Then the camera does nothing except make a clicking noise that sounds like the shutter is about to opened but nothing happens. What could be the issue?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

Motor bearings

[@shekelsean]

I've got one of these. It's... in horrible condition. It's still in one piece, but it's incredibly dirty. I've inserted a 600 dummy cart into the camera, and the motor turns on to eject the first slide, but nothing happens. I'll press the shutter button, it'll click, but nothing else will happen, and the film counter is blank, it won't move. Would you recommend having it refurbished, or do you think I should just buy one off eBay at this point?

[@shekelsean]

My cousin found it in my grandmother's attic, and it's sat on his shelf for the past 7 years after the fact. I promise I take care of my own stuff 😅

[@Reihefuenfzylinder]

Great video! But i have one question: The aperture of this camera is fixed at f9.4 and the shutter speed is max 1/150th. Wouldn't that lead to massive overexposure in bright daylight since the camera physically can't take short enough exposures? Would this also work with a regular onestep/1000?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

Look at the sample images at the end. Perfect exposures all round. The issue is both of your assumptions regarding shutter speeds are false. f9.4 is the cameras MAXIMUM aperture. It's capable of much smaller apertures. Think about it like a regular lens. If you have a Canon 50mm f1.8, you don't shoot f1.8 all the time. You can stop it down to f22 if you wanted to. Same thing with shutter speed. Like the folding SX-70, the RF uses a combined aperture/shutter speed system. So in a bright scene, the aperture becomes smaller and effective speed becomes faster. As a result, ANY SX-70 camera can easily be adapted to shoot 600 film :)

[@boyinredbootsmusic]

Have you ever done this conversion on a sonar one step pronto?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

It's the same principal Just harder to take apart

[@javajolt4212]

What about the Sonar version of this camera. How is sharpness in comparison to SX70? Thanks

[@theinstantcameraguy]

Very similar But I think they are chunky, ugly cameras. They are harder to open up and repair than a regular One-step

[@Michele_aka_Latente]

20:00 Question: why you don't just cut the capacitor connector wire and solder the new one to the ramain metal leg? without de solder or take apart the rangefinder.

[@theinstantcameraguy]

I thought of that. Truth is there isn't much leg to cut! There is very little room on either side It's certainly a possibility... But it'd be quite trick to get the iron in the right location due to how it's assembled Given I have destroyed two cameras accidentally doing this, I'll try a more non destructive method next time

[@patrickwilson1440]

As you say Polaroid film is low resolution film with a narrow dynamic range so it's rather pointless putting expensive glass lenses on these cameras or any other instant camera for that matter. Putting an expensive glass lens on these cameras would make little if any difference to the picture quality. the film's resolution and dynamic range is just as important in determining the quality of the photo a camera produces just as much as the lens. Just as pixel count and sensor size amongst other things does on a digital camera. The lenses on many instant cameras are plastic but it's not just any old type of plastic as some are inclined to think, it's optical grade poly carbonate or similar. The same sort of 'plastic' that most people have in their glasses for those that weir glasses, such as myself. Perhaps they(Polaroid) should have used the same functions and spec on the Now and Now+ camera that they produce as it seems a better camera.

[@BigTony_Garage]

i've got a time-zero onestep sx-70. Is this the same procedure with replacing the cap to work with 600 film?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

I have videos specific to that camera It's all the same procedure

[@BigTony_Garage]

@@theinstantcameraguy Awesome thank you! I just picked one up today for 5 bucks in really good shape and wanna get some film running threw it. Do you happen to have a link to that video i couldn't find it.

[@seanconnors9912]

You're absolutely chuffed? Are you Australian or British?

[@theinstantcameraguy]

Australia is a former British colony. We share many phrases with the motherland

[@seanconnors9912]

@@theinstantcameraguy as an American, I was unfamiliar with the term so I looked it up. I was told it's uncommon in Australia

[@theinstantcameraguy]

@@seanconnors9912 metropolitan Australia is a melting pot of different cultures, due to our relatively young age as a country and various waves of ethnic migration. Additionally, we are fed large amounts of American, Canadian and British television shows. So as a result we are a pretty diverse bunch.

[@sonicmistress]

Give it a rest will you going on about SX-70 film being limited and slow, it's been used since the 70's without issue or until YT'ers started talking crap....50ASA is slow film or try using 5ASA....Geez nothing negative about SX-70 Film except YT'ers ignorance but of course you've got something to sell....

[@theinstantcameraguy]

*gives information away for free on how to modify your own box camera if you have the tools/skills* "THIS GUY IS A SHILL SELLING STUFF" I think you should go and watch my video on SX-70 vs 600 film... You'll love it!