Why is it hard to use Instax film in a Polaroid camera? Hacking a Land camera. Episode 1.

Since pack film is no longer made, and Fujifilm makes no decent cameras for Instax wide film, it is desirable to modify Polaroid Land cameras to use Instax. Lets make ...
INSTAFRANKENROID!
I had an old Polaroid 100 automatic Land camera, already hacked with a Mamiya 105mm F3.5 lens as a sort of Polaroid 180. This is the first in a series looking at modifying that camera to accept Instax wide film.As you can see, the fantastic industrial design optimisation of the Land cameras, puts the focus mechanism right in the way of where you would want to locate the Instax development rollers.
This video includes some machining on my LinuxCNC converted Maho MH400E mill.
Why not just buy a Mint Instakron RF70? • The best Instax Camera... mint-camera.com/en/shop/cameras/instantkon-rf70/For me, that lens doesn't really inspire me for the price. I hope they make a further version with a better, faster lens, a hot shoe, and a combined veiw/rangefinder.

[@JerryMilton]

The problem w/ converting the Polaroid 100's (100-300) has always been the inability to move the focal plane infinity focus, thus all that milling. Just went to episode 3, and bingo you bring it up. Polaroid 110's are way easier to modify for Instax Wide...as infinity focus is adjustable.

[@RotarySMP]

Good point. I also have a 110, and an 800 which I started hacking years ago to packfilm, until Fuji pulled the plug there. I was surprised how easy it was to 3d print the new lens standard for the 100 series. So much of these cameras is riveted together, that I expected some sort of difficulty there as well.

[@RetifsGarage]

Nice vidéo, I like that you tale the time to explain your thought process and various option...and yes at some point, it’s good to jump and experiment with prototype ! Nice job !

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks. That was a fun project. The film doesn't always kick out, so I need a dark bag at times to open it up and help it out.

[@jesse00060]

Hi, I went through almost the same project converting a land250 to shoot instaxwide about 4 years ago. I went the absolute most difficult way cutting the land250 camera in half and rejoined them such that it becomes taller thus having the space to house the rollers.

[@RotarySMP]

Sounds cool. Do you have any photos or a forum post about it. I would like to see that. I will upload the 5th video of this series tomorrow.

[@jesse00060]

I had commented two other times but they did not show up. Maybe I had done something wrong. I do have quite some photos documenting the process. I have to find a way to put the links up here

[@RotarySMP]

@@jesse00060 You should be able to just cut and paste a link into this forum. Here is the rangefinder hack I just uploaded... kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3S0iGirgN-Xnq8 Look forward to seeing your hack.

[@jesse00060]

@@RotarySMP I put the link up and the message got eaten again. I’m guessing links to or simply mentioning the rivaling site is not allowed by the bots.

[@RotarySMP]

@@jesse00060 My E-Mail address is here: kzbin.infoabout Please try that.

[@liisamiller2969]

Have you been able to modify the Polaroid 800 land camera to instax film??! Seriously I inherited my grandfather’s Polaroid and I cannot get film for it. I will pay you for the conversion!!🙏

[@RotarySMP]

I thought I replied to you a month ago Liisa, but don't see my response in the comment section. The 800 used a different, even older roll film system, rather than pack film. It is not a good basis for a conversion. I would recommend you put it on the shelf as a momento to your grandfather, and get a Polaroid 250 and an Instax wide and have at them with a saw and file. I don't do commercial work sorry.

[@popebryanii7224]

Would this work for the 230 model? I have a really good condition one and I want to shoot some stuff without using expired film or the fuji stuff.

[@RotarySMP]

Yes, of the land camera series have the same basic geometry. The250 has a better range finder, but you can easily add that later.

[@edsmartcol]

WHY YOU DON'T TRY 3D PRINT AN ADPATER WITHOUT HAVING TO MODIFY THE RECEPTOR CAMERA AT ALL, ONLY STOPS THE BELLOWS BEFORE IT GOES ALL THE WAY FRONT COMPENSATING THE BACKWARD OF THE NEW POSITION OF THE FILM, THE CHALLEMGE WILL BE TO CREAT A LOCK FOR THE BELLOWS OR SHIFT THE ARMS OF BELLOWS BACKWARDS

[@RotarySMP]

Hello Edward, Why shout? All capital letters is considered shouting on the internet. Please try and execute your design ideas and make a video about it. I would be interested in seeing how it works out for you.

[@heroinrock]

supersense makes one instant pack film,, pricey but i think it's worth supporting If you want pack film to live

[@RotarySMP]

I am afraid that €28 for three shots is beyond my pain threshhold.

[@mikamo]

17:31 you ripped SOMETHING all right

[@RotarySMP]

That is hilarious. I never noticed that :)

[@richardt1792]

I have a great appreciation for all of these Instax/Polaroid hacks but I have no mechanical skills whatsoever. I will have to make do with what is available and buy modded backs as they become available.

[@RotarySMP]

You could do what I did with a dremel, free modeling software and an online 3D print vender.

[@thewetcoast]

Ok, I don't have a milling machine, but managed to convert a Polaroid camera to use an Instax back using a dremel. It's not perfect, but it works! I put up a quick vid with instructions at kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2K7oX5_p9igb8U

[@davidbrown_au]

I think you will find there is a much easyer way, either drill new holes in the scissor arms & re attach the lens board 9mm back, or drill out another notch where the scissor arm attaches to the camera body, so the lens board sits back 9mm.

[@RotarySMP]

The lens mount board is the easiest to adjust. Changing the sissor links accurately would be more difficult (remember they are riveted not screwed), and moving the sissor link attachment back 9 mm in the body is not possible (at least highly impractical.)

[@davidbrown_au]

@@RotarySMP Ohh sorry I ment change where the scissor arms attach at the lens board. If you where to attach the scissor arms at the front of the lens board, insted of at the back, that would move the lens back to give you infinty focus. Or make a deeper lens board, that moves the lens back further. The second way I was thinking was this... when you open the camera, 1 of the scissor arms is fixed at one end to the body & the other end slides along inside a slot on the camera body, then locks in to position, simply put a new notch in that slot, so the scissor arm locks the lens board at what ever position you desire.

[@RotarySMP]

@@davidbrown_au Look at the later videos. I made a new deeper lens board.

[@diannefernando9847]

Hello!! Can I use the modern Fuji Instax sqaure in my Polaroid Square Shooter 2? The film size differences are just by 11mm. (Instax Square 86x 72 mm / Polaroid 80 film 86x83mm). Would that be possible? Thank you!

[@RotarySMP]

HI, anything is possible :) I am not familiar with the Polaroid square shooter, but as a form of pack film, I am guessing you manually pulled the polaroid type 80 film out. So it should be possible to remove a single Instax sheet within a changing bag, and transfer it to the square shooter. After exposure, transfer it back into an Instax film cartridge and use an Instax camera to drive it through the developing rollers Hacking it like I did would be a similar task as mine, and you would need to displace the film plane and therefore replace the lens. Not trivial.

[@MakarovFox]

cool i always want one of this cameras i have an old film camera of my grandfather i loved my grandfather a lot and this camera of him remember me to him a lot, he was a man aged of is time is so sad him could not see how technology tock a big jump in this past 20 years, he loved take pictures an make albums for remember good moments, and record in is old tape audio recorder, he left me a cassette that he recorded one year before he past away, congratulating me on my 18th birthday, thank to him i love old photography and vinyl discs, he had a nice collection and a amazing professional grade turntable a nice Philips. one of my dream i buy a similar sound system and make a red room for photography

[@RotarySMP]

There is something special about analog technologies in general and polaroids in particular.

[@MakarovFox]

@@RotarySMP indeed, always like it the old control system whit la the buttons and switches

[@iNerdier]

Given that you're replacing the lens anyway, why not recess the film plane back to clear the struts and just calibrate the lens further back into the camera than it was originally, thus preserving infinity focus?

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for the feedback. With that you skipping videos 2 and 3 and going straight to what I did in video 4 of that series. Enjoy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3m8lqhjaLGgiM0

[@JulianMakes]

very cool, ingenious

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks Julian. There are already a number of things I will do differently on the next prototype.

[@aldojansel2191]

tlazohcamati! thank you for this video!

[@RotarySMP]

Glad you enjoyed it. There are three more in that series. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3m8lqhjaLGgiM0

[@jagboy69]

What happens when Fuji quits making film? Any chance of that happening?

[@RotarySMP]

Supposedly Instax is a very profitable product for Fuji. fstoppers.com/news/instant-film-not-digital-cameras-main-reason-fujifilm-doing-so-well-222998 If previous experience is a predictor of the future, once I get interested, it will be cancelled tomorrow :(

[@Otokichi786]

As long as someone makes 4X5" sheet film, you can still use a Polaroid Pack Film camera as a "not-quite-Speed-Graphic.";)

[@j426s73]

Lomography makes nice quality instax cameras. I have a Lomo Instant Automat that gives good results.

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for watching. I like manual exposure and a faster lens.

[@mikelabruna9976]

Genau aus dem Grund bin ich auch zum 3D Drucker gekommen...jetzt ist ne 3 Achs CNC geplant ... Wenn ich es richtig im anderen Video gesehen habe, nutzt du eine deutschsprachige CAD Software, gehe davon aus, dass du "hier aus der Gegend" bist ;o) ... ich würde ja gerne das Ganze mit InstaxWide für meine 600SE und die Land 355 adaptieren, die käuflichen Versionen finde ich etwas überteuert, und bei der RF70 bin ich ganz bei dir. Mal sehen ob ich irgendwann Zeit finde mich mit CAD zu beschäftigen, Hardware wäre soweit hier...

[@RotarySMP]

Servus, Ich bin in Wien. Leider habe ich ein Festplatten Fail gehabt, und die 3D modellen sind weg. Es ist aber kein sehr komplizierte Arbeit. Das erste Schritt ist es ein Spender Kamera zu zerlegen.

[@mikelabruna9976]

@@RotarySMP hallo aus dem deutschen Schwarzwald 🖐🏻 Ich habe hier einiges an Spendermaterialien, eine 210 mit Wackelkontakt im Batteriefach und eine weitere mit Transportschaden am Batteriefach 🙄, die sollte Spender sein. Ich muss mal eine aufmachen und schauen ob man den Motor und den Antrieb nicht mit übernehmen kann für die 600SE

[@RotarySMP]

@@mikelabruna9976 Pass auf bei der Kondensator. Kurzschliessen bevor es dir ein Stromschlag setzten kann. Mein Umbau war wieleicht ein bisschen Radikal. Wenn ich mehr aufgepasst hätte, und die Fuji Film Getriebe intakt gehalten hätte, wäre die Film Transport zuverlässiger. Der Fuji Motor ausrichtung ist aber für unsere zwecke ungünstig.

[@mikelabruna9976]

@@RotarySMP Kondensator ist natürlich klar, danke trotzdem für den Tip. Ich will es an die 600SE, da man dort den Rangefinder und die Linse kalibrieren kann, wobei man wahrscheinlich das vordere Gehäuse bearbeiten muss um wieder Näher an die Filmebene zu kommen...unendlich brauch ich eh nicht, soll für Portraits und Gruppen bis 5 Meter sein...

[@RotarySMP]

@@mikelabruna9976 Der Goose ist ein coole Kamera. Kannst du ein Thread über dein Umbau in Filmwasters.com stellen?

[@purpleidea]

Safety tip: printer toner is *incredibly dangerous*. The small particles are a kind of dust almost that the laser printers pull electrically, and then fuse onto paper. So it's incredibly fine, can handle a charge, and is very easy to get into your lungs, even if you don't smell any. Long story short, if even a tiny amount spills in a room, you're supposed to evacuate, and clean it up with lots of gloves, respirators and damp cloths. Be safe and avoid spilling it on purpose in the future!

[@RotarySMP]

Thanks for that. I will look for a safer alterntive black pigment.

[@purpleidea]

@@RotarySMP Just so you know this is real and I got your back and not making it up, even wikipedia has a segment on it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toner#Health_risks They sell "haz mat" cleanup kits for it for offices... It's one of those things that's so dangerous but that nobody realizes. Spread the word and be safe =D Another reason why hackers like me and IT people in general hate printers!

[@RotarySMP]

@@purpleidea I appreciate your input. Something I (stupidly) didn't think about.

[@titonothere6179]

I have the 350 model for sell HMU!

[@RotarySMP]

They are not worth much anymore since pack film finally went away. I might buy a 180 or 190 out of nostalgia if one comes up for a good price.

[@liisamiller2969]

Have you been able to modify the Polaroid 800 land camera to instax film??! Seriously I inherited my grandfather’s Polaroid and I cannot get film for it. I will pay you for the conversion!!🙏

[@RotarySMP]

The Polaroid 800 was designed around the original instant roll film, with the last type discontinued in the 1992. The 800 camera production ended n 1962. The 800 lens is nothing special, and it has a very primitive ato exposure. I was grafting the 900's rangefinder onto the 110A body. That project lurks on the "incomplete" shelf. Did you see the there is now a Lomography Graphlok back available? This could make the conversion a fair bit easier. Problem is that you still need to relocate the lens standard back as you cant get Instax to the original film plane. These are seriously simple light tight boxes. If you want this series, there is no finess to such a conversion, Just hack away at everything which interferes, until things sort of fit, and then bodge it all back to getter wit lots of thick glue to fill the gaps. Go for it. It might be best to put your Grandads camera on the shelf as a momento, and butcher a less sentimental camera like a land 250 for instax. I dont even get my own projects done in any sane time frame, so I wouldn't offer commercial work. It was just frustrate people.