SX70 Polariod Revisited

[@snapjacksonphotography]

Great video! Just found an SX-70 at a yard sale for $3 this past weekend! Sent it off to Brooklyn Film Camera yesterday for a checkup/cleaning and 600 conversion.

[@M3rlin257]

I've always been a fan of this channel ever since I got into typewriters and I was extra happy to learn that you are also in ABQ. But it's just getting better, I absolutely love my SX-70 handed down from my grandfather. This is awesome!

[@GonzoTheRosarian]

I have a Mint version of this camera, highly recommend it. Having said that this is a camera that you need to practice on the first 2-3 film packs to really get the exposure quirks down. Once you do this though it is sooo much fun! The Mint “Time Machine” gives you full exposure control on this camera and it is great but only if you have a Mint conversion camera. On the Mint conversion you can use SX-70 and 600 film. Their newest conversion even takes i type film (I don’t have that one).

[@c0nstantin86]

3:45 I can feel your joy, I'm a kid again enjoying my new toy! Thanks for sharing!

[@selkiemaine]

My father had two of these, one with an autofocus. They were great fun! I still have hundreds of somewhat faded pictures from 40 years ago and more. I inherited both. Sadly, the autofocus camera stopped working about 20 years ago and I let it go. I bought some film for the standard one a short while ago. Sadly, it didn't work - though I don't know if it was the film or camera that was bad. Seeing this tempts me for another try, that's for sure!

[@brineb58]

I am surprised that you went for a 600 conversion, the b=current SX70 film from polaroid is pretty good ... I lobe the B&W film the most!!!

[@propeople]

160 is to low, the sutter speed is the problem, brurry the photos...collors are better in sx-70 film.

[@DavidAragon13]

From using from the first packs I can get a hold of from Kurt's Camera (Impossible PX) to the packs you can get at the store to the current film is outstanding what they had done. I use the ND filter and the film light tongue from the Polaroid store that I don't have to modify my SX-70 cameras for the 600 speed film. It's great to see the SX-70 out, and I need to use mine today. Thanks Joe.

[@loveisall5520]

Growing up in the sixties, my parents had a Polaroid and I got a Swinger in 1966 as a sixth grader. I just loved Polaroid, though Nikon and Rollei caught me by the late sixties. I knew a bunch of friends who bought the SX-70 when it came out and it sure wasn't cheap. But cool! Thanks for reminding me.

[@alanstarkie2001]

Funny, how a Polaroid camera encourages you to take pictures of anything & everything!

[@gordwrath6811]

They still make sx-70 film.

[@GonzoTheRosarian]

Hard to come by as they fall behind in production all the time.

[@LTHanlon]

When I was shooting 600 film in my SX-70, I removed the ND filter from the exposure sensor, and most everything turned out right. I restored the filter when I began shooting the new SX-70 film.

[@Kitsaplorax]

I hate to say it but for me the Polaroid Swinger or The Reporter were the Polaroid cameras I always thought about. The smell of the mylar bags is still with me.

[@Samdoesphotography]

Who did the conversion? I live near Albuquerque and would want to get mine to take 600 film

[@DodoKing187]

wonderful analysis of this most beautiful camera. One thing tho: why did you convert it? are you aware that there is Polaroid SX70 Film being made with the right ISO, it seems you only mention the 600 Film? I only know of people converting a second camera because in some countries normal stores can have the 600 Packs readily available, but then again I have this nifty ND-Filter sheet made by Polaroid originals and you just pop it on the 600 Pack and on you go. Also if you can, get that MiNT Flash Bar 2, it basically works like the original bulbs plus it has the secret flash connection no one know about: On the side it has a 2,5mm Jack input, so what I did is get a hotshoe adapter with PC-Port, get a PC to 2,5mm cable and then connect that to the flash bar, if you now put any flash transciever on the hotshoe you can do of camera flash with any manufacturer strobes (and the Flash Bar doesnt even need to be powered on so it doesnt "overflash" your set of lights. It is however I will say a little bit tricky to dial in the exposure, I usually measure for F16 with a lightmeter and go from there adjusting the strobes. Hope to see you havin some more fun and experimenting (Polaroid Lifts, long exposure? yes you can trick the camera into bulb mode ;D) in the future.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Thank you for the valuable info. I was interested in the 600 film because the higher ISO may promise shooting in more subdued light without always needing to use flash. But I do intend on getting the MiNT flash at some time, though I currently have some old flash bars with (supposedly) still good bulbs.

[@DodoKing187]

@@Joe_VanCleave Ahh I see, well yes, that also makes sense for a conversion then. And yes, the classic bulbs are amazing flash quality, but they're also expensive and almost always blinded my subjects for at least 5mins, so please warn people before you fire that real 70s Flash at them. :D

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

New film is a higher ISO, so you have to fiddle with exposure compensation with every shot.

[@robertknight4672]

@@DodoKing187 some people my family haven't seen any camera flash for long time so even a proper electric Flash catch them off guard.

[@hb4834]

Who did ur conversion? Im out west n rather not send it too someone back east

[@ianfleming4356]

Recommend fitting the longer Frog Tongue to protect from light while ejecting,

[@DanielLopez-ef8or]

great vid joe!!

[@kelligirlnyc9763]

I just found this going through boxes. We weren’t sure if it was a camera or not and we couldn’t figure out how to open, now that we have it open we can’t close it. Any suggestions? We think it’s the bag possibly keeping it from closing. It’s in great shape.

[@cristianrueda2055]

Thanks fot these videos!!

[@shakespeareteacher]

Joe, what had to be done to the camera to convert it to the new film? What if you used an unconverted camera?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

The SX-70 natively used slower ISO film. You can use an ND filter over the lens for this 600-speed film, but it's less convenient.

[@lukass5160]

retrospekt can do this.

[@snapjacksonphotography]

Brooklyn Film Camera

[@TheCraftyBartender03]

Actually you can now buy new sx70 film but polaroid sadly only make it in a couple of batches once a year or so.

[@dianemaher3538]

How do we know if our Polaroid camera will work with this film? I have a Polaroid Zip camera.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Polaroid Zip is not light-sensitive, it's a thermal process, based on "Zink" (zero-ink) technology.

[@elliotwhite32]

Hi joe how are you

[@devinccimarquez]

I live in Albuquerque can you help me get in contact?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

With whom?

[@qwikflame]

@@Joe_VanCleave who did the mod for your SX-70 in albuquerque?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Jeremy: 602-469-4088

[@Argo-F-Ur-Sef]

@@Joe_VanCleaveis that Dr.SX-70?

[@EFD620G]

Sorry Joe. Once instax link became available, I abandoned the whole polaroid thing. 8 shots vs 10 I can adjust my pics from my phone before printing. I can even use my digital camera and load them on the desktop for printing with the link printer. Buying the name didn't buy the quality. And the instax wide print is bigger

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I like Instax Wide too, I have an older model 200 camera. I'm really thinking about the Lomography Instax Graflok back, I've used it on my Intrepid 4x5 and it's really fun.

[@bilonggrisimmeri]

I think original 170ASA film is old stock bought up by Project Impossible. They only manufacture 600ASA and B&W film now. Having used both Polaroid 170 and 600 films in the 1980s, the former was over contrasty and not very nice colour, compared to 600. So forget about 170 and use 600. I've used the new 600 and it's very similar to my 35 year old Polaroids, which have not faded at all, b.t.w.

[@Argo-F-Ur-Sef]

I heard it’s the 600 chemistry with an added chemical layer that acts like a 2 stop ND filter. Who knows for sure?

[@bilonggrisimmeri]

@@Argo-F-Ur-Sef You could email them and ask? Most probably you would not get an answer. I don't think it matters if it's refrigerated old stock or new product, because to me, Polaroid 600 has much nicer colour. Think Ektachrome 64 vs. Kodachrome 200: one is nasty and dificult to get nice colour, and the other rich and saturated.

[@tmunk]

SXy! :D

[@loveisall5520]

PS-you've got a cute wife! Never saw her on here before...

[@Jisamiii_1994]

I wantttt 🥹, hope I can find one.