Oh, Snap

2008 Aug 08
Comments 28
Published In Photography, Technology
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Shortly before writing my Polaroid post, I got the itch to buy one of the original cameras. Thanks to the modern convenience of eBay, I quickly found a great deal on a Polaroid SX-70 in near mint condition.

This camera is a gorgeous machine. Adorned in chrome and leather, the SX-70 was the first camera to really capture the imagination of the public. What’s more, this camera makes people photographers, sharing the same spark of empowerment as picking up a guitar or starting a blog. It gives you a creative voice.

I’m more than happy to just admire it as beautiful industrial design, but I’m even happier to use it. Seeing as how the film may be on its way out forever, I grabbed about half a refrigerator shelf’s worth of film on eBay too.

If you’re interested in a SX-70 of your own, opt for the cheaper and more readily available 600 series Polaroid film. The film is two stops faster, so you’ll either need to buy an ND filter for the lens, or for the more adventurous, modify your camera. 600 film cartridges have little nubs that prevent loading them into the SX-70, but there’s a very simple workaround.

I highly recommend grabbing one of these while it’s still a semi-affordable hobby. You won’t be disappointed.

28 Comments

Permalink for this comment Ryan says: August 08, 2008

I just picked up a Polaroid SX-70 OneStep and I would suggest buying film pack filters over an ND Filter. You just place the filter on top of the film pack and shoot away. It’s worked great for me so far. If you search for “Polaroid film pack filters” on eBay you should get a few options. I have also heard that they may be soon be for sale via savepolaroid.com in the near future.
Permalink for this comment Jonathan Barrett says: August 08, 2008

I loved my SX-70 until the open/close mechanism and shutter release died on me a few years ago. Reading this makes my eBay trigger finger itch…
Permalink for this comment Tom Watson says: August 08, 2008

Welcome to the club! Last year at SXSW I organized a little Polaroid Breakfast, and even though I wasn’t able to go, I heard people had a great time without me. Stupid snow in Houston. I’m planning on doing something again, so if you’re into it you should come. It’ll be informal and hopefully still pretty small, at least that’s the hope. Glad you got one, and I can’t wait to see what you start shooting!
Permalink for this comment michael says: August 08, 2008

Grabbed a cheap One600 at Zern’s a few months ago. Just about all my family photos from my childhood were taken with a Polaroid, which unfortunately died along the way. Everytime I shoot it’s a nostalgic experience, hearing that internal mechanism whirl to spit out each shot.
Permalink for this comment Jason Santa Maria says: August 08, 2008

@ Ryan : I had seen the film pack filters, but couldn’t find any account of which was better (that or the lens filter). I will certainly give them both a try, thanks!

@ Tom Watson : Sounds like a blast, I would love to join you this year!

@ michael : Ah, I love me some Zern’s. I haven’t been there in a year or two, but have heard that it’s starting to go downhill. As long as the knife guy still has a store. Him, and his 6 fingers total. At least you know the knives are sharp.
Permalink for this comment Jon Bell says: August 08, 2008

I have a feeling the polaroid is about to become the new fixed gear bike. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Permalink for this comment Daniel Nicolas says: August 08, 2008

I got a Polaroid for Christmas but with film at $2 a shot – I can’t exactly justify it. Maybe I’ll try and con someone into buying me film for my birthday or something.
Permalink for this comment John Ryan Brubaker says: August 08, 2008

I discovered this amazing camera about a year ago when I was looking for an old Polaroid to use at a friend’s wedding. I asked the guy behind the counter at the camera shop if Polaroid ever made a ‘real’ camera, not some plastic point and shoot and he pulled out an SX70 for me. I’ve been hooked since.

It was most painful to learn of the demise of integral film… Not even a year after I had found my medium! But alas, I’m thankful for stumbling into an SX70 in time to enjoy it while I can.

I’ve been shooting A Polaroid a Day with mine, so I rarely go anywhere without one now. It’s taken the coveted place of my digital…
Permalink for this comment Kirk says: August 08, 2008

it just kills me that the film won’t be produced any more. Kids love using Polaroids even today. It’s the instant tactile pay-off that they love and gets them excited about creating images.
Permalink for this comment Brian Warren says: August 08, 2008

I have two of those SX-70s. Not only are they amazing cameras, they’re a work of art. Such an excellent tactile quality to them that’s most enjoyable.
Permalink for this comment Sara Flemming says: August 08, 2008

There’s little that’s better than the SX-70’s little mechanical song accompanying each photo. I sort of love the surprised “what is that?! —oohh, Polaroid!”-dance people do when I’m out and about with it.

(Love the layout of this entry, too; that’s a great shot of the camera. (: )
Permalink for this comment Dan says: August 08, 2008

I thought they were stopping production of polaroid film?
Permalink for this comment Jason Santa Maria says: August 08, 2008

@ Dan :

I thought they were stopping production of polaroid film?

They are, did you read the post? ;)
Permalink for this comment Karl Swedberg says: August 09, 2008

I love my SX-70, but I’ve been afraid to shoot with it lately because I can’t bear the thought of running out of film and not being able to buy any more.

My favorite thing about the SX-70 is what you can do with the emulsion before it dries. Pressing into it and smooshing it around can give the photo a painterly effect. I had fun doing this with a picture I took of fruit in my kitchen a few years ago.
Permalink for this comment Kurt Cruse says: August 10, 2008

This post really makes the new design shine. Bravo.
Permalink for this comment yani says: August 10, 2008

great image and post!
Permalink for this comment Adrian Hanft says: August 11, 2008

That Polaroid ad that you linked to was great. Worth mentioning that it was made by Ray and Charles Eames.
Permalink for this comment ralph says: August 11, 2008

I love Polaroid; I’ve been shooting with a variety of cameras that used to belong to my father and grandfather for a couple of years, after being away from Polaroid photography for about 20 years. I miss the old SX-70 film (which was discontinued a few years ago, although you can occasionally still find some old stock for outrageous prices, hence your recommendation to shoot 600 film). The original SX-70 film had a different chemical composition than the 600 or Spectra integral film. It hardened over days, and you could manipulate the developing photograph to create an almost painterly effect. I played around with that a lot when I was in college mumble years ago. You can’t do that with 600 film. :-(

Polaroid is discontinuing their films on a rolling basis. Spectra film is already gone, finished as of April. The old-style peel-apart film will be discontinued shortly, and 600 will be the last to go.

The good news, if there is any in this, is that Fuji still makes film for the old 1960s vintage peel-apart cameras, so I’ll still be able to use my father’s old 250. But my understanding is that the Fuji isn’t as easy to do image transfers with, which is one of the things I really enjoy doing with the old camera.

I resurrected an old bar fridge earlier this year and have been stocking up on Polaroid film as I can afford it. I’m going to miss it when it’s gone for good.
Permalink for this comment Andi Farr says: August 11, 2008

Ever since your last post about Polaroids, I’ve been fretting quite a lot about their discontinuation. I’ve started thinking that out of every artifact of my life to date, Polaroids are the thing I’d most like to show to my children. Unfortunately, I’ve got no plans for kids in the immediate future… And I’m not sure how long the film realistically keeps.

Any ideas, anyone?
Permalink for this comment Kyle Iman says: August 11, 2008

My father got me hooked onto a Polaroid camera, when he taught me to manipulate the photo with a penny or a spoon. I have a Polaroid SX-70, and I use Polaroid time-tero film. You have about one minute to two minutes after it comes out of the camera to manipulate it—please be gentle. You can get some really wavy pictures, without Photoshop—I love the hand quality. I have not used my camera for awhile. I will have to stock up.
Permalink for this comment Jason Santa Maria says: August 12, 2008

@ Ralph :

I did look into some of the Fuji cameras and film too. They are a bit pricey, but it may be the only real alternative in another year.
Permalink for this comment Nathan says: August 13, 2008

I’d love to get a hold of one of those filters. Does anyone know a site where they have some in stock?

I bought my girlfriend an SX-70 for her birthday at the start of the year. I think in between the time I bought it, and the time I gave it to her, was when Polaroid made the announcement. She was able to get a few packs of the SX-70 Blend film, but now the store she bought from in Tokyo tells her they won’t sell it separately – only if you buy it with a camera! So the obvious solution would be to use 600 film instead (until that obviously dries up as well).
Permalink for this comment Jason Santa Maria says: August 13, 2008

@ Nathan :

Does anyone know a site where they have some in stock?

I picked up an ND lens filter at Unsaleable and a film cartridge filter from this seller .
Permalink for this comment Al says: August 18, 2008

I experienced some amazing times with my old Polaroid camera (think it was a 250). I would walk into a neighborhood and start shooting pics of any kids that were around. Pretty soon a large crowd would gather, talking and sharing pics. Or, I would go in the bus station late at night and start shooting people waiting for a bus. They were usually solitary figures sitting silent. By the time I left people were sharing the photos and talking about all sorts of things. I shot Polaroids for a year or two and gave 99% of the pictures away. They joy and humanity the camera released is its true magic.
Permalink for this comment ralph says: August 19, 2008

That’s definitely one of the coolest things about shooting with a Polaroid is the reaction of people, especially kids. At my brother’s birthday party this year, I brought my Spectra and 250. One of my brother’s friends brought his kids, and toward the end of the evening, my brother let one of the kids try out his new Fender Telecaster guitar. I shot a picture with the Spectra of this small kid playing this big guitar and handed it to him and his dad. The kid was amazed to see the picture develop before his eyes. Big eyes, big smile, happy kid, happy dad. Polaroids are magic.
Permalink for this comment Patrick Haney says: August 19, 2008

Welcome to the club, sir. I picked up the exact same camera, in near mint shape, for $70 on eBay a few months back. Finding the 600 film is still relatively easy, but I’d plan on stocking your fridge up a bit before 2009. I have a feeling it’ll start becoming less abundant very soon.

I modified mine with the ND filter you mention, and use the blank card trick to load the film without an issue. One of these days I’ll post some results on Flickr.

By the way, I love how you integrated the photo of the camera with the write-up here. Gorgeous.
Permalink for this comment miss.shellie says: September 05, 2008

Awesome photo BG. You might enjoy this online art show – all Polaroids of people and their dreams. ;)

Before I Die I Want To
Permalink for this comment Johno says: September 06, 2008

This is an absolutely beautifully designed page. I’m in awe.