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.
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