Film Just Got my SX-70 Sonar Back From Retrospekt

[gryphon1911]

And I cannot tell you how BEYOND please I am with it.
My only issue is that I should have taken pictures of it before I sent it off. Let's just say that the original black leather panels were in used condition and I was not 100% sure that the thing was exposing correctly.

I opened the box and saw this:

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I was honestly just expecting this thing to be returned back to me wrapped in bubble wrap. I did not expect this level of boxing, instruction manuals (yeah, they sent one on how to operate the camera and it was specific to the Sonar model and not a generic one).

Here is the camera now:

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Here is the checklist of everything they did to my SX-70.

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So, I was excited and ran out back after putting in a pack of SX-70 Color film.
Here it is. I just framed, focused and tripped the shutter! Scanned with the Polaroid app for iPhone.

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[mumu]

Camera is gorgeous, not sure I can say the same about the Polaroid photo though. ;-)

I've got a folding Land camera. Haven't tried it out in 18 years or so. It will probably need an overhaul, too.

 

[agentlossing]

So cool! I've thought of scanning some Instax on my Epson V550, I do wonder how good of a scan you can get. I'll let you know!

 

[Brian]

I bought a pair of those cameras back in the 1980s, one for me and one for my Dad. It got a lot of use, finally slowed down using them about 11 years ago. The original Polaroid Film had vibrant color. I still have some peel-apart pack film in the fridge, but sold the 180 a few years ago.

I used it for years with 600 speed film, with the 1.5x telephoto lens, and the 2350 Electronic Flash. Set the L/D control 1 stop towards darken, the "follow-focus" flash got the second F-Stop, perfect exposure. 600 speed is balanced for electronic flash. I also have an SLR680 and an SLR690, but preferred the SX-70 Sonar with telephoto lens. NEVER try to put the 1.5x telephoto lens on the SLR680 or SLR690: it will break the camera. The SX70 Sonar has a switch for use with the telephoto lens.

$215 to service the SLR680 and SLR690: that's a good price. I used to belong to "Polaroid Preferred", the repairs were very cheap. They wanted you to buy film. Barbie Doll business model.

These are with the SX-70 Sonar+1.5x Polaroid Telephoto+2350 flash, on 600 film. Scanned with the Polaroid Print Scanner- which came with a calibration card.

 

[gryphon1911]

And I cannot tell you how BEYOND please I am with it.
My only issue is that I should have taken pictures of it before I sent it off. Let's just say that the original black leather panels were in used condition and I was not 100% sure that the thing was exposing correctly.

I opened the box and saw this:
View attachment 245830

I was honestly just expecting this thing to be returned back to me wrapped in bubble wrap. I did not expect this level of boxing, instruction manuals (yeah, they sent one on how to operate the camera and it was specific to the Sonar model and not a generic one).

Here is the camera now:
View attachment 245831

View attachment 245832

View attachment 245833

View attachment 245834

Here is the checklist of everything they did to my SX-70.
View attachment 245837

So, I was excited and ran out back after putting in a pack of SX-70 Color film.
Here it is. I just framed, focused and tripped the shutter! Scanned with the Polaroid app for iPhone.

View attachment 245838

You know, I just gotta get better subject matter in front of the lens.

 

[Brian]

When Nikki was a toddler she walked into the camera shop with me, looked directly at everyone behind the counter, and announced "I like Polaroid Cameras".

 

[Brian]

Well- I found a film pack with a good battery-

Polaroid SLR690 is in perfect working order, The SLR680 that I found at an estate sale- flash not charging and focus hanging up. The latter will be going to Retrospekt, will post results back. The camera was $30- so total cost will be reasonable.

 

[Brian]

Santa brought me Film for my Retrospekt Rebuilt SLR680, Loaded with color.
My SLR690- bought in 1998, loaded with B&W.

With Polaroid- have to hit the Light Dark control- I'm calibrating to the new film.
Lesson learned: Color- one small tick mark towards lighten. The dark image is set to neutral, the bright one is one major step to lighten- too much.
Black and White- leave centered. Here it is one small tick to lighten.

 

[Kevin]

Santa brought me Film for my Retrospekt Rebuilt SLR680, Loaded with color.
My SLR690- bought in 1998, loaded with B&W.

Polaroids on Christmas morning brings back so many good memories.

 

[agentlossing]

I love them! Polaroids today are the ultimate rebellion against pixel peeping.

I have one of the new "Now +" models which has manual control via smartphone app and came with some color filters. I haven't picked up any film yet, but I'm very interested to see what I can do with the color filters and B&W film. How I'll figure out the exposure considering the images are about $2 a pop is another story.