On my wish list: a SLR 680

I had the opportunity to try out a Polaroid SLR 680 camera for a few days. The SLR 680 is sort of the successor of the SX-70, a foldable single reflex camera with sonar autofocus. I always think that that sonar autofocus system, some sort of soundwaves, sounds (and looks) a bit weird. Like something from a science fiction novel or a submarine. My two Image cameras also have sonar autofocus, and I must say, that it works very well. But as to SLR cameras, the SX-70 seemed the one to go for. The real thing. Now I love my SX-70, and when you get the focus right, the photos are brilliant. But depending on the subject, the focusing with that small viewfinder can be rather tricky, and since I'm shortsighted, I don't really trust that what looks in focus to me, really is so in reality. And then I tried out a SLR 680, and wow, how cool's that! Unlike my Image cameras, where you just know that the focus is in the centre of the viewfinder, and you focus and compose your image accordingly, with the SLR 680, since it is a single reflex camera, when you push the shutter button halfway down to focus, you see the actual image in the viewfinder, which allows you to have much more control over your focus and composition.

There are some issues with this particular camera that I don't like. For one thing, it doesn't close properly on one side when folded, which results in the lens making a whirring noise almost every time you move the camera. It is not only a rather annoying sound, but I also guess that it means that the batteries get drained quicker. Also, there are some undevelopped patches appearing at the top of each image, and the overall exposure seems uneven, with the bottom being much too light. But at the top, where it is right, the contrast and exposure are wonderful, and the detail and sharpness are just brilliant. I'm afraid I'm sending this baby back, however.

But a SLR 680 camera is definitely on my wish list.

A new addition to the familiy

My little family of cameras just got a new member - my Polaroid SX-70 arrived last Thursday. I only ordered it the Saturday before, from the US, and I impatently checked the tracking service about every five minutes. Of course I was secretly hoping that it would arrive before the weekend, but never really thought it possible, especially as Friday was a public holiday here. I thought I'd have to wait til Monday, and so I was especially thrilled when it did actually arrive on Thursday. And what a beauty it is.

Of course it isn't new at all. None of these original Polaroid cameras are. But while it is not the oldest one in my little collection of cameras, it's certainly among the older ones, and probably the oldest of the ones I actually use. The Polaroid SX-70 was the first instant SLR camera on the market, and the first model, with a metal body, was manufactured in the early to mid 1970. Now I don't know when my model was made exactly, but I like the thought that this camera and me might well be exactly the same age.

The design of these cameras is just so beautiful and clever. They fold flat and to use them, you pull it up into position. This proofed to be a bit tricky with mine. At first, I actually didn't manage to open it at all. I was pulling quite hard, and I was getting afraid of rippint the whole thing apart. But eventually, it folded open, and I'm slowly learning to get the hang of it, although I still have a bit of a problem with it at times. Because of this, and because it looks so clean and unscratched, and smells almost new, I believe that it might not have been used a lot.

Of course I had to try it out immediately, even though I knew it was probably too dark. The SX-70 films are a much lower ISO than the 600 and so need plenty of light. Thursday was a grey and dull evening, and on Friday, it was raining all day and looked more like a late November afternoon than a spring day. I would have loved to take my camera out to the forest, but intead I had to try it out inside. But I was still pleased with the first results. You can see how, with the manual focus, you can get much more DOF than with my autofocus one (even if it's a bit out of focus here).

With the one taken the next day, on rainy Friday, I managed to get a slightly better focus.

And when it stopped raining for a few minutes, I quickly popped out for a photo of the lovely dogwood bush outside the house. I can't wait to take it out for a walk in better light!

I'm thinking about doing a little project with this camera. Not a 365 though, although that would no doubt an interesting project and a great way to get to know and learn how to use this camera. But it feels a bit too much, and it would be expensive too. But I've got some other ideas, I just haven't quite decided which one.