Impossible Project PX-680 Color Protection Film – Polaroid SX-70
The first Polaroid camera I had was a OneStep. It was given to me when I first got into photography in 2007 and honestly, I didn’t really use it much before it was put on the shelf. The instant bug hadn’t bitten me yet. Later on when it finally did, I picked up the OneStep yet again to explore its potential.
Using a Polaroid OneStep is pretty straightforward. Everything beyond 4 feet is in focus, some have a little switch that slides an optic over to adjust its focus closer, from 2-4 feet. The models with a flash have two shutter releases buttons; one which fires the flash and another below it, which fires the camera without. Depending on the ambient light, the shutter speed fluctuates from 1/4 of a second up to 1/200th and the aperture opens up to f/11.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Film used: Impossible Project PX-680 (color) or PX-600 (b&w)
Fixed Focus: 4-5 feet (some models have close up adapter to focus at 2-4 feet)
Lens: 116 mm f/11 single element plastic
Shutter Speeds: 1/4 – 1/200 sec.
Flash: Most models have it
Exposure Compensation: Lighten/Darken Slider
- Detailed information on specific models at Camera-wiki.org -
These cameras are relatively durable. I have no idea how many of these were made, but I would assume it’s in the hundreds of thousands. You can usually find these for fairly cheap on Craigslist, estate sales, eBay and a variety of other places online.
- Opening the camera
- Loading film
- Dark slide ejection
- Using the close up adapter (2 to 4 feet – 4 feet to infinity)
- Moving the underexposure/overexposure slider
- Fire w/ flash
- Fire w/o flash
You might have noticed the Impossible Frog Tongue in the video. If you don’t have one of these things, do yourself a favor, pick one up. These work exactly as designed. They fully protect the image from direct sunlight as the image ejects from the camera.
TIP: When shooting close at 2-4 feet, keep in mind that the viewfinder you’re looking through isn’t exactly what you’re going to be recording onto the image. Because it’s next to the lens, parallax error occurs as a result.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, a great camera to get your feet wet with instant photography. You don’t have to worry about the exposure that much (metering tendencies aside) and the focus on most is fixed.
It’s a classic Polaroid point-and-shoot.
If you have any questions about this camera please send a message my way – info@instantfilmsociety.com
- Justin
Video recorded with Steve Reeves at Makeshift Photography in Dallas, TX