+- Death Valley (https://dv.netllama.us/dv)
+-- Forum: Death Valley (https://dv.netllama.us/dv/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Photography Forum (https://dv.netllama.us/dv/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Thread: Here's a long shot (not DV related) (/showthread.php?tid=25850)
Here's a long shot (not DV related) - GowerGulch42 - 2021-03-03
I'm being given a couple Polaroid cameras for the 1960s, an 800 and a Land 360. Film isn't easily available for either camera (yes, pack film for the 360 is still made by die-hard enthusiasts in Austria at $11 per shot).
Anybody on this forum have experience with converting cameras to different formats? I'd like to convert the 800 to 120mm so that I can have a budget-friendly medium-format camera for landscapes and such.
RE: Here's a long shot (not DV related) - TacoLand - 2021-03-06
That's a great question and project, though I've never used either of those Polaroid cameras. Not sure it'd be worth going to all the effort to add a medium format back to those, plus first thing you'd want to check on both Polaroids is whether or not there's any light leak in the baffles as they can degrade over the years.
I used to use a more contemporary Polaroid ProPack for my outdoor polaroids, but eventually the film became too expensive so I dropped it years ago.
RE: Here's a long shot (not DV related) - GowerGulch42 - 2021-03-06
I am assured that the baffles are in good shape, but I haven't checked myself yet. The focal length for the 800 works perfectly for both 120 and 4x5, but 4x5 is way too expensive for a hobbyist like me. With 4x5 you can just put the plate in the camera and take a shot (with a changing bag), but the 120 requires adding a spool and a winding spindle. There's a couple guides online to do it successfully.
Ultimately, if I can get a medium-format camera for around $20 and a couple hours… then I think that's worth the effort! The 800 has a fairly high quality lens.