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It’s been while since I’ve started a new project thread, mainly because my non-Chroma workshop time is pretty limited, and I wasn’t sure this warranted its’ own thread yet (before it’s all finished) but I’ve been slowly working on a Chrome/Tan Polaroid SX70 that I picked up for a low price due to its’ unknown working status.
It was listed on EBay as, “..looks ok but hasn’t been film tested”, which usually means “knackered”, but I took a gamble and bought it. When it arrived I found the common fault of snapped door retaining clip (strangely not mentioned in the listing..) so first had to source a replacement clip from America. Once I’d installed that, I found the plastic pin on the hinged door had snapped off at some point (probably the same time the retaining clip was snapped!). After failing to find a replacement tan door anywhere, I rebuilt the plastic pin on the original door with a small piece of acrylic instead.
Finally, I now had a fully functioning SX70 and went out to use it...no I didn’t, that would be too simple [emoji6]
Instead, I decided to convert it to shoot 600 film by following a guide online to replace the capacitor on the main circuit board that controls the light meter. The guide talked about the addition of a switch to keep the original capacitor, as well as fit a replacement, and switch between them to keep compatibility with both SX70 and 600 film, so I wired it up quickly to test it out;
Once I knew the theory worked. I started looking at ways to integrate the switch into the body somehow then came up with an alternative solution;
The new 2.5mm plug on the top allows me to plugin either capacitor externally, and switch the light meter between 125 and 600 iso whenever I want to. I’ve also drawn up and printed two ISO “keys” to make them easier to handle.
I still need to design a slim holder for the unused key, which will be attached to the body somewhere, otherwise I know I’ll lose it!
I’ve also got some wenge wood veneer which I’m going to laser cut to re-skin the camera. Finally, I’ve been doodling an external USB-charged lipo battery box, which will attach to the bottom of the camera with embedded magnets, and supply power so I can use I-type film as well, as it has 10 shots instead of 8 (it doesn’t have a battery inside the film pack so can fit two more shots).
It was listed on EBay as, “..looks ok but hasn’t been film tested”, which usually means “knackered”, but I took a gamble and bought it. When it arrived I found the common fault of snapped door retaining clip (strangely not mentioned in the listing..) so first had to source a replacement clip from America. Once I’d installed that, I found the plastic pin on the hinged door had snapped off at some point (probably the same time the retaining clip was snapped!). After failing to find a replacement tan door anywhere, I rebuilt the plastic pin on the original door with a small piece of acrylic instead.
Finally, I now had a fully functioning SX70 and went out to use it...no I didn’t, that would be too simple [emoji6]
Instead, I decided to convert it to shoot 600 film by following a guide online to replace the capacitor on the main circuit board that controls the light meter. The guide talked about the addition of a switch to keep the original capacitor, as well as fit a replacement, and switch between them to keep compatibility with both SX70 and 600 film, so I wired it up quickly to test it out;
Once I knew the theory worked. I started looking at ways to integrate the switch into the body somehow then came up with an alternative solution;
The new 2.5mm plug on the top allows me to plugin either capacitor externally, and switch the light meter between 125 and 600 iso whenever I want to. I’ve also drawn up and printed two ISO “keys” to make them easier to handle.
I still need to design a slim holder for the unused key, which will be attached to the body somewhere, otherwise I know I’ll lose it!
I’ve also got some wenge wood veneer which I’m going to laser cut to re-skin the camera. Finally, I’ve been doodling an external USB-charged lipo battery box, which will attach to the bottom of the camera with embedded magnets, and supply power so I can use I-type film as well, as it has 10 shots instead of 8 (it doesn’t have a battery inside the film pack so can fit two more shots).
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