Polaroid SX-70 SONAR AutoFocus– Batman`s instant fun
written by lomodirk
on January 28th, 2009
, 10 comments
(6 votes)
image from here
25 years later, I`m totally into analogue photography/lomography, I had a walk over a local fleamarket were I saw the SX-70 Sonar AutoFocus I had read some articles about. It takes SX-70 film which should not be produced any longer but you can use the Polaroid 600 film which is available right at every corner. Still expensive, but it has it`s own unique look and of course this freaky, from bats copied Sonarfocus. Sound waves are send off which will be reflected by objects. Now the camera knows how far away the object is and focuses automatically the right distance. Crazy technique, isn`t it?
So I asked for that beauty in used condition and for 4€ I got a SX-70 with 2 pictures left, a suitcase containing a close-up lens, a flashbar and a cable release. Next I ordered a Japanese ND-filter which allows you easily to use these Polaroid 600 films, you only have to remove the four little knobs on the film-cassette.
Once you put in the film there are some features for you left, two spinning wheels, one allows you to adjust under- or overexposure and with the other one you can set your focus manually. There is a Unomat flash which replaces the not any longer produced flashbars but somehow I like the light a flashbar produces more. They can be found sometimes at local fleamarkets as well.
Now Polaroid finished film production and prices for films are rising even more high than it has been before. I hope there will be someone who will produce the 600 films for the future, because I don`t want to lay down a Polaroid to the storage rack for the second time.
Update: Just read an article about which says that Harman technology bought the whole production line of Polaroid Integral film in the Netherlands. There is still hope…
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