help focus. Some used the smaller type 80 film
(Square Shooter). Their prices ranged from
around $25 to $45. The Pack film range included
also the BigShot, a long focus, fixed-focus, fixed
exposure model dedicated to portrait, famous as
being used by Andy Warhol; a new range of plas-
tic folding cameras in production until the late
nineties (EE-100; Reporter; Propack); the Mamiya
based and built 600 and 600 SE, the latter with 75-
127- and 150-mm, interchangable lens, and some
special cameras dedicated to macro-work. Still in
production are Portrait and Passport models with
two and four lens, providing two and four images
in one single frame.
In 1972, there was an easier way to use instant
photography, the new SX70 camera used the first
integral film system. There was no need to pull the
film from the camera as it had a small motor,
powered by the battery in the film pack, to eject
the film. The SX70 camera was a folding SLR,
not much larger than the pictures it produced. It
featured electronic control and electric film ejec-
tion. The image was unreversed on film by means
of a mirror, the film was parallel to the bottom of
the camera, and not to the lens plane. The first
model finished in brown leather and brushed
metal was an example of good design, from a
time most industrial design is bound to be forgot-
ten. The variations of the original SX70 had little
more than different colors, black metal with
brown leatherette, chromed metal with black
leatherette, and even white and gold models. Ex-
cept for the non-reflex model 3 the technical dif-
ferences were small.
In 1978, Konica had just introduced the first
auto-focus camera, and the SX70 evolved to auto-
focus, which was accomplished by adding a sonar
auto-focus module on its top. It allowed focusing in
complete darkness, a feature stressed by Polaroid
advertising. Most auto-focus Polaroid cameras still
use this auto-focus system.
SX70s were expensive ($180 in 1972), so the same
principle of reversing the image with a mirror was
applied to rigid plastic bodied models, the most pop-
ular in the United States was the Onestep, which in
1977 became the best-selling camera in the world; it
remained so for four years. It was followed by other
models some including sonar auto-focus. Art photo-
graphers still use these discontinued models as SX70/
Time Zero film allows for manipulation not possible
with more modern integral films.
Most post-SX70 Polaroid cameras and films are
based on this concept. The 600 series cameras use
the same size of film but with a speed of ISO 640
instead of ISO 150. With minor adaptations, it is
possible to use SX70/Time Zero in these cameras,
as this film is not suited for manipulations and
SX70 cameras are no longer produced. Most cam-
eras using type 600 film are technically similar
simple plastic cameras. However there is a large
number of different models, some appealing to a
children/youth market, using cartoon (Taz, Barbie)
or music characters (Spice Girls), making this film
the most popular in the Polaroid range. The cur-
rent models are different from former models as
they are of the folding type, similar in aesthetics to
the Spectra/Image range described below. The most
capable cameras of these series the 1980s 680 and
the more recent 690, are no more than sonar auto-
focus SX70s with built-in flash and metering sys-
tems able to deal with the faster film. Other current
Polaroid film systems are the Spectra/Image sys-
tem, which works in a similar way but is a bit
wider, and led to a more advanced, although non-
reflex, camera line, backs to scientific instruments
and computer printers. This range originally had
four folding cameras, three of which share the same
body: the 125 mm, 3 elements F10 lens called
Quintic and an unusual focus system consisting of
a segmented arc-shaped center element, which
swings on a pivot to adjust focus. (Spectra/Image;
Spectra/Image 2 Spectra/Image Pro) and another,
ProCam, with a more rugged construction, folds
sideways and has a wider lens, said to be of better
quality. To extend the possibilities of Spectra/Image
cameras, Polaroid produced ingenious close-up
accessories, some particularly suited to police
work. A recent variation of the Spectra/Image is
the 1200 series folding cameras using 12 pictures
per pack, instead of 10, but with backwards com-
patibility with earlier Spectra/Image film packs.
There are a few current models in this range, includ-
ing one with an LCD viewfinder.
In 1993, trying to produce a smaller and cheaper
film, Polaroid launched the Captiva/Vision series
with a concept closer to the original SX70, a fold-
ing reflex, with a compartment to keep the ejected
picture. It was not a success, but the film type was
kept for the the Joycam, a very simple cheap cam-
era that does not have a motor to eject the picture.
This film type was also used in the Popshots an ill-
fated adventure in the single-use camera market.
The I zone, earlier marketed as Xiao by a
Japanese toy maker, uses a smaller film, close to a
35-mm frame in a 110 look alike camera, with
bright colors and cartoon characters appealing
to a very young public. There is also a scanner
dedicated to Izone photographs, a film/digital
camera combo, and a camera with a FM radio.
In the United States Polaroid also markets theCAMERA: INSTANT OR POLAROID