Polaroid spectra system filters update#

The camera has two metal springs that ensure the film pack is pressed against the film plane.

Polaroid spectra system filters update#

I've been using my modified Spectra for a few weeks now and I thought I would update the instructable with a few issues I've encountered:ġ. Here is a video of the standard operation: Once you have it down, it will take only a few seconds to get ready for a shot. Pull out film holder and reverse the film holder. Ignore the grinding, ejecting noise (nothing will happen because you took out the ejection hook).ġ3. Once you are satisfied with your composition, press the shutter release fully to expose your picture.ġ0. Compose your exposure and press the shutter release half way to engage the autofocus.ĩ. Turn on your battery pack and ignore the noise the camera makes (it is trying to eject the dark slide for the film pack).Ĩ. Insert the film holder into the film chamber ensuring the film holder is fully to the left to engage the camera's sensors.Ħ. Press metal tab at the film door closure until it clicks to fool the camera into believing that the film chamber door is closed.ĥ. Open the film pack chamber by depressing the lever on the right side of the camera.Ĥ. Expand the camera by activating the slider switch on the left side.ģ. To take photos with your newly hacked Spectra.Ģ. It may look awkward, but it does not interfere with the cameras operation or the tripod socket there. I used double sided tape to stick the battery pack to the top of the camera. Pay attention to the polarity! I finished these connections with some heat shrink tubing, but electrical tape would work fine.ħ. Solder your battery pack wires to the wires from the battery contacts. Once both battery contacts have a wire attached, feed the wires out of the camera.Ħ. Make sure the electrical connection is there before doing the epoxy!ĥ. Wire glue is not that strong, so I reinforced the bond by flowing epoxy over the connection. The camera has way too much plastic to properly solder the wires on the contacts, so I used wire glue.a conductive glue which works fine for the low voltages we are working with here.Ĥ. A pair of needle nose pliers are great for twisting the wire onto the posts.ģ. Next attach wire to the metal battery contacts inside the film chamber. This will make it a little easier to get at the insides of the camera.Ģ. This is easily done by bending the tabs on the left and right side. To replace the six volts of power that feeds the camera, I bought a nifty 4 X AA holder with a nice switch on the box for about $2.ġ. Polaroid had the ingenious idea of building a battery pack into each film pack so you never had to worry about the batteries suddenly dying. This modification will pretty much destroy your cameras ability to shoot regular Polaroid Spectra or Impossible Project Image film, so there is no turning back! Also, your camera will no longer be an instant camera! You will have to develop and print (or scan) the images yourself. In this Instructable, we will convert a Polaroid Spectra to operate with regular sheet film. What is the cheapskate hipster to do? Well here is one idea. For example, Spectra film use to be $1 an exposure but is now $2 and exposure in most markets and will only increase as the supply dwindles.Ī project to restart production called, 'the Impossible Project' (the 'p' on impossible is backward for some hip and trendy reason) is restarting production of integral and other Polaroid films, however the cost is still in the $2 to $3 per exposure range. They have stopped making all integral film and the price of the last stocks of fresh film is skyrocketing in price.

I understand the hard business facts behind this move, but as someone who bought the camera, I feel a little cheated. Lets face it.Polaroid has mostly abandoned its commitment to analog instant photography.