Polaroid 250 Land Camera

Dad's Polaroid 250 Land camera. There's still a couple of ASA 75 color film packs, sealed and in their original boxes. The use-before date on the cartons is 1968 while Polaroid made this camera starting 1967 with the instruction manual having a printing date of 1968. Ergo, dad must've bought this cam in 1968. This here unit is some 45 years old! Though not in mint condition I bet it'll still work.

Film pack is placed at the back of the camera. After taking a shot you pull a paper tab that sticks out on one side. As the negative and the print are dragged out, rollers in the camera squeeze and spread the developer between them. After giving it a minute or so of development time the negative is peeled off leaving the positive print--the photo.

This model sports a Zeiss-Ikon rangefinder. Excellent focusing system! In the viewfinder you get two ghost images of the subject. You manipulate the focus lever until the two images are exactly on top of one another.

More info on this model: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Polaroid_Land_Model_250

Setup for this photoshoot: Canon Rebel T3i in manual mode, 1/100", f/16, ISO 200, manual focus using Live View and x10 digital zoom. Lens: EF 75-300mm III at 105 to 135mm. Lighting consisted of a single Yongnuo YN560 II flash set to 1/4 power and an 80 x 80cm softbox positioned approximately at the Rembrandt angle some half meter from the subject. A pair of Yongnuo RF-603 were used as flash trigger.

To provide some scale here's a Canon Powershot A480 beside the Polaroid 250. The 250 is BIG! Bigger than an SLR, specially when fully extended. To use the camera that black plastic cover is first removed

With protective plastic cover removed

Rangefinder flipped up. A magnet holds it in place.

Bellows fully extended and locked in place. Camera is ready to take pictures. Well, if you have a film pack and the special battery installed, that is.

The ASA dial is below the letter A in "Polaroid" beneath the lens. The yellow on black thingie below the letter O is an aperture adjustment (there are only two settings). The lever with a white knob arms the shutter and has to be cocked before every shot. The red button beside the rangefinder is of course the shutter release.

You didn't expect an LCD screen on the back, did you?

Back of the camera open. That's where the film pack goes. I've only cleaned the exterior of the cam. Will have to use a blower and adhesive tape to try and get rid of all those flecks and dust inside.