12/4/06

Started working on the 360 battery upgrade by soldering the battery snaps from the old batteries onto the new Lithium CR2 replacements. Didn't go so well. I got the positive tabs on, but the bottoms wouldn't stick and I didn't want to heat up the battery too much. Had even less luck with the NiCDs in the flash. If I wiggled it, the light on the charger came on like it was supposed to, but otherwise was dim. I picked up some new solder and some flux which will hopefully facilitate a strong bond between the parts. In the worst case scenario, I could abandon the rechargeables and rig a AA battery holder on top. Not ideal, but at least hopefully functional. Meanwhile, haven't worked on the 110A conversion yet and I still need to calibrate the viewfinder. I think I'll pull the ground glass from the Graflex to do it since I don't want to use up any more Polaroid film.

11/29/06

The first try on the 4x5 conversion to the 110A came up short as the multiple-layered plastic used for the adaptor between the camera back and the graflok back from the ID camera wasn't crafted well enough. I pulled all that apart and decided to cut the mounting surface from the ID camera itself. I did this and cut it again to try to even out the level of the cut and this time used a quarter-inch thick chunk of plywood as an adapter. It worked out well, except the inside walls were too thick once covered with velvet and part of the 4x5 image is blocked. Works fine for pack film, though. I'll use that to get the 900 viewfinder adjusted and then go back to working on the image area. So far, so good. I'll have a gallery of the process up here soon.

7/4/06

Got the Pacemaker Speed Graphic yesterday! I shot a few test Polaroids with it today - had to remove the spring back but nothing a couple of rubber bands couldn't fix. Click the link on your right to see one of them. More on this later....

6/19-20/06

There were some light leaks around the graflok back that I finally discovered were associated with the plexiglas that I used to adapt Graflok to the camera back. I started to remove the velvet with the idea that I would tape the opening or coat the plexiglas with something, but then just ripped the back apart. I decided I hated the plexiglas anyway since it was tacky looking and stinks. It really stinks and putting your face up to the back to look through the viewfinder forced you to hold your breath. So instead I've decided to cut the mounting surface off of the Polaroid ID camera that I got the Graflok from. That way, it will bolt right up. I was gearing up to do just that and then won the bid on a Graflex 4x5 Speed Graphic. So now I have a true 4x5 camera on the way. What to do with the Polaroid? Do I continue with the conversion or just finish the viewfinder conversion and sell it on Ebay? I can use the lens on the Graflex, though and the 110A really didn't cost me anything once I'd sold off the other stuff......

I think I might consider converting it to pack film instead. Or maybe a 6x12 medium format camera......

Stay tuned.

6/2/06

So things haven't gone very quickly. The good news is I've got the back on the 110A, and I've even got the 900 viewfinder on the 110A. None of it is tuned up yet, I only figured out last night how I'll need to mount the bellows latch back a little on the focusing door to compensate for the changed focal plane. I also figured I can easily mount the distance strip ("feet to lens" indicator) from the 150 on top of or in place of the original 110A distance strip to alter the focusing distances. I shot several shots today at lunch to verify everything. Now I have to do the distance strip, the bellows latch and re-align the viewfinder mirror. I tested my guess on the source of the light leaks by taping up the inside edges of the back and sure enough, that was it. So I'll have to rework the framing and the felt to tighten up where the Graflok back meets the adapter mounted to the hacked camera back. Next will be cutting off the red switch housing, filling it with plastic, then recovering that end of the back door. After that, it is all cosmetics as I'll need to clean up the viewfinder housing and then prime and paint the plexiglas adapter because the stench of that stuff is too much. I've scanned the test shot for "15ft" and the link is to the right. It doesn't look like much, but I think it is a cool shot, considering the lack of light leaks that I've been looking at for weeks as well as the focus on the distant subjects, my girls.

4/17-20/06

I couldn't find any plexiglas or plastic the right thickness, so I ended up buying four sheets of 8x10 plexiglas and layering them to get up to the 5/8" I needed. Then I cut them down (stinky) to fit the Graflok back. It is coming along pretty well. Next step will be to trim out the interior of the riser with framing strips and covering the inside with felt. Then I'll take apart the donor 900 viewfinder and look into transplanting it to the 110A. Once the back is done, I'll use it on the other 900 or maybe the 800 and try it out with the 405 Polaroid back. Won't be long now and I'll be shooting 4x5!

4/9/06

Dad and I took apart the donor Polaroid 900 and the Polaroid ID camera to figure out the mating of the two to produce parts for converting a Polaroid 110A to 4x5 format. Yes, it's all a little confusing, but I'll work up some really nifty web pages to document the process. I hope to have the Graflok back spliced into the back from the 900 by the end of the week.

2/28/06

I've got two Polaroid 360 and will hopefully be able to replace the batteries in the rechargeable flash to get them operational again. I'm just not finding the pack film cameras with a couple dozen flash bulbs in the case at thrift stores anymore. It seems everyone else has (re)discovered the fun of Polaroid.