A completely rebuilt, digitally-enabled Polaroid SX-70 camera | Hacker News Reader

A completely rebuilt, digitally-enabled Polaroid SX-70 camera

gross.is

113 pointsChrisArchitect21 comments

Besides the amazing project, the presentation page blew me away - the sticky text on the side, the progressive loading of images, the tasteful white of the background, the subtle coloring - all of it shows a lot of care and attention, I love it!

I think it needs a mode where you can watch for few minutes while the image slowly develops. That was half of the fun of Polaroids.

And half the fun of dial-up downloading progressive JPEGs.

Amazing build, I love how the photos come out blurry around the edges. Extra authentic ;)

Now see if you can cram a printer in there and make it a real Polaroid again!

Do we really need a printer in there? What if it just connects to one of those Fuji Instax printers or something like a Canon Selphi printer.

Instead of a printer, why not use the Pi's Wi-Fi to transmit photos to a phone – where they can then be posted to Instagram.

Another cool Polaroid mod is the thermal paper Polaroid made by Tim Jacobs:

https://mitxela.com/projects/thermal_paper_polaroid

I love polaroid cameras, no matter how mundane the picture might be, I always have some excitement waiting for them to develop.

This is amazing. I've been thinking about doing something similar with one of the old Lubitel's I have laying around. Something simpler, twin lense of Lubitel allows me to bypass the whole screen thing which should make the entire build pretty straightforward due to having a lot of space just for a RPI, power and lense.

I probably won't get to building it, though, but this was a very interesting read nonetheless.

All the photos on this page are just a blurry mess. It sounds like an interesting project; too bad I can't see it.

Do you have JavaScript disabled or something similar that would keep lazy loading if the full res images from working?

This is a wonderful project, and inspiring too. I've been working on my own photo booth by gutting a 1930s Kodak Brownie, and now I think I'm just going to use my own CCD instead of using a GoPro which is what I have been doing.

Great build.

Note to the author: please correct the systematic mistake of "it's" instead of "its". And it definitely lacks a printer :)

I absolutely love this and I think the resulting photographs have a great charm. I wish I had the dedication to follow something like this through.

The SX-70 is one of the most gorgeous examples of form and function.

Nice build!

I've been trying to find one at a goodwill or estate sale for years.

Can't say I approve. If it's non-working, why not restore it to original condition rather than adding a second-rate sensor after applying destructive modifications?

(I’m the one that built this.)

I knew I would get this comment at least once somewhere.

This one was in middling condition, and I own three others that have either been restored or are in their original working condition. I care a lot about (and collect) Polaroid instant cameras; this was a singular sacrifice.

I guess here is part of the grand reveal. Congrats on getting it done and documenting the project so beautifully.

The way you can head off those who want to point out the obvious - 'but it doesn't print' - is to mention what you have said here. It provides context. It is okay if you collect the things and re-use one that was originally a parts donor for others and is a bare shell.

What would also be interesting would be if you could record people's reactions to it. Years ago the Polaroid camera was all about sharing, it was fun passing the just made snaps around the table.

Nowadays everyone has a screen so how do you do the instant share?

One thing you could do is have the freshly made snap upload itself to a URL. Whilst it is doing so there could be a QR code gradually reveal itself so people can then 'share' the picture the modern way, to see it on their own phones. A simple web page could do some CSS colour effects and have the classic frame with someone needing to 'waft' their phone around for the picture to reveal.

You could convince under fives that 'this was how it worked' way back in the 1970's. The grandparents would go along with that.

In this way the camera itself need not show the pictures, it could be a 'paperless polaroid' so the sharing thing works . It could break up the dynamic of selfies and 'me with my mates' Instagram photography and bring some fun back, passing around the camera rather than people doing their own thing with their hand-rectangles.

Since you have got so far documenting the project some QR code enabled viewing thing where the URL + timecode makes up the picture could be really good. Plus if you have save and regular share buttons going on.

NFC would be interesting too although a lot of the metal backed phones don't do NFC.

Meh, don't worry about it. It's a mass produced consumer device, not a previously undiscovered dead sea scroll or something. You've done an amazing job of updating it while maintaining functionality and aesthetics. I think this project is very tastefully and sympathetically done. I really enjoyed the write-up too.

Sticking with just restoring original components isn't necessarily the most interesting result. I like that a different path was taken.

"Can't say I approve."

I just love the sense of entitlement on the Internet /s

Awesome job by the OP - and as others said, it's a high volume piece of consumer kit. Now it's unique and special.

Very well done!

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