How a Photographer Modified an Old School Polaroid Camera for Instant Fuji Film

What happens when you take a 1960s model Polaroid camera–which you can no longer get film for–and modify it so that it shoots modern film and allows you to attach a PocketWizard to it for using strobes? You can actually get some really fun results that are throwbacks to the film days of the past. In the video below, you’re invited into Alastair Bird‘s studio to see what kind of creations he can make with his hacked Polaroid–take a look:

The camera was modified by having the back replaced with a newer 4×5 and was outfitted with a new lens. (Via PetaPixel) A PC socket was mounted onto the camera, which allows the addition of PocketWizards and strobes. Since Polaroid no longer makes film, Bird is using Fuji Instant film.

vintage camera

The camera produces very distinct vintage results.

instant film

Though accidental, the over exposure in this portrait created a nice effect.

One of the major drawbacks of shooting on instant film is you’re left only with a single 4×5 copy of the image. To get around this hangup, Bird set up a copy stand and photographed the images with a digital camera to produce digital versions of the images for use online and in portfolios.

“It makes for a weird mishmash of old and new.”

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