Vintage Refurbished [ℹ]
Polaroid SX-70 Sonar Autofocus Conceptual Prototype Folding Instant Film Camera
Consider Enhancing Your Experience with a 600 Film Conversion
SX-70 cameras natively shoot SX-70 film, which has an ISO of 100. This is a pretty slow film speed, which is desirable for fine grain. However, it can be limiting in low-light settings. 600 film is a faster speed (600 to be exact!) which will perform better in a variety of light situations and is more readily available at big box stores like Target. More than half of customers upgrade to 600. Learn more about the process here.
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This prototype camera is likely a toolroom mockup, using available parts, and is a one-of-a-kind example of the prototyping of what would become the SX-70 Sonar Autofocus. This is evidenced by the very "handmade" nature of the modifications, with plastic milled away and grafted on.
While this camera features the iconic sonar transducer disk, there is no circuitry contained within - thus, this camera functions only as a manual focus camera. Additionally, as part of the mockup, the engineers quickly modified the shutter assembly to make room for the faux-sonar. In doing so, they removed the flash capability.
This camera was acquired from a former Polaroid employee in Boston.
Because this camera is a prototype, it should be handled with extreme care. Most of the parts are custom-made, or were modified to fit this camera specifically. Thus, any breakage of those parts from rough handling would not be repairable. This camera is part of our 90-day warranty in which we will guarantee the function of its manual focus capabilities, but we do not hold a warranty on any cosmetics or the non-functional sonar mechanism.
Specs |
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| Brand | Polaroid |
| Color | Black with brown leather |
| Film |
Polaroid SX-70 instant film |
| Film Size | Image 3.1 x 3.1 in Image with border 4.2 x 3.5 in |
| Lens | 116mm f/8 |
| Focus | Manual |
| Viewfinder | Single lens reflex (SLR) |
| Exposure Control | Automatic, with manual +/- 1EV lighten/darken wheel |
| Shutter Release | Electronic, automatic shutter speeds of 1/175 to 14 seconds |
| Flash | Built-in, with manual override |
| Battery | Built into film cartridge |
This is a genuine piece of vintage retro tech refurbished and restored by Retrospekt. Our process includes:
- Deconstructing the camera to its base components
- Verifying the form and function of each piece
- Repairing and replacing pieces whenever necessary, but also...
- Retaining original pieces whenever reasonably possible
- Cleaning all optical and viewing components including lenses and fresnels
- Polishing exterior components
- Applying new genuine leather replacement coverings
- Packaging each camera in a specially made box
Authentic Vintage, Guaranteed to Work
This camera has experienced decades of life before finding its way to Retrospekt. As such, it will show some signs of past use and may vary ever so slightly from what is pictured. However, we are extremely picky about the condition of the cameras we restore and the parts we select for the repair process. The end result is an excellent vintage restoration that is guaranteed to work properly. Should any questions arise, we have a team of friendly people ready to help you.
This camera is covered by the Retrospekt Refurbished guarantee. [view our 90-day limited warranty]
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Trained by the best
In 2015, our team was formally trained in SX-70 repair by original Polaroid technician Jos Ridderhof (affectionately called 'Jos the Boss'). Jos bestowed his decades of experience in Polaroid SX-70 repair upon our team, laying the foundation for best practices and quality craftsmanship.
Down to the bones
Each camera is carefully disassembled to its base components. Each part is inspected for form and function. Repairs are performed wherever required. Some parts need to be replaced to optimize performance, but we retain original camera parts whenever reasonably possible.
Polished to perfection
Each camera is carefully cleaned, including fresnels, optical components and exterior housings. Our housings will be free from cracks, carvings and significant scratches. Our goal is to make them look as close to off the factory line as possible.
All Folding Cameras
