Non Pony Art: Custom Whovian Polaroid SX-70 skin

[dippindot]

I feel chatty, so feel free to just scroll to the pictures if you don't want to know a lot of extra information.  Otherwise...

Story time!

So the other day a few weeks ago, I stopped by Goodwill.  After checking the toy section for ponies (no score) I looked through the electronics section just for fun, and spied an old Polaroid Colorpack II camera. 

I've never had a Polaroid camera before in my life, and at the time was blissfully unaware that film for these things is hard to come by.  I vaguely recalled that at some point Polaroid had stopped making film, but that Fujifilm had picked up where they left off.  With my head full of nostalgia and a mistily recalled memory of the fun of instant photos, I thought, why not?

I snatched up my new camera ($3.99) and eagerly searched the web for available film.  Holy crap that stuff is pricey.  Although Amazon did in fact have film for my new toy, it was more than $1 per shot.    I decided to put the film buying on hold for a while to see if it went on sale.

A few days later, I find ANOTHER Polaroid camera at Goodwill.  This one was newer, and said it takes 600 film.  Perhaps this will be easier to find!  I optimistically tell myself.

Ha ha ha.

There's only one source left for 600 film, and it's the Impossible Project.  It's $25 for an 8 pack, and the film is notoriously temperamental.  Pass.

So I bought the FP-100C for my Colorpack II, take a few photos, and I LOVE it.  It is so much fun!  I took it to Fall Creek Falls with me, and I took it to the coffee shop with me to take photos of my friends:

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My friend in the picture is as enamored of this novelty (if you can call technology invented 50 years ago a novelty) as I am, and we had a lot of fun playing with it.

So... fast forward to this past weekend.  I'm searching Craigslist for yard sales, and what do you know!  Someone is selling antique and vintage photo equipment.  How can I resist?

I picked up THREE new Polaroid cameras, plus several flashbars and bags.  (At this point I had to admit to myself that I've become addicted to Polaroids.  The only thing I've collected more of is ponies.)

All of my new cameras take SX-70 film.  One is a white rigid bodied One Step with the classic Polaroid rainbow, and the other two are folding SX-70s, a Model 2 and a Model 3.

Both of the folding cameras looked awful, with artificial leather skins cracked and crumbling into absolutely disgusting dust.  I wish I'd gotten a picture.  The Model 3 looked a bit like this:

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Luckily, it only cost me $0.50.   

I pulled all that crap off (yuck yuck yuck), and after checking out available skin replacements online and being thoroughly unimpressed with the bland choices, decided to make my own!

I replaced the skins with some black pleather I had lying around, and then I painted that with acrylics.  It looks really cool now.  I'm happy.  This one is for my friend in the picture; I haven't decided what I'm going to paint on my other one.

The bottom, folded -
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The top, folded -
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The back, open -
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The front, open -
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Oh, and as far as my Colorpack II goes, I finally found a use for a vinyl decal I've been saving:

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Instant photos are pretty magical, so it seemed very appropriate.   

[Shaiyeh]

I LOVE the paintwork on the first camera. OMG O:
it's perfect. Very well done!

[dippindot]

Thank you very much!

[aimee24]

Your camera is very individual now, I like it  I never had a polaroid too.. i just have an old polaroid photo in my 'memory-box'. I was ab out 9 years old when it was made 

[Eviecorn]

Very creative!

Fall Creek Falls?  Just visiting or are you local and we're practically neighbors?

[dippindot]

Thanks!

Fall Creek Falls?  Just visiting or are you local and we're practically neighbors?

I live about an hour away   We visit the park all the time!

[spottedslug]

They look great! Nice restorative work. I agree, instant pics are kind of like magic. 

[ZennaBug]

*flailspazz*    OMG I am so in love with the TARDIS camera!  Love it, love it, love it!