Films for Instant (Polaroid) Cameras:

• Kodak Instant Cameras: Kodak made a series of cameras that provided pictures in an instant, under the tradenames of Kodak Instant Camera, Kodamatic, Colorburst. As a result of a patent infringement lawsuit by Polaroid, Kodak discontinued production of the film for these cameras. There is no more film. Kodak provided a very generous program for more than 3 years allowing owners of these cameras to get rebates or credits. The deadline is long past. Kodak Instant Cameras are totally unusable and worthless at this point. Most have no collectors' value.

  POLAROID cameras which have motorized film ejection

  • SX-70 or Time-Zero Supercolor is used by: SX-70, Pronto!, Button. No camera that uses SX-70 film has a built-in electronic flash. Cameras that use SX-70 film use a FLASHBAR. A Flashbar goes horizontally and must be turned around after 5 shots.
  • Polaroid type 600 film: All current One-Step, Impulse and Sun Cameras use Type 600 film. Most cameras that use High-Speed 600 film have a built-in electronic flash. The Amigo and Flash 620 camera do not have a built-in flash, but do have a cover that folds down in front of the lens. These are the ONLY cameras in the world that use the Flash 600 array, which has all ten shots on the same side.
  • Only Spectra, Onyx, ProCam and Minolta Instant Pro Cameras use Spectra film. All Spectra cameras take a rectangular picture, rather than a square one.
  • CAPTIVA cameras use Captiva (95) film for color pictures only, of a smaller size than other Polaroids. This is the model where the film stays inside the camera back while it develops.
  • NO BLACK & WHITE FILM IS AVAILABLE for cameras that use Spectra, 600, Captiva or Time Zero film.

  How can you tell what kind of film the customer needs when he doesn't know?
  If the camera is in front of you:
  Polaroid small ROLL FILM models (80, 80A, J-33). Small roll film for these and the Swinger hasn't been made for years. No collectors' or trade-in value.
  Polaroid large ROLL FILM models ( 95, 110, 150, 800, J-66). Used Type 47 or 48 film. No collectors' or trade-in value.

  FOLDING PACK CAMERAS: use type 108/669 for color and 107/667 for black & white. They are totally dependent on batteries and won't work without them, so check the camera before loading. (Cock the shutter and look thru the back while you release it -- you should be able to see a flash of light thru the center.) Model 180 and 195, which have manual shutter speeds and lens openings, are prized by professionals for taking test shots.

  BULBS for Polaroid cameras: 100, 200, and 300 series Polaroids use a separate model 268 flashgun with a hinged blue shield over the socket. Use M-3 CLEAR bulbs. If the blue shield has broken off, use M-3 Blue bulbs. There is a AA battery in the flashgun. 400-series Polaroids use a separate flashgun, called a Focus Flash 490, that requires High-Power Cubes. This flashgun has two AAA batteries hidden in it, accessible from inside the flashcube receptacle. POLAROID INDUSTRIAL FILM SIZES: Polaroid film designations actually make sense: the first digits tell the film size and the last digit tells the emulsion type.

  • 8-series (87,88) is pack of 8 sheets, making prints 3x3.
  • 10-series (105, 107, 108) is a pack of 8 sheets, making prints 3x4
  • 66-series (665, 667, 668, 669)is a professional variation of the 10- series
  • 5-series (51, 52, 55, 57, 58, 59) is individual sheets of 4x5 for the 545 holder, intended for 4x5 cameras.
  • 55-series is a big pack, making 4x5s in the 550 holder
  • -1 type is a high-contrast black & white (litho type) film
  • -2 type is a slow, fine-grain black & white
  • -5 type is black & white film with a negative (needs some processing)
  • -7 type is fast (ASA 3000) black & white
  • -8 type is general purpose color film
  • -9 type is color print film for electronic flash

  So: type 108 is 3x4 pack film for color; type 669 is 3x4 color pack film for electronic flash; type 55 is 4x5 sheets, black & white with a negative; type 87 is 3x3 pack for black & white

  Polaroid Pack Films

  Size	3¼ x 3¼	3¼ x 4¼	4x5 Sheet	4x5 Pack
  100 ISO Color	Type 88	108, 669, Polacolor 100	58	558, 559
  3000 ISO B&W	87	107, 667	57	557
  ISO 100 B&W with negative	N/A	665	55	555

  20 Questions (approximately) about Polaroid Cameras and Films:

  1. "Do the pictures stay in the back of the camera, in a window where you can watch them develop?"
  2. If yes, it's a Captiva and uses Captiva film
  3. "Does the film shoot out the front? Or do you have to pull it out the side?"
  4. If you have to pull it out the side, go to the section about pack cameras.
  5. If the film shoots out the front, ask "does it have a built-in electronic flash?"
  6. If it does not, ask
  7. "Do you turn the flashbar around after taking half the pictures?"
  8. "Yes": Uses SX-70 (Time Zero) film. The flashbulb used by these cameras is a Flashbar, an array of ten bulbs with 5 on each side, so that the bar is turned around after five pictures.
  9. "No": Is an Amigo camera which uses type 600 film and a "Flash 600" flashbulb, which is an array of 10 bulbs that all face the same direction. Also called a One Step 600.
  10. "Don't know": This makes it more difficult. Ask
  11. "Does it fold up flat?"
  12. "Yes": It is an SX-70 or a variation of an SX-70. Uses SX-70 film and flashbar.
  13. "What color is the camera?"
  14. If it has brown leather or leatherette, it is definitely an SX-70 or a variation of an SX-70. Uses SX-70 (Time-Zero) film and flashbar.
  15. If it is white and is not an SX-70 (does not fold), it is probably a Pronto!. Uses SX-70 (Time-Zero) film and flashbar.
  16. The camera does have a built-in flash:
  17. The camera uses either type 600 film or uses Spectra film.
  18. "Is the camera a Spectra, Onyx or Minolta Instant Camera?"
  19. These use Spectra film. Anything else, 600 film.
  20. "Are the pictures rectangular or square?"
  21. Rectangular: Spectra film. Square: 600 film.