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db5zx · Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Germany

Hello, everyone!

I just found an old 4x5 Polaroid back. I am a total newbie to Polaroid photography... I have no clue what type it is, since I can't find anything printed on it except "Graphic Polaroid back". When opening it, it looks a lot as if it is for Polaroid roll film, but I really am not sure.

1) How can I find out for sure?
2) Does it fit on a SpeedGraphic with spring back.
3) Does Polaroid roll film still exist?

Thanks...
...Jens

t.r.sanford · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:08 pm Post subject:

The first Polaroid back for 4x5 cameras used the original Polaroid rollfilms, e.g. "Type 47" 3000-speed film. The back looked like the body of a Polaroid "110" camera attached to a plate that carried a dark slide; it was designed to fit a "Graflok" back. The difficulty with the "Graphic" back was that you'd need to remove the focusing panel and then find some way to hold the Polaroid rollfilm back in place.

An accessory back also was supplied for groundglass focusing, because the Polaroid back held the film a couple of inches behind the usual film plane.

Unfortunately, Polaroid rollfilms have not been available for several decades. Our last hope was the Russian "Moment" system, but the difficulty of manufacturing the film put an end to that.

At present, Polaroid film options for 4x5 cameras include a "405" back that holds the popular 3¼X4¼ filmpacks (e.g., "Type 665" B&W) and several variants of the "545" back accepting single 4x5 film packets (like "Type 59" color).

There is a very good 4x5 filmpack system, too, which worked with a "550" back. The packs (e.g., "Type 553" B&W) are still available, though not easy to find. I don't think the back is still in production.

db5zx · Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Germany

Thanks a lot. You really helped me with this... I guess I'll try to sell it on eBay and get my hands on a 545 back so I can actually use it...

...Jens

Rangemaster · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:08 pm Post subject:

I have 6 of the dumb things and tried to sell on ebay, but most people know that they can't get film for them, so never got any bids on them, I have modified a couple of mine to accept my 35mm bodies and have had some interesting results with that, kind of like the system that Calumet now has for their cameras.....Kind of reminds me of that TV commercial....'If only I had gotten a patent!'

Dave