Polaroid 250

[Brad Johnson]

I got a Polaroid 250 as part of a big box of leftover stuff some friends "donated" to me after a garage sale. (lots of odd goodness they know I like).  Camera appears to be completely functional. Comes with a flash, a couple of misc attachments, and what appears to be a completely-mint-and-never-used portrait kit.  Box and a half of M3 bulbs, too.  I'm not into vintage cameras so have no idea what it's worth other than some cursory internet poking around.

Problem is I think it's pretty neat but really have no use for it.  Film packs are available but horrendously expensive so using it for actual photography is prohibitive.  I don't have a place in the house it would work as a knick-knack, either.  I suppose if any of you yahoos would like it I'll entertain a reasonable offer.  Short of that I'll put it up in the closet as potential garage sale fodder.

Brad

[Doggy Daddy]

How about posting a pic of the gear?  I suppose a Polaroid would be acceptable... 

DD

[lee n. field]

How about posting a pic of the gear?  I suppose a Polaroid would be acceptable... 

DD

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_Land_Model_250



I get the same problem.  I'm always running across neat old cameras in garage sales.  What in the world would I do with them?

[zahc]

Fortunately/unfortunately, they just aren't worth anything. The flashbulbs are probably worth more than the camera. Some people hack them for a 4x5 sheet film back.

I know what it's like having cameras that you don't want to put in the dumpster, but also don't want clogging up shelf space. I've trimmed down my collection quite a bit, but today I bought a K-24 5x5 inch aircraft camera, still new in the box. I'm going to steal the 175mm f/2.8 lens. The film advance motor has wooden gears in it.

[KD5NRH]

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_Land_Model_250

Not sure about the packfilm models, but a lot of the rollfilm Polaroids of that style can be converted into really neat 120 cameras without too much work.  120 film is still reasonably priced and available from http://www.adorama.com and WalMart's send-out service can process it.

[230RN]

Is that the one with the viewfinder that tipped forward autmatically for closeups?  I had one of those.   Not that I had any use for it, but those flat filmpack batteries held a lot of charge after the film was expended. 

All in all, although it may be or someday become a collector's item, unless you are actually establishing a "collection" of related items, all it is is a doorstop.  Unless your granndkids bring it to "Antique Roadshow 2050."

Some of the toys I had as a kids would bring some handsome estimates today, but I really don't regret letting them go through various moves --like from NY to CO. 

I guess I have the same attitude with respect to this camera as I have to firearms:  If I can't get ammo for it, I don't really want it unless I can turn it around right away... which obviously wasn't the case for that camera:  Nobody bought it at the garage sale and it had to be given away along with a bunch of other stuff that didn't sell.

Sure, you can rechamber some obsolete firearms and adapt a camera formore available silver film, but why bother?

[KD5NRH]

Forgot to update back when I did the first tests.  Here's the result of converting a Land 850 to 120 roll film.

35mm on 120 rolls as a test:


Actual 120:


Shots come out around 6x10 cm.  (Actually, they run all the way through the edge printing out to the actual film edge, but my 120 holder for the scanner masks that just a bit.)  Using 35mm in it also allows for some fun full-width shots.

[Brad Johnson]

Nice!

Brad

[KD5NRH]

Nice!

Thanks.  The basic conversion method applies to a lot of the big rollfilm Polaroids, and only requires one hole in the body for the winder, so it can be functionally reversed easily if you have one that film is still available for.  It does leave you counting turns to advance the film, but that's not too bad as long as you can remember where you are in the roll, since the number of turns decreases as the effective diameter of the take up reel increases.

I thought I had some photos from the conversion, but I don't see them, so I'll try to remember to get a few shots next time I have it empty.  Materials cost is nearly nothing; just a bolt for the winder and some PVC pipe fittings as spacers.  I used a lathe and mill to make a knob and shape the winder end that goes in the film, but a file and a Radio Shack knob could do just as well.

[go_bang]

If the camera is in nice shape it's worth selling on eBay.  A quick look at the completed auctions showed them selling for $35-75 or so depending on condition and included accessories.  The bulbs are definitely worth listing seperately.

If you go that route it would be worth it to consider letting overseas bidders participate.  Especially parts of Asia.

[sanglant]

they are a lot of fun, but i gave up when the film went over 20 bucks a pack.

[zahc]

Bah, that's still cheap, historically. A guy at work was claiming that film used to be cheaper, and how he used to whine when it cost $1 per roll for bulk 35mm Tri-X. I asked when that was, calculated inflation, and it came out to like $8 per roll in 2010 dollars. With the huge price of silver right now, I'm surprised we can buy film at all.

[sanglant]

counting inflation, that price should be around 5 bucks a frame. it was over 20 years ago.