SX-70 Camera Info

The Polaroid SX-70 is a true marvel of engineering and a tip of the hat must be given to Polaroid for inventing it. The first SX-70 was released to the public in 1972. It was an SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) camera. SX-70s are in good supply but sometimes you have to look a bit in order to find one in good condition. SX-70s can also be found on the internet. Exercise a little more caution about buying one that can’t be checked out completely before buying it. It is also helpful to know the person you are buying it from.

Garage sales are also places along with flea markets where these cameras tend to pop up from time to time. You just have to keep your eyes open. Used SX-70s vary greatly in price depending on where you buy them and what condition they are in.

There are several variations of the SX-70. Some of the later models included a sonar focusing devise. For the most part this is not recommended. We feel strongly that you need to be able to selectively focus on your subject, thereby insuring that your image is as sharp as possible. There is a switch on the sonar unit which allows you to bypass the auto focus feature which we suggest you do if you happen to get one. It is strongly recommended that you choose a camera with split image focusing. It is by far the most reliable way to focus.

It is possible to use an electronic flash unit with your SX-70 to do photography of nearby subjects at night. There are several models available but they are somewhat scarce. Since the light source is near the camera, the results tend to look more like snapshots than art but this is not necessarily a problem when you are creating impressionist art. It might even be helpful.

Below are a few examples of SX-70 cameras.

All folding SX-70 cameras have the following features:
4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens
Minimum focus: 10.4 inches
Unit focusing via geared wheel at top of lens/shutter housing
Electronic shutter
Programmed auto exposure-- shutter speeds from 10 sec to 1/175
Aperture range f/8- f/22
Auto flash exposure based on focus distance up to 20 feet
Built-in flash bar socket for flash
Socket for electronic remote shutter release

Our book on SX-70 photography (Pola-Painting - The Art of SX-70 Manipulation) includes information on how to test these cameras before you buy them as well as a great deal of information on the Pola-Painting Process. To learn more about the book ,click here.

Recommended accessories might include a medium duty tripod, cable release (sometimes called a shutter button) for low light and night time photography, close up lens kit and telephoto lens. Metal tip manipulating tools are also recommended for more precise control of your images. You can use golf tees but because they are wood, they degrade over time and can cause unexpected and sometime damaging results. We manufacture a great cable release for the SX-70. For details, click here.

For answers to frequently asked questions about the SX-70 camera, click here.