On this page, I will document camera projects, trails, modifications, mishaps, and film/camera fails. I know very little…but there is only one way to learn.
(1) Polaroid Colour Swinger/Polaroid Super Swinger II Project
Made in the UK between 1975 and 1978 this plastic body camera takes peel-apart 80 series film. Swinger II takes Polaroid 88, the Super Swinger II takes 88 and 87 (black and white). The camera has a development timer and a sort of rangefinder. There’s much to like – apart from the fact that the film was discontinued. I bought the cameras to modify them to take Instax wide after watching a YouTube video. This is worth doing as the cameras feel and look great. However, I did have a pack of 88 film in cold storage I had bought in error some years ago. The film (see image above) expired in 1974, and after reading about the problems with such film, I did not have much hope. As predicted, the film totally failed. I couldn’t extract it after exposure, and the chemicals had solidified. However, not all was lost: I took a good look inside the film cartridge and had an idea for how I could modify the camera.
I have 87 film on order from the US (also expired) and will try that in the Super Swinger II.
To be continued…