If you have been following my recent SX-70 posts, you will know that I have a fanatical desire to reign in the capricious behaviour of SX-70 cameras and films, all in an attempt to maximize the quality of the ejected photos. This has included a deep-dive into the Zone System, using a calibrated variable neutral density (VND) filter to gain more exact exposure control and using black and white filters to enhance Polaroid black and white photos.
All these techniques require a manually controlled camera which, until recently, was limited to the rather pricey MiNT SLR670-S, my camera of choice. With Polaroid’s release of the Now+ comes an affordable means to manually control shutter speed and aperture settings using the Polaroid app . What’s missing is some way to attach a VND. And, although the Now+ comes with light yellow, light orange and light blue slip-on filters, which can be used with Polaroid’s black and white films, it would be nice to attach darker versions as well, such as red and green black and white filters in front of the Now+ lens.
Fortunately, there is an easy hack that costs nothing. Polaroid kindly includes a rubbery slip-on lens cap with the camera. The front of the cap has a slightly recessed area stamped with the Polaroid logo. By carefully cutting out this recessed panel, it turns out that the opening is just the right size to friction-fit 40.5mm filters. Simply slide the modified lens cap over the lens and twist-in whatever 40.5mm filter you wish to use.
So all those techniques outlined in my earlier posts, reliant as they are on the MiNT 670SLR-S manual controls, can now be used with the Polaroid Now+ camera. Time to pull out that X-acto knife, buy a VND and a few black and white filters and push that Polaroid film to its limits!
Take a look this video to see how it works.
Related YouTube videos:
Polaroid’s Now+ vs the MiNT SLR670-S: https://youtu.be/meC6Lk4ZRl0
Using the Zone System with Polaroid SX-70 Film, Part 1: https://youtu.be/oZbMYS2LJDE
Fine Tuning SX-70 Exposures with a Variable Neutral Density Filter: https://youtu.be/cWUAIzHVAvk
Using Contrast Filters with Polaroid SX-70 Black and White Film: https://youtu.be/m_9etMvriAU
Equipment links:
Polaroid Now+: https://us.polaroid.com/collections/now-plus-camera
Vivitar 40.5mm Variable NDX Filter (at B&H Photo): https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/944338-REG/vivitar_viv_vndx_40_5_40_5mm_vari_ndx_filter.html
Here’s a selection of 40.5mm black and white filters available through B&H Photo: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/products/Color-Balance-Black-White-Contrast/ci/16772/N/4026728356?filters=fct_circular-sizes_27%3A40.5mm
More about me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dfirman/
Firmangallery portfolio and store: https://www.firmangallery.com
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