The Polaroid Folding SX-70 on Steroids: A Review of MiNT Camera’s SLR670-S

One of the frustrations of working with the Polaroid SX-70 camera is its fully automatic exposure system. As a well-seasoned photographer, I am accustomed to being in full control of setting aperture f-stops and shutter speeds to determine the correct exposure for my pictures.
There is but one way to gain some semblance of exposure control on an SX-70 camera and that is to buy a specially modified version.
Enter MiNT Camera, a Hong Kong-based company that refurbishes vintage folding SX-70 cameras, installs new electronics and a new electric eye, reclads the camera with black or brown leather and adds a small exposure control module-something they call the Time Machine-that attaches to the camera’s flash socket.
This review is based on my own SLR670-S camera. The camera was purchased with my own money (this is not an inexpensive camera) and my comments are not sponsored or paid for by MiNT Camera.
Resources:
You can also view a written version of my review here: walkclickmake....
MiNT Camera: mint-camera.co...
MiNT Cameras are also available through B&H Photo: www.bhphotovid...
If you live in Canada and would like to buy a refurbished, vintage SX-70 camera, try Toronto Polaroid: www.torontopol...
The SX-70 folding camera is widely believed to have a fixed f/8 aperture and MiNT reinforces that assumption in its instructions. Basically, you set your exposure meter to the appropriate film speed, take a meter reading and then use the correct shutter speed for an f/8 aperture. In fact, the camera’s original aperture also functions as the shutter and as the shutter/aperture opens, it goes from f/96 to f/8 and then closes from f/8 through f/96. How long the aperture stays open at f/8 during a 1/60 second exposure (for example) is a matter of mind-boggling complexity devised by the engineers at Polaroid Corporation in the 1960s and 70s. If you want to dive deeper into this optical magic, here’s an article on the Open-SX website: opensx70.com/p...
If you are interested in viewing or purchasing (even better!) my From Our Windows book, which consists of Polaroids taken with my first SX-70 folding camera, visit my website: www.firmangall...