Topic: Found this in a bin

[thil]

My work place is relocating and we had a massive clear-up. I was gobsmacked to find this practically unused Polaroid Gelcam in the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) bin from the molecular biology lab. I've been working there since 2006 and never knew this was hidden in a drawer quite literally under my nose all that time.
The question is what to do with it. My initial thoughts were to refit the lens on a Land Camera and make a hacked "180". I could of course use it as a fixed focus (30cm) portrait camera but without a viewfinder that is not ideal. Any suggestions?

[Francois]

This was probably a macro camera.
I had experience with something similar and I discovered that for infinity focus the lens needed to almost touch the film. Also, it didn't cover the entire film.

I guess you'd have to experiment with it a bit to see what it can do like it is. It might be worth keeping in its lens mount. Maybe add feet at the proper focusing distance to make it foolproof... the type of just lay the camera down and press the button type of thing.

[k.hendrik]

My work place is relocating and we had a massive clear-up. I was gobsmacked to find this practically unused Polaroid Gelcam in the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) bin from the molecular biology lab. I've been working there since 2006 and never knew this was hidden in a drawer quite literally under my nose all that time.
The question is what to do with it. My initial thoughts were to refit the lens on a Land Camera and make a hacked "180". I could of course use it as a fixed focus (30cm) portrait camera but without a viewfinder that is not ideal. Any suggestions?

 Send it over to me or use a Rolleiflex Sl66(se) those baby's take all glass whit a little help from ducktape

[Chalky]

105mm lens is ok for Polaroid conversion, get a cheap Polaroid folder and mod away.  Have you shot it as is?

[ManuelL]

We used to have one of those in the lab for photographing DNA gels, but I didn't use it much. Possibly there could be an internal filter to have only certain wavelenghts on the photo, but this should be easily visible.

[Francois]

If there is a filter, it could produce some pretty strange results in the real world.

[thil]

Francois, Manuel,

There is a front hood attachment with a UV filter. It looks like this when assembled (unfortunately there is no shutter trigger gun on mine):



The entire assembly is placed on top of a UV-illumated agarose gel to make an image of DNA fragments analysed by electrophoresis.

Chalky: Yes I've shot a few frames and it works totally fine. My initial idea was get a broken Polaroid folder and swap the lens over. I already have a 250 which is in perfect working order and I don't really want to break it apart - so if anyone out there who has one with a malfunctioning artificial eye willing to donate to a worthy Filmwasting cause it would be much appreciated 

The other option is to use it on a 4x5  camera..... but not sure about the optics.

Thil

[Chalky]

wow looks cool!

No camera to share I'm afraid, but good luck. Sure you know but a 105mm lens needs to go on the rear part of the front casing, rather than the back.

Good luck with the mod, else sell it to me ;-)

Love all this random polaroid stuff that turns up, what a find!

[Francois]

I know this is going to sound weird but what I would do is cut some windows in the sides of the hood in order to get some light in and use it as it is.
Think of it as a Polaroid with a reproduction accessory attached. A bit like the Kali-Copier attachment.