Topic: lens retrofits for polaroid pack cameras?

[tuanhbui]

hi guys,

while searching ebay for a good packfilm camera, i came across this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270835620969



basically a polaroid model 250 with its stock 114mm f/8.8 lens replaced with a rodenstock 127mm f4.7! the ysarex shutter and the rangefinder ostensibly are hooked up and working, too! i was originally going to settle for a $25 model 250/350/450 or something, since the jump to the next-level 180/195 cameras meant paying $500 instead of $25, but something like this seems like a reasonable middle ground. do you guys know of anyone modifying polaroid cameras in this way?

[gothamtomato]

That's a cool idea, but I'm wondering: Will that viewfinder allow you to do focusing worthy of the lens?

[Francois]

Focusing is the biggest concern. Not all lenses focus at the same place. And you can't change the focusing cams on Polaroids... Just that makes it a bit buyer beware. But on the other hand you get a nice lens...

[DS]

There's quite a lot on this here (scroll down to bottom):
http://www. blank.com/conversions/
This dude is on Ebay and Flickr as Option8- he sells various pola conversions- i think the most practical is the Packfilm cam with the manual adaptor- seems like a pretty clever solution that I might copy one day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/option8/6094204766/#in/photostream

I'd worry too that the RF is calibrated for a different focla length lens- meaning that you're probably OK stopped down but wide open and close up you'll start to see wrongness

[tuanhbui]

Aw cool - thanks for all the info! That option8 guy moved to here:

http://www.polaroidconversions.com/

and has some really neato things on his site