Topic: Black Polaroids

[Steven.]

So I got my 104 from FPP today. I popped in the film and took a few shots all of which are black. The battery is fresh, the shutter opens, I cocked the shutter, and I took a shot outside in the sun. What could be the problem?

[moominsean]

Don't aim directly at the sun...confuses the meter. Try firing the shutter in low light...hold down the bitton untl ou hear a second click. If it happens right away, The meter is probably bad.

[Heather]

Battery fresh doesn't mean it's not a battery failure somewhere. Whenever I get black photos on my 103 it's because the contacts have gone off somehow on the battery (re-wrap with more electrical tape then )

[Ed Wenn]

If you want to check whether the battery's working (or indeed that the whole 'magic eye' assembly is in full effect), just cover the magic eye sensor with you hand then press the shutter and keep pressing it until it releases by itself. If it's instant even when you're covering the magic eye, you know that something's wrong in that area.

With your hand even held an inch or so over the top of the sensor you should get a good few seconds before the shutter releases itself to end the exposure. If you don't want to waste film during this test, just cover the lens too.

[EDIT: This is exactly what Sean said!]

[Francois]

I think Mike Raso has a pretty good reputation when it comes to his stuff. I really doubt he would sell a dud camera. Like the guys said, you need to keep the button pressed until you hear the second click of the lens. Also, the cocking mechanism needs to be pressed fully. On my Polaroid 315, there is a double step in the shutter cocking lever. If you bring it to the first, it won't work. You have to press slightly harder to get to the second click which feels positive.

[Steven.]

ok so i went out and got a battery today and it turns out he shipped it to me with a bad battery. works perfectly now! thanks for the quick responses guys.. i was starting to panic a little haha.

also, i know fuji film is self terminating but if i don't peel it after some time, will that cause my images to come out underexposed? the 3 shots i took today are about a stop underexposed me thinks.. or should i just turn the dial towards lighter?

[Miller]

Also remember you are using 100 asa film and the camera only has a default setting of 75/3000... (Use the dial)

Film is self terminating and in the beginning I stuck with Fuji's instructions...

Rgds

Mlr

[Steven.]

ah thats right i forgot. ok i'll set it brighter thanks.

[byron]

I hope you can get it working - a packfilm Polaroid was one of my first cameras, and it brought me a lot of joy. Two years down the road I still look back on it fondly. There's nothing like instant photography!

[Steven.]

i tried it again today and it still came out underexposed. i'm hoping the electric eye isnt going bad.