Cameras/polaroid
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Question
Hi David, I have little knowledge about polaroid cameras. I am wanting to
purchase a vintage one to use which has manual settings, Ive looked at the 195s
but they are too expensive, is there a similar one, and which you can still buy BW
film for. Many thanks, melissa
Hi Melissa,
If you want to use an older film pack Polaroid, with their old style black and white emulsion, and you need manual controls, I'm afraid you're limited to the 195, the 190 (European equivalent of the 195), the 180 (features a really nice Zeiss Ikon rangefinder), and the 185 (very rare, so essentially untouchable because collectors will pay so much for it). All the other more common film pack Polaroids are amateur models, cheap plastic junk with automatic exposure control only. The 195 remains the most desirable and you will see prices in the $300+ range. The 190 is the oddball that sometimes slips through the cracks in the $200 range, but is actually, I believe, a slightly better model than the 195 and should go for more! The 180 is a bit more common than the other two and has declined in value the past two years, now selling for around $200. All three are very fine cameras indeed, but you're competing with collectors and specialized professional users. You'll have to get very lucky to find one at a discount price.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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