Home Camera Articles FOR SALE Orders I Buy / Wants Repairs Books Adapters
Amazing Mamiya 330f Polaroid Test Camera
I was always told there was so such thing as a Polaroid back for the Mamiya twin lens reflex. Not completely true.
Seeing is believing. This is an adapted Mamiya 330f with a Polaroid back to take 669 film. Unfortunately I know nothing of the camera's history, or its ingenious maker.
What somebody did was to graft a Polaroid back to this baby, and modify the focusing screen so the focusing would be accurate. Well...mostly accurate anyway. With a 105 lens, the outfit will accurately focus from near to about 20 feet. This is acceptable since it fills the need for studio test shots. Exactly how the conversion was done, I just don't know. However, the outer edges of the camera are taped with some kind of heavy cloth black tape (over epoxy??).
The photographer sets the camera to Multi-exposure, and then cocks the shutter manually - - since the lever advance can no longer due to the Polaroid the back.
Lenses are still interchangeable, depending upon your needs.
The Mamolaroid was intended for test Polaroids -- primarily in the studio -- to make sure the lighting and exposure are right. Unlike the popular Polaroid 180 and 195's used for the identical purpose, this offers ground glass focusing and interchangeable lenses....not a bad idea. Wish I had thought of it. My hat is off to the mystery inventor.
If you take the logic a bit further, it should be obvious the old forgotten TLR sitting in your garage could also probably be converted. Just don't do it to a Rolleiflex -- that would be criminal.
Revised: November 25, 2003 . Copyright � 1998-2002 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.