Instant cameras remain a popular (and fun) alternative to smartphones. Watching photos emerge from nothing is a magical experience, and digital shares are no substitute for a print you can hold, gift, or display proudly on your fridge. With few exceptions, today’s instant cameras are more point-and-shoot than professional, leaving photographers who want more control than a single button provides to seek out boutique options or to shop for antique Polaroids.
Buying old photo gear can be frustrating—a lot can go wrong inside a camera, especially after years of disuse. But the experience of using classic cameras is unmatched in the digital world, and aficionados are willing to put up with some issues. It’s easy enough to hit a flea market or thrift store to find a vintage folder or twin-lens reflex (TLR) with the looks to spice up your videoconference background. But getting a camera that works is a roll of the dice, and not everyone has the patience for bargain shopping and DIY vintage camera repair.
That’s where Retrospekt comes into play. The Wisconsin-based outfit sells and restores all kinds of Gen X-era tech—everything from Game Boys, to alarm clocks, to cassette decks—but got its start bringing old Polaroids back to life.
We spoke to one of the company’s founders, Kori Fuerst, about what it takes to maintain old gear and why it’s still relevant in our digital world.
Fuesrt emphasizes the importance of the physical form, noting, “Analog gear has a tangibility to it that is really enjoyable to use.” She doesn’t discount the financial cost—Polaroid film costs around $2.75 per frame—but explains, “It forces you to slow down and be present…so you’ll really have to spend time honing your skills and composing your subject matter to get a good shot.”
From Passion Project to Business
Plenty can go wrong with an old camera. For instance, gears wear down over time, slowing motors and resulting in unreliable exposure and wonky film ejection—an issue because Polaroid film starts developing as it ejects from the camera.
Fuerst shared some details on what it takes to bring a 50-year-old camera back to factory standards. She explains that the company removes the original leatherette and “the camera undergoes a full deconstruction, all internal components are cleaned and reworked.”
She goes on to tell us that they use replacement parts as necessary, and perform some soldering work on the electronics. “Each folding SX-70 camera gets around four hours of hands-on time,” which means Retrospekt’s techs have spent many thousands of hours bringing more than 10,000 SX-70, SLR 680, and SLR 690s back up to working order thus far.
Putting that much work into every restoration is a mark of passion, fitting because Retrospekt started out of a love for photography. In 2010, Polaroid film was out of production. Prices for film packs had ballooned on the resale market, leading Fuerst and her spouse Adam, both Polaroid enthusiasts, to scour thrift stores for cameras with a pack of film, or even a few shots, left unexposed inside. She recalls, “Polaroid film was selling for upwards of $30,” but you could easily find cameras loaded with film at thrift stores for only a few dollars.
The film didn’t stay out of production forever. The Impossible Project (known today as Polaroid) started work to relaunch it around the same time, keeping the demand for vintage cameras alive—without film, an old instant camera becomes a curiosity, and film packs don’t have a long shelf life unless stored cold.
Even with film returning to the market, the Fuersts had amassed a good deal of thrift store Polaroids. Turning initially to eBay to sell the excess, the couple soon found a new customer—Impossible. Even though it was making film by this time, Impossible was without its own camera—the company’s first I-1 didn’t launch until 2016, so it was working to acquire old cameras to refurbish and resell.
Eventually, Impossible opted to outsource this work, and when it did, it went to the source of some of its inventory. The Fuersts received training from a seasoned technician and spun up Restrospekt in 2015.
Today, the company employs a staff of 30 and continues to partner with Polaroid for repairs, service, and more. Retrospekt also makes new point-and-shoot Polaroid 600 series cameras, with its recent and Malibu Barbie and Pepsi models grabbing headlines.
Testing the SX-70
Plastic Polaroids aren’t exactly scarce—scores rolled off factory lines in Polaroid’s heyday. The experience of using one isn’t too far off from a modern option like the current model Polaroid Now+, and Plastic Polaroids cost about the same as new ones ($150). Camera enthusiasts are more likely to turn to Retrospekt to buy a folding SX-70 or 600-series SLR—prices vary based on the model, but expect to pay around $400.
The folding SX-70 SLR I was sent for testing looks undeniably like ’70s tech—its tan leatherette and chrome finish are telling. But despite being older than me (by a decent margin), the camera I received from Retrospekt is, for all intents and purposes, factory-fresh. The vintage instant camera arrives in a presentation box and looks as good as the day it was made.
The SX-70 has a chrome metal frame (some models were also sold in black) with a tan leatherette accent. Retrospekt puts a new covering on as part of the restoration, but one that matches the brown-and-beige 1970s aesthetics of the original. The folding design is especially clever—when you close it down, the camera is easy to fit in the pocket of a winter coat. It’s a rare style today—the Lomo’Instant Square and Mint InstaKon RF70 are the only modern folding instants. They use Fujifilm Instax film—the idea is the same as a Polaroid, but Instax film cartridges don’t fit in Polaroid cameras (and vice versa).
I had never picked up an SX-70 before, and unfolding it for the first time was a little scary. Pulling the viewfinder and body up and locking them into place requires a bit of physical effort—I was worried I was doing something wrong and at one point thought I’d broken the camera while trying to open it.
My fears were unfounded. Opening the SX-70 is just a matter of pulling up on the viewfinder and putting some force behind your efforts. Once you lock everything in place, the SX-70 is pretty simple to operate. An EV wheel gives you some control over exposure levels, another wheel sets focus, and the red shutter button snaps a photo.
The SX-70 sports a 116mm f/8 lens, a standard angle view for the square film format, but one that requires sufficient light for indoor use. Polaroid offers ASA 160 film for the camera in your choice of color or black and white, ideal for photos outdoors in bright daylight.
The camera I received was converted for use with 600-series film—it’s the same physical format, but has a higher ASA 640 rating that’s better for indoor use. Retrospekt charges a $50 premium for converted models, but you might find it worthwhile—there’s no difference in picture quality and film packs cost the same ($22 for eight photos). You can also spend a little bit more on special edition 600 films, like the round frame color and yellow-and-black duotone one I tried for this story.
Today’s Polaroid film lacks some of the polish of vintage stocks, however. The old formulas can no longer be made—some chemicals are out of production, either due to lack of demand or victims of Europe’s relatively strict RoHS ecological regulations. The new chemistry is prone to color shifts when shot in very cold or very hot weather, and should be kept in the dark for the first few minutes of development.
Thus, make sure to shield the film as it ejects from the camera. Retrospekt doesn’t include an extended “frog tongue” film cover in its restored cameras. Fuerst tells us it’s because of the engineering tolerances in the folding cameras—they’re just too tight to accommodate an extra-long plastic tongue.
Retro Appeal, Fewer Headaches
The SX-70 speaks directly to my photo nerd heart, and it’s comforting to see it restored with such care. Modern Polaroid film is different from the old stuff, but is rewarding for photographers with an artistic eye, and the only way to keep going with old-school instant cameras.
Of course, you pay more up front for a Retrospekt-serviced camera. As mentioned, a converted SX-70 sells for around $400, and it costs a bit more for updated or harder-to-find models. Meanwhile, on eBay, you can find unserviced cameras for less, sometimes as little as $50, but more often in the $100 to $200 range. If you go that route and get a clunker, or have an old SX-70 laying about that you’d like to restore, Retrospekt can bring it back to life for $225 to use with SX-70 film. Alternatively, you can pay the company $275 to convert it for use with 600 cartridges.
Modern alternatives are few and far between. Plastic Polaroids and Instax cameras are plentiful and can get down to impulse-purchase pricing—the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, for example, costs $70. But they don’t match an SX-70’s glass, manual focus optics, or artistic control—you can focus pretty close to your subject with an SX-70 for the blurred background look.
Going with an old Polaroid isn’t without its downsides, however. For many photographers, $22 film packs are a big pill to swallow. Fujifilm Instax is a more affordable alternative, but you won’t find many quality cameras that use its lower-cost Mini format film. Creative options open up a bit with Instax Square and Wide; those film formats are a bit easier on the wallet at around $1 per frame.
But for some people, there’s no substitute for a Polaroid—the brand is synonymous with instant photography, after all. And there’s no way to dabble in film chemistry without spending some money. Fujifilm Instax materials are a little more affordable, but the modern-day cameras that take them don’t have the same classic spirit as 20th century technology.
There’s a little magic in film chemistry and a forgotten aspect of mechanical design that’s kept photographers interested in the SX-70 for fifty years. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether instant film will endure for decades to come, but we’re happy to see companies like Retrospekt help keep geriatric photo equipment in good working order.
If you’re new to instant photography, check out our guide to getting started and peruse our favorite instant cameras available today.
