Difference between revisions of "Polaroid Big Shot"

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|image_text= Polaroid Big Shot
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The '''Big Shot''' was one of the most unusual cameras [[Polaroid]] ever introduced. It is a [[Polaroid rigid pack film consumer models|rigid-bodied model]] that dwarfs others in the series. Released in 1971 and produced until 1973, it is designed for portrait use only, and has a fixed focal distance of only about a metre.<ref>[http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard.php?id_appareil=97 Big Shot] at [http://www.collection-appareils.fr Collection Appareils] by Sylvain Halgand (in French).</ref> It has a 220mm f/29 plastic meniscus lens,<ref name=Landlist>[http://www.landlist.ch/landlist/landdcam-pack.htm#BigShot Big Shot] at the [http://www.landlist.ch/landlist/landhome.htm Land List].</ref> a fixed-speed mechanical shutter, and a fixed-focus [[rangefinder (device)|rangefinder]] to help the photographer keep the subject in focus. Because the camera itself is fixed-focus, the photographer has to move back and forth until the subject appears in focus. This technique has been called the "Big Shot Shuffle."<ref name=Landlist></ref>
  
The '''Big Shot''' was one of the most unique cameras [[Polaroid]] ever introduced. Released in 1971 and produced until 1973, it was designed for portrait use only, and had a fixed focal distance of a few feet. It had a 220mm lens, a single-speed mechanical shutter, and a fixed-focus rangefinder to help the photographer keep the subject in focus. The long body makes the Big Shot one of the largest instant cameras to be mass-produced, dwarfing the smaller Colorpack-style models. Above the body is a flash diffuser; it diffuses the light from the flash to soften shadows cast when taking the picture.
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Above the body is a flash diffuser; it diffuses the light from a [[Magicube]] flash cube mounted behind it, to soften shadows cast when taking the picture. Use without flash was not recommended (very bright daylight would be required, at f/29), although the front of the lens has Polaroid's normal lighten/darken exposure control. No battery was needed to fire the flash cube. 100 series Packfilms (75-100 ASA) were recommended for use in the camera.  
  
Because the camera itself is fixed-focus, the photographer has to move back and forth until the subject appears in focus. This technique has been called the "Big Shot Shuffle." The Big Shot also requires the use of MagiCube type flash cubes to take properly-exposed pictures and requires no batteries; the mechanical shutter is timed to interact with the flash cubes to (theoretically) provide the correct amount of light every time - though it also includes the Polaroid standard lighten/darken exposure controls around the lens. It should be loaded with ASA 75-100 Packfilms (100-series) to achieve good results.
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The camera's spreader bar, whose design freqently fouls (after repeated use) with debris, can be easily swapped out for the more advanced stainless steel roller assembly found in the Polaroid Colorpack series consumer cameras. Both the spreader bar assembly and stainless steel roller assembly are easily removed for cleaning of chemical residue. This same stainless steel roller bar assembly is also used in a lot of the commercial Polaroid cameras.  
  
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Henny Waanders modified four of the cameras and was sold by [[impossible]] in 2011. This version of the camera can uses a Polaroid CB 70 series integral film holder as well as the traditional type 100 holders and films.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110724023508/http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/newsletters/?date=2011-07-07&start=0  Shoot it like Andy shot.] (archived)</ref>
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/timmythesuk/326446916/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/138/326446916_3b02ca77c3_m.jpg]
 
''Size comparison with Colorpack 2''</div>
 
Famed artist Andy Warhol was purportedly fond of this camera in particular, and today it has a cult status among Polaroid cameras for its eccentricity.
 
  
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|image_text= Big Shot with a<br/>Colorpack 2 for comparison
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== Links ==
 
* [http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landdcam-pack.htm#BigShot The Land List's Article on the Big Shot] - A website devoted to cataloguing Polaroid Cameras
 
* [http://www.collection-appareils.com/polaroid/html/polaroid_bigshot.php Big Shot] at [http://www.collection-appareils.com www.collection-appareils.com] by Sylvain Halgand
 
  
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The artist Andy Warhol was purportedly fond of this camera in particular, and today it has a cult status among Polaroid cameras for its eccentricity. The quality of the portraits is striking, and it is possible to do shots of couples, if they squeeze their heads together, ear to ear.
  
[[Category: Instant cameras]]
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{{Br}}
[[Category: USA]]
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==Notes==
[[Category: Polaroid]]
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<references />
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[[Category: Polaroid|Big Shot]]
 
[[Category: B|Big Shot]]
 
[[Category: B|Big Shot]]
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[[Category: US instant cameras]]
 
[[Category: P]]
 
[[Category: P]]

Revision as of 12:31, 25 September 2020

The Big Shot was one of the most unusual cameras Polaroid ever introduced. It is a rigid-bodied model that dwarfs others in the series. Released in 1971 and produced until 1973, it is designed for portrait use only, and has a fixed focal distance of only about a metre.[1] It has a 220mm f/29 plastic meniscus lens,[2] a fixed-speed mechanical shutter, and a fixed-focus rangefinder to help the photographer keep the subject in focus. Because the camera itself is fixed-focus, the photographer has to move back and forth until the subject appears in focus. This technique has been called the "Big Shot Shuffle."[2]

Above the body is a flash diffuser; it diffuses the light from a Magicube flash cube mounted behind it, to soften shadows cast when taking the picture. Use without flash was not recommended (very bright daylight would be required, at f/29), although the front of the lens has Polaroid's normal lighten/darken exposure control. No battery was needed to fire the flash cube. 100 series Packfilms (75-100 ASA) were recommended for use in the camera.

The camera's spreader bar, whose design freqently fouls (after repeated use) with debris, can be easily swapped out for the more advanced stainless steel roller assembly found in the Polaroid Colorpack series consumer cameras. Both the spreader bar assembly and stainless steel roller assembly are easily removed for cleaning of chemical residue. This same stainless steel roller bar assembly is also used in a lot of the commercial Polaroid cameras.

Henny Waanders modified four of the cameras and was sold by impossible in 2011. This version of the camera can uses a Polaroid CB 70 series integral film holder as well as the traditional type 100 holders and films.[3]


The artist Andy Warhol was purportedly fond of this camera in particular, and today it has a cult status among Polaroid cameras for its eccentricity. The quality of the portraits is striking, and it is possible to do shots of couples, if they squeeze their heads together, ear to ear.


Notes

  1. Big Shot at Collection Appareils by Sylvain Halgand (in French).
  2. 2.0 2.1 Big Shot at the Land List.
  3. Shoot it like Andy shot. (archived)