Polaroid Spectra

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Polaroid introduced the Spectra system of cameras in the early 1980s. It was intended to be an all-new line of cameras, and had a corresponding new film. Spectra, or Image, film is different from 600 integral film in that it has a different image format: a rectangular 9.2 x 7.3cm rather than 600 film's square format. The Spectra also sports a better lens and takes higher-quality pictures than a conventional 600 Polaroid camera, due to the camera's higher build quality and larger print area.

Over time, Polaroid has introduced many variants of the Spectra, but most include a glass lens, self-timer, automatic exposure, and sonar autofocus; in many cases the addition or removal of user control is the only distinguishing characterisic between models (eg Spectra 2 has only exposure adjustment; Spectra 'E' only has AF, flash and lighten/darken controls and the original Spectra has these plus LCD display, self-timer and volume controls). The Spectra also has many optional accessories, such as closeup kits and law enforcement kits.

Spectra Variants

Spectra Onyx

Sports a semi-translucent grey body

Spectra 1200FF

Different folding mechanism, including plastic bellows.

ProCam

Sideways folding mechanism, shorter focal-length lens for wider field of view, time/date stamp capability

Macro 5 SLR

Single-lens-reflex designed primarily for medical and forensic work. Five preset magnifications: 0.2x, 0.4x, 1.0x, 2.0x, and 3.0x. Three optional supplementary lenses provide 0.67x and 5.0x (contact and non-contact) magnification. Though the Macro 5 has true SLR viewing (with a grid for alignment), focus is achieved by aligning two light beams on the subject. Twin electronic flashes can be used together, separately, or shut off. A PC socket permits use of external flash. An optional polarizer attachment reduces glare from non-metallic surfaces. The image can be stamped with a time or date.

Spectra Pro

The camera itself is THE warlock of all Spectra cameras.

This camera was first introduced in the year 1990.

The key features of this camera:

• Manual Focusing
• Time Exposures
• Programmed Time Exposures
• Manual Time Exposures
• Back-lighting
• Sequential pictures
• Self-timed sequential pictures
• Variable sequential pictures
• Multiple exposures

Before Polaroid produced the Spectra pro, Minolta licensed and marketed the same camera under the name of the Minolta Instant Pro.