Polaroid SLR690 - The most over-hyped Polaroid ever?

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Polaroid SLR690 - The most over-hyped Polaroid ever?

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My name is Jake. I have been overhauling Polaroid cameras for clients professionally as The Instant Camera Guy for over a decade. Got something that needs repair? Get in touch with the links below!
PART 2: • Polaroid SLR690 - Tea...
PART 3: • Polaroid SLR690 - Fin...
In todays episode of The Instant Camera Guy, I do a deep dive into the single most over-rated SLR Polaroid ever produced; the SLR690.
The last SLR 600 film camera made by Polaroid, and sold mainly in Japan, the 690 is effectively an SLR680, but with completely different - and woefully unreliable - electronics inside.
Please note I've tried to keep my description of how transistors work as simple as possible. If you have a Phd in electronic engineering you will likely take issue with my brief description. Transistors can be used to do a lot of things - more than what I describe here. The main issue with the 690 is not necessarily that is uses transistors - after all the ICs on an original SX-70 used them too - but its the implementation of the design, where many transistors stay constantly powered, despite the camera having two built in kill-switches that should ideally cut ALL power to the camera.
Like what I do? Feel free to buy me a beer (or two!):
ko-fi.com/thei...
Getting artifacts in the video? For best quality, manually select 1080p quality, as depending on your bandwidth, KZfaq may default to 720p - and KZfaq's 720p compression looks like garbage
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The SLR690 is perhaps the single most over-hyped instant camera there is. Although a good performer when working, the 690's baffling electronic design means it will be forever be one of the least reliable cameras ever made. It's not a matter of if but when they fail.
In this video, I am to discuss why this camera should NOT be on your "must own" list.
Search for reviews, forum posts and blog articles on this camera and you will often see it being referred to as "the best" Polaroid SLR camera one can buy. Prices for them are ludicrously high, and for no good reason.
In this video, I offer a unique perspective on the SLR690 as a repairman, and hope that this video will change peoples opinions on the camera.
If your rational for a owning a camera like this is simply the performance gains of 600 type film, then I'd argue you are better off having a regular SX-70 refurbished and 600 converted. For the same price as a 690 will sell for, you can purchase an SX-70, pay to have it refurbed by a tech like myself, AND still have money left over for a MiNT Flashbar 2.0 and some film!
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Got a Polaroid that needs some love? Hit me up! I'm across social media as "the instant camera guy"!
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Пікірлер: 78

@InAnInstant 6 ай бұрын

I love when Jake is wildin

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

Oh hemlo Ben!

@areallyrealisticguyd4333 6 ай бұрын

*hmm we have boxes of sx70 scraps and no one producing parts for this camera anymore. let's make the most anti-repairable, least reliable Polaroid camera we've ever made but only sell it to Japan* -Someone at Polaroid

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

that MUST be how it went down

@rudermanphoto 6 ай бұрын

God i love the way you tear into this thing - great video

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

it's about time somebody did

@rf8221 6 ай бұрын

I had a Sonar SX-70 with Mint flash but hated the idea of sending it away to get converted for 600 film and the flash bar stopped firing half the time so that's when my hunt began for the 680's. I got lucky and found two for cheap. Personally I feel like my exposures are better with the 680 than they were with the Sonar SX-70, I'm pretty sure the meter was clean on the sonar. At any rate I'm very happy with the SLR 680's I hope people love them as much as I do.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

680s are better than the 690 But either way you shouldn't be afraid to send a camera off for a refurb. Your results will be much better

@tonygraham6140 6 ай бұрын

Well, Jake, this video took me back to the days before consumer affordable digital cameras, in that I recall all the times, when I'd hear that statement. "I have a few shots left on the film". So the camera would sit around for months and years, waiting for the owner to get their money worth out of 36 exposures. Now, I'm AMAZED THAT, IT WON'T HAPPEN WITH A 690. I guess, by the comments from those who now realize the video was not on the SLR 680, that people who buy a 690 will shoot all 8 shots and never leave a pack in the camera.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

if anything, that should be the take home message

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

if anything, that should be the take home message

@JawhnL5 6 ай бұрын

This camera is such an enigma to me… just so baffling! One of my cameras is an SLR 690 in name only it seems; the technician that overhauled it used the body of a 690 but it has the internals of a 680, so in that case it’s a pretty nice camera. Otherwise I wouldn’t wanna go near the thing! Excellent video :)

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

I'll be basically doing the exact same thing to this camera!

@TBNTX 3 ай бұрын

I love my SLR 690. I also own several SLR 680s and multiple SX-70s.

@JerOmyRamos 6 ай бұрын

SLR 680 catching some strays towards the end! 😂

@monochromebluess 3 ай бұрын

Another episode and then I find I have two more parts to go. Fantastic. Very useful to know it’s a dog. One thought though. If the 690’s are so expensive why would the owner ( just get it up and running by you ) and then just sell it Then buy a sonar sx-70 version type thing and have you do all the upgrade conversations. Rather than “deconstruct the 690” and I guess devalue it’s Chinese customers perceived value ? Viewing quality great on 1080p

@theinstantcameraguy 3 ай бұрын

I'm trying to burst the 690 bubble lol Currently I'm debating whether or not to even offer servicing on the 690 anymore They are very time consuming to refurbish, and even after fixing them up, can still randomly fail without warning They are the kind of camera I can't even really offer a warranty on as a result

@gunhed76 4 ай бұрын

I use a Polaroid sx70 sonar with an nd8 filter, it works perfect with 600 film, the SLR 680 is great but I feel breaks down faster

@Shagadelicjon 3 ай бұрын

It’s the camera from Memento!

@FinnDarius 6 ай бұрын

Considering these old Polaroid cameras being analog is what makes them pretty good, learning that the 690 is just a digital version of the 680 killed my interest in getting one regardless of price I still want the 680 though ngl

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

the 680 is a great camera (even if it is basically just a 600-native Sonar w/ built in flash) The 690... just... just no...

@tobiasvandevoort5027 6 ай бұрын

17:15 Those movements with your fingers say a lot, but I have also seen them done by them.

@maxdoes_ 6 ай бұрын

So all this being said, what's the least over-hyped Polaroid?

@googleuser3163 6 ай бұрын

I think the non-folding SX70 models (OneStep, Pronto, Button etc) get way too much hate as far as usefulness goes. They are perfectly good instant cameras once you learn how to use them properly and get a suitable flash for them.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

I actually have some video ideas coming on the most under-rated models!

@leoalejandrolive6020 6 ай бұрын

Why so much hate with the 680..

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

Watch my videos on the subject and you'll gain the answers you seek

@andrewhamop6665 6 ай бұрын

Hah, I wondered where the video went after the first notification I got. A very interesting piece of history, the SLR 690. Can't wait to see what the inside looks like with that digital microcontroller. Shame that the final SLR from Polaroid was created with such glaring design flaws, and now they're essentially ticking time bombs. With aging transistors that are powered on 24/7 with film inserted, extremely cheap mirror silicon waiting to let go, and the same opto sensor and fragile body issues as the SLR 680, it's a camera that's best avoided for sure. Even with myself wanting to be collector, I think I'll steer clear of the SLR 690 for the foreseeable future. Unless I find one at a Goodwill or something for cheap. Great video as always Jake, if a bit unhinged... Hahaha

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

actually, the mirrors in a 690 are held in pretty tight! Which is a fun irony! But yes, deciding to power the transistors 24/7 is just crazy There will be a part 2, where I tear down the camera. And a part 3 where I turn it into something new!

@andrewhamop6665 6 ай бұрын

@theinstantcameraguy Oh hah, that silicon situation is quite ironic indeed. I'd love to understand the thought process that went into designing the electronics for this camera. The whole KISS concept was definitely not applied in this instance, that's for sure.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@andrewhamop6665 I don't think anyone at Polaroid had ever heard of the word simple

@tonygraham6140 6 ай бұрын

Old FB video may have some information.

@bobmalin656 6 ай бұрын

Nice Video. I was wondering why this is the only SLR that cant use the new PCB

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

Now you know :)

@Ni5ei 3 ай бұрын

20:32 I'm baffled... So much work to Frankenstein a 690 into a 70 R Sonar. Wouldn't it be way cheaper to buy a decent 70 Sonar and give it a new 70 R PCB?

@theinstantcameraguy 3 ай бұрын

Other than swapping the body ribbon cables and a switch, it's literally the same amount of effort as refurbishing a regular Sonar In fact, doing that was easier than swapping a 690 shutter ribbon and MDC03 transistor array Regardless, the camera needs to be overhauled. You can just slap a PCB in and call it a day. So because I had the spare parts, it was actually cheaper and easier to do it this way Try it for yourself and you'll no longer be baffled

@dmitrybelogub7104 6 ай бұрын

Can a project like Open SX70 help revive these cameras?

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

Technically yes. But it's a lot of work for what it's a very niche camera

@queefcheif9306 Ай бұрын

so is the 680 the better camera?

@theinstantcameraguy Ай бұрын

@@queefcheif9306 in case I didn't make it excruciatingly obvious? Yes The 680 is far more reliable, with much greater options for sourcing spares

@queefcheif9306 Ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy what's ur opinion on the captiva cameras?

@theinstantcameraguy Ай бұрын

@@queefcheif9306 no film for them anymore. So cool, but useless these days

@queefcheif9306 Ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy very trueee, thoe I've seen people tape instax photos to old expired packs of the film to semi revive the captiva

@Turbanator44568 6 ай бұрын

Just in general I'm wondering if anyone ever trried to reverse engineer the pcb and dumped the firmware for the 690. Would be interesting to see if someone could make a 690 replacement board with a new low power cpu and increased capability.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

anything is possible with enough time, energy and money

@fp.3710 6 ай бұрын

Joaquín de Prada of OpenSX-70 probably could!

@andrewhamop6665 6 ай бұрын

Now I'm not the expert here, but from the sound of it I don't believe the 690 has "firmware" in the traditional sense. It sounds like the camera's brain is made up of a series of transistors and essentially logic gates. Similar to how late 70s computers functioned, kinda. Basically a lot of the supporting chips didn't have "firmware", they just did what they were designed to do, essentially forever until they lost power or failed. The chips didn't "know" anything, they just did exactly what they were designed for until they died. Basically everything is hardwired and each input (shutter button press, film being inserted, camera being opened, etc) creates an an action for the desired output. For example, seeing the shutter button was pressed would cause a series of transistors to turn on and start the processing cycle. Now I could be completely wrong here, but that's just my thoughts.

@fp.3710 6 ай бұрын

@@andrewhamop6665 Check out OpenSX-70. He's done some amazing things with the camera electronics!

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@andrewhamop6665I'd need to dive very far into literature for that, and i'm not sure I have every 690 reference manual in my collection What is funny though, is in a cursory search for that info, I discovered that the 690 was sold with a LIFETIME warranty haha

@propeople 3 ай бұрын

What i do to have best of both worlds ? a apha 1 converted ?

@theinstantcameraguy 3 ай бұрын

The sx70r upgrade is a good bet! Check out my video on it

@propeople 3 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy i will thx

@propeople 3 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy i search for it, so i need to take my camera to china ? have some sx-70 with that to sell ?

@theinstantcameraguy 3 ай бұрын

@@propeople if you want to buy one from me you can contact me on my social media etc

@jw14-z4l 6 ай бұрын

The reason why 690 is sought after is because it surpasses 680 in functionality like faster autofocus and sharper image when it work, and when it don’t it’s very easy to find parts and get them fixed in Asia countries

@tonygraham6140 6 ай бұрын

proof please??? Same film. And parts not easy to find any where. How may 690s were made????? And who is going to fix it if you could find parts in Asia or any where else. I'd like to see a list of repair persons who wouldn't give up de-soldering 89 points.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

MAYBE I will give you a pass for marginally faster auto focus (the 690 AF motor seems better specced). But you comments on sharpness etc are just straight up incorrect. Nobody could ever tell the difference between an image taken with a 680 vs a 690 As for parts being available in Asia, this is also true. China seems to be where all old microchips go to die. But that doesn't change the fact that the design of this camera basically guarantees it'll die again one day for the same reason

@johnapperson7495 6 ай бұрын

God bless u, people are crazy to pay for these pieces of choncha

@tonygraham6140 6 ай бұрын

Having bought a number, 10 or more, of Pro Land cameras, it seems to me that any camera Polaroid let the japanese do comes out as shit. Seems that if it was not their idea from start to finish, they didn't care. The bellows are shit, but not on a 250, 350, etc. The chrome colored coating is shit, especially on a 180. Bought at least 6 of those, not a one could be used. Problems, not just cosmetic, sadly.

@wang_. 6 ай бұрын

do yuo do repair on request?

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

Of course!

@wang_. 6 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy do you repair original polatronics for the sx70 af

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@wang_.I can certainly try! Flashes really depend on the problem

@wang_. 6 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy what is your pricing?

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@wang_. I don't keep prices on KZfaq Check my Facebook and Instagram

@ianbakke 6 ай бұрын

I don’t know what it is with Sweden, but SLR 680s are so common. You find them more often and cheaper than SX-70s, it’s crazy. I guess everyone knows that they’re unreliable (or at least have mirrors that fall off).

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

lucky for Sweden! At least the 680 is electronically quite reliable, even if the mirror silicon is a bit dodgy

@ianbakke 6 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy I guess except the opto-sensor, although if that is broken it probably didn’t happen recently.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@ianbakke the optosensor is a funny thing. From what I can tell, when they work, they work forever basically They seem to die due to faulty LEDs more than actual failure I've never actually seen one die. Only seen them arrive dead

@1987productions 6 ай бұрын

woohoo!

@flyingo 6 ай бұрын

No disrespect intended, but it just blows my mind that anyone would pay good money to have a Polaroid - any model - repaired when the resulting image quality is so inferior to that of any camera with a decent glass lens. The photos are rarely exosed properly, always too light or too dark, and the focus is never “sharp”. The film stock is relatively expensive and nowhere near the quality of the original formula.. I mean other than the instant aspect and the “cool vintage” factor, .. just.. why? I like my Polaroids for extremely casual “fun at a party” photo taking, but when they stop working, I’ll just look for and buy another at a garage sale for between 50 cents and $10.. if I want another. I’ve always wondered if a quality glass element lens could be incorporated into a plastic Polaroid. Now that might encourage me to try and preserve these things. I really enjoy your channel and fantastic information, so please don’t think I’m complaining. I guess I’m just baffled.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

For a $10 600 box camera sure But these SLR models with glass lenses sell for hundreds these days And many people are moving away from the wasteful throw-away consumerism

@flyingo 6 ай бұрын

@@theinstantcameraguy oh, my bad. I didn’t think any of the 600/SX70/Spectra series Polariods had glass lenses.

@sondreglosli6955 6 ай бұрын

The sx-70 folders all had 4 element glass lenses, the sx-70 box cams had plastic with the basic one single element and the autofocus box one had a 3 element that sometimes were collor corrected, 600 box cams had single element and autofocus either 2 element or 3 element with some collor corrected, spectra came with mostly plastic lenses but some had glass.

@theinstantcameraguy 6 ай бұрын

@@sondreglosli6955 100% correct

@MyFedora 5 ай бұрын

I don't get it, even with a glass lens. Back then? Yeah, sure. Phone cameras didn't exist yet, and once they did, they were expensive and poor quality. Film cameras were expensive and the required film was also expensive. Today? Not so much. It's fun to have an instant print. I've manned an instant camera at a party before, and the queue was no joke, but beyond that? People who care about image quality can buy a used interchangeable lens DSLR with a decent lens and speedlight for the price of a mid-range Polaroid that brings a lot more versatility, reliability and efficiency to the table, except without the razor and blades business model. So many accessories only work with traditional cameras. Everyone else is out of luck. It's an unfair comparison, really. Although most people use their phone camera nowadays.