PolaDiana - A Diana and Polaroid Hybrid Camera

I built this hybrid camera some years ago, but thought I had put the film plane of the instant film cassette too close to the back part of the Diana's film chamber, because when I tested it, the film was too tight and the film couldn't be pulled out of the camera after it was exposed.

Flash forward to now, and I was reading last night about the problems people are having with the Fujifilm Instant filmpack cassettes in Polaroid cameras.

**Lightbulb**!!!

I suddenly realized that I had tested my camera with the new Fujifilm, which I had never used before and hadn't heard about the problem with the design of the Fujifilm cassette.

I read several solutions, including snapping off the spring arms or attaching bobby pins to the arms. It seemed to me the problem is that the spring arms are pushing directly on the part of the Fujfilm cassette, where they have put slots in the filmpack back that allow the Polaroid camera spring arms to apply pressure to the film inside the cassette.

Guessing the solution was one of not allowing the Fujifilm pack "tabs" to receive the full brunt of the spring arm pressure, I used a thin aluminum plate from the cut off of a metal printing plate. I placed a 3" x 4" plate on top of the film pack.

I didn't have any time to shoot with my hybrid, but took a quick shot outside my office window, and was thrilled to have the film pull normally, not with the tightness I remember from my first test.

The PolaDiana camera is built with a vintage Diana clone, a Windsor F, and the back part of a Polaroid Big Swinger.

What I like about this project, is that it incorporates two of my favorite things, a lo-fi camera and instant film photography!

When I get a chance, I will post more photos from this hybrid.

Comments

[J. M. Golding]

Congratulations on solving that problem! It sounds like it's going to be a ton of fun to use - I'll look forward to your photos.