TECH TITANS POLAROID
Our all-time top five from the instant print masters
[ Words Lauren Scott ]
01 POLAROID SX-70
Production of Polaroid cameras may have begun as far back as 1948, but the SX-70 was the world’s first instant single-lens reflex (SLR) camera.
It appeared in 1972; the story goes that company founder Edwin Land stepped onto the stage at a meeting, pulled out the folding SX-70 from his jacket and – like a sort of proto Steve Jobs – wowed the audience by taking five instant photos in 10 seconds.
Not just fast, the original SX-70 was also accurate. Its sonar autofocus system sent out high-frequency soundwaves to work out the subject distance and tweak the focus. Unlike many vintage Polaroids, the lens also had manual focusing capabilities that meant it could get sharp shots from as close as 26cm. Many Polaroid cameras have a maximum aperture of f14, but this one went to f8 for greater light-gathering power.