Focusing A Polaroid Land Camera: Tips And Tricks

The Polaroid Land Camera, named after its inventor, Edwin Land, is an iconic camera that introduced the world to instant photography. While these cameras are no longer in production, they remain highly sought-after by photographers and collectors alike. One of the most important aspects of capturing a great photo with a Polaroid Land Camera is ensuring that it is properly focused.

To focus a Polaroid Land Camera, it is recommended to maintain a distance of at least 3 to 5 feet between the camera and the subject. This distance allows the camera's lens to properly focus, resulting in a sharper image. Additionally, the camera's viewfinder should be used to frame the shot, keeping in mind that what you see in the viewfinder may not exactly match the final photograph.

For newer models like the Polaroid OneStep+, there are two lenses to choose from: portrait and landscape. The portrait lens is ideal for subjects between 1 and 3 feet away, while the landscape lens is best for distances greater than 3 feet.

Ensure you're the right distance from your subject

When using a Polaroid Land Camera, it is important to ensure that you are the right distance from your subject. The camera's fixed-focus lenses use distance, or depth of field, to focus on the subject. This means that you need to provide enough distance between yourself and the subject to allow the camera to produce a sharp image.

As a general rule, if your subject is between 3.5 to 5 feet away, set the camera to the portrait setting. If the subject is between 5 and 10 feet away, set it to the group setting. If the subject is more than 10 feet away, set the camera to landscape.

You may need to experiment with the distance when taking photographs. Some models may produce better images at a distance of about 10 feet. Some models may not work at distances above 10 feet, so be patient and test out different distances.

It is recommended to ignore the close-up setting on some models, as these generally don't work very well. Instead, adhere to the 4-foot rule, standing at least 4 feet away from your subject.

Use the viewfinder to frame your shot

Unlike most modern cameras, the viewfinder on a Polaroid OneStep camera doesn't allow you to see through the camera's lens. This means that the viewfinder doesn't provide you with a perfect replica of what the image will be. So, when framing your shot, be sure to give yourself plenty of room on either side of your chosen subject.

When taking a photo with a Polaroid camera, you'll need to stand at least 4 feet away from your subject. This is because OneStep cameras contain fixed-focus lenses that use distance, or depth of field, to focus on their subjects. Some models may produce better images at a distance of about 10 feet, while some may not work at distances above 10 feet. So, be patient and experiment with different distances when taking photos.

If your Polaroid model includes a closeup setting, it's best to ignore it and stick to the 4-foot rule, as these settings generally don't work very well.

Stand still when taking the photo

When taking a photo with a Polaroid OneStep camera, it is important to stand still. This is because the camera contains a fixed-focus lens and does not have the electronics necessary for autofocus.

To ensure the camera produces a sharp image, you should stand at least 4 feet (1.22 m) away from your subject. You may need to experiment with the distance when taking photos, as some models may produce better images at a distance of about 10 feet (3.04 m).

Some models may include a close-up setting that allows you to take pictures of subjects located under 4 feet (1.22 m) away. However, these settings generally don't work very well, so it is best to adhere to the 4-foot (1.22-m) rule.

Allow sufficient time for development

The development time for each type of film is specified on a chart on the packaging. This chart will give the proper development time based on the ambient temperature of your environment. For example, at 86 degrees, FP-100C has a 75-second development time, at 68 degrees this drops to 120, and at 50 degrees, it's 270 seconds.

It is generally recommended that you don't shoot below 60 degrees when using color film, or if you do, use a Cold-Clip to warm up the photograph as it develops.

The Cold-Clip is a metal clip that you keep in an inner pocket to keep it warm. You pull the photo out of the camera, then within 10 seconds, fold it inside the Cold-Clip with the tab sticking out the top. Then, place it back in your pocket and wait about 60-90 seconds.

If you are shooting over 80 degrees, you might want to consider moving the aperture dial a notch towards darken.

Use the flash when shooting indoors

When shooting indoors with a Polaroid Land Camera, it is recommended to use the built-in flash on your camera. While the flash may produce harsh lighting in some of your pictures, it is important to start with the flash to see how best to brighten up your indoor pictures. If you can, shoot in a room with plenty of windows to benefit from natural light even when indoors.

If you want to see what turning off the flash does for your photos, use a small piece of dark-coloured paper and some tape to cover the bulb.

The Polaroid Go is a smaller-than-usual Polaroid camera, and the flash is also smaller. This means that the brightness from the flash can only reach a certain distance from the camera. For best results, stand between 2-4 feet from your subject so the flash can fully illuminate what you are trying to photograph. It's also best to have your subject stand in front of a wall or backdrop so the flash bounces back to the camera and makes a brighter image. If you have a large empty space behind your subject, the background will likely be completely black because the flash can't reach that far.

With Polaroid cameras, the camera's light meter will adjust the brightness for the on-camera flash, so even if you have a lot of other lights/lamps on in the room where you are taking your photo, those lights/lamps may not help increase the photo's overall brightness.

Frequently asked questions