The Sx-70 Polaroid Camera: A Revolutionary Invention Of 1972

The Polaroid SX-70 is a folding single-lens reflex Land camera that was first produced and sold in 1972. It was the first instant SLR in history and the first camera to use Polaroid's new integral print film, which developed automatically without any intervention from the photographer. The SX-70 was produced and sold from 1972 to 1981 and is known for its folding body design, manual focus capability, and automatic exposure system.

The SX-70 was produced by the Polaroid Corporation from 1972 to 1981

The SX-70 is a folding single-lens reflex Land camera. It was the first instant SLR in history and the first camera to use Polaroid's new integral print film, which developed automatically without the photographer's intervention. This was a revolutionary feature at the time and a precursor to today's 600 and Spectra films.

The SX-70 had a folding body design, a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens, and an automatic exposure system known as the Electric Eye. The camera allowed for manual focus as close as 10.4 inches (26.4 cm) and had a shutter speed range from 1/175s to more than 10 seconds. The original model had a plain focusing screen, but later models added a split-image rangefinder prism in response to complaints about the difficulty of focusing with the original screen.

The SX-70 was popular in the 1970s, despite its high cost, and it continues to have a cult following today. It has been praised and used by notable photographers such as Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, and Walker Evans.

The camera included sophisticated design elements, such as a collapsible SLR with a complex light path for the viewfinder and precision plastic mouldings for many mechanical parts. The body was made of glass-filled polysulfone, plated with a thin layer of copper-nickel-chromium alloy to give it a metallic appearance.

The SX-70 used a film pack of 10 film sheets, with each film sheet measuring 3.5 x 4.25 inches and a picture area of 3.125 x 3.125 inches. The film was a market success, despite some initial problems with the batteries on early film packs. The original SX-70 film was improved in the mid-1970s and replaced in 1980 by the SX-70 Time-Zero Supercolor product, which offered faster development time and richer, brighter colours.

It was the first instant SLR camera

The SX-70 was a folding single-lens reflex Land camera produced by the Polaroid Corporation from 1972 to 1981. It was the first instant SLR camera ever made, and it helped to popularise instant photography.

The SX-70 was the first camera to use Polaroid's new integral print film, which developed automatically without any intervention from the photographer. This was revolutionary at the time and a precursor to today's 600 and Spectra films.

The camera was first sold in Miami, Florida, in late 1972, and sales went national in the fall of 1973. The SX-70 was expensive, retailing at $180 for the camera and $6.90 for each film pack of ten pictures ($1,311 and $50 respectively when adjusted for inflation). Despite this, Polaroid sold 700,000 by mid-1974.

The SX-70 was the first folding instant SLR camera, and all models shared the same basic design. The camera featured a folding body design, a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens, and an automatic exposure system known as the Electric Eye. The SX-70 allowed for manual focus as close as 10.4 inches (26.4 cm) and had a shutter speed range from 1/175s to more than 10 seconds.

The SX-70 was a significant innovation in the history of photography, and it remains an iconic camera that is still loved today.

It was first introduced at a company annual meeting in April 1972

The Polaroid SX-70 was first introduced at a company annual meeting in April 1972. At the time, it was just a code name, with the product's official name yet to be decided. The camera was unveiled by Polaroid founder and president Edwin H. Land, who described it as a "turning point" for photography.

The SX-70 was a folding single lens reflex Land Camera, the first instant SLR in history. It was also the first camera to use Polaroid's new integral print film, which developed automatically without input from the photographer. This was a huge step forward from the complex procedures required by previous Polaroid cameras, such as the Model 95, which involved manually removing photographic paper, peeling it open, and waiting several minutes for it to dry.

At the annual meeting, Land demonstrated the SX-70's capabilities by producing five photographs in ten seconds, an impossible feat with older models. The SX-70 achieved this through its automatic exposure system, known as the Electric Eye, and its ability to focus as close as 10.4 inches (26.4 cm). The camera also had a shutter speed range from 1/175s to more than 10 seconds.

The SX-70's design was also innovative. It featured a folding body, allowing it to be compact enough to fit in a large pocket. The oversized viewfinder showed users exactly what the camera's lens saw. The camera was encased in brown leather and chrome, with a variety of models offered, all sharing the same basic design.

The SX-70 was eventually released in late 1972 in Miami, Florida, with a national rollout in the fall of 1973. Despite its high cost of $180 (approximately $1,300 when adjusted for inflation), Polaroid sold 700,000 units by mid-1974. The camera's popularity continued to grow, and it became a cult classic, praised and used by photographers such as Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, and Helmut Newton.

It was sold in Miami, Florida, in late 1972

The SX-70 was the first instant SLR camera in history, and the first camera to use Polaroid's new integral print film, which developed automatically without the photographer needing to do anything. It was produced by the Polaroid Corporation from 1972 to 1981, and was first sold in Miami, Florida, in late 1972.

The SX-70 was unveiled at a Polaroid annual meeting in April 1972 by the company's founder and president, Edwin H. Land. He described it as a turning point for photography, offering absolute one-step photography. The camera was initially nameless, with Land suggesting it might be called "The American". However, by November 1972, it had become known as the SX-70.

The SX-70 was initially only available in Miami, with a full national rollout taking place in the fall of 1973. Despite the high cost of the camera and film, Polaroid sold 700,000 by mid-1974. The SX-70 was popular in the 1970s and retains a cult following today.

The SX-70 was a folding single lens reflex Land camera. It had a folding body design, a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens, and an automatic exposure system. The camera allowed for manual focus as close as 10.4 inches (26.4 cm) and had a shutter speed range from 1/175s to more than 10 seconds. It was encased in brown leather and chrome and folded down into a 1-inch-thick brick that could fit in a large pocket.

The SX-70 revolutionised photography, doing away with the complex procedures required by previous instant cameras. Pictures ejected automatically and developed within 10 minutes, without any chemical residue.

The SX-70 was popular in the 1970s and has a cult following today

The SX-70 was the world's first instant SLR camera, produced by the Polaroid Corporation from 1972 to 1981. The camera helped to popularise instant photography, with its pictures ejecting automatically and developing within 10 minutes without chemical residue.

The SX-70 was popular in the 1970s, despite its high cost of $180 for the camera and $6.90 for each film pack of ten pictures. By mid-1974, Polaroid had sold 700,000 units. The camera was used by famous photographers such as Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, and Walker Evans. Helmut Newton used the camera for fashion shoots, and Walker Evans began using the camera in 1973 when he was 70 years old.

The SX-70 has a cult following today. It is sought after by Polaroid enthusiasts, and was the inspiration for the Belfast alternative band SX-70's name. The camera is still loved today, with Polaroid selling film for the camera in black and white and colour.

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