How the Polaroid SX-70 Flash Mechanism Works - Feat. Mint Flashbar review
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ต.ค. 2024
- Wondering if the MiNT Flashbar as underpowered as Reddit would have you believe?
Confused as to how the SX-70 functions during a flash exposure?
Getting over or under-exposed flash photos constantly?
If you ever found yourself asking these questions, then this video is for you!
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Chapters:
00:15 - Intro. Why MiNT sent me a flashbar.
02:49 - What this video will cover
05:12 - What is the MiNT Flashbar
10:43 - Unboxing The Flashbar 2.0
15:02 - Features of the 2.0
17:01 - MiNT - please relabel the flash settings
19:44 - Battery drain? On the subject of batteries.
23:40 - Final thoughts on the MiNT Flash bars
27:12 - Oh yeah... the Kratax batteries
29:17 - Underpowered flash?
30:20 - How flashes work
32:11 - Lets dive into the flash aperture mechanism
34:14 - How an ambient exposure works
36:58 - How a flash exposure works
38:58 - The Flash Cam Follower assembly
46:20 - Real-time demonstration
47:58 - Adjusting the cam follower
49:24 - Correct aperture shapes at 10" distance
50:34 - What happens when it is incorrectly calibrated
53:34 - Fill Flash
58:12 - Testing flash
1:00:19 - Summary
1:01:10 - On the subject of the SLR680
1:02:25 - Alternatives
1:04:44 - SX-70R PCB - manual flash aperture
1:06:23 - f8 flash mod
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If you like this, then watch these:
A full teardown and overhaul of an SX-70 - emphasizing the importance of refurbishing your camera:
• Fully overhauling a Po...
The SX-70R PCB:
• SX-70R - A Bluetooth P...
SX-70 vs 600 (and i-Type) film - a deep dive!:
• SX-70 vs 600 film: Why...
The PolaVolt:
• The PolaVolt: a newer,...
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Great video, never realised how this worked, such a complex camera
i was actually thinking of getting a mint flashbar for the past few days and this video somehow gets uploaded right now. incredible
Thanks Jake.
Well explained indeed and by having the shutter mechanism examples in a mock up form it was very easy to see what you were explaining.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
For someone who thought the Mint Flash Bar was underpowered I have seen the light !
It wasn’t the flashbar causing my poor flash photographs - it was my camera having the wrong aperture adjustment setting.
Thankfully you have sorted out my two SX-70’s cam follower assemblies and they are correctly working.
So I bought a Mint Flash Bar to use.
Unfortunately Mint did not send me a free one !
This should be mandatory viewing for anyone shooting with flash on an SX-70!
thank you for the kind words
*Addendum - The MiNT Flash 2.0 does NOT drain the batteries when not in use. The 1.0 does though.
* Addendum 2 - Whoops, typo of "payed" instead of "paid".
Chapters:
00:15 - Intro. Why MiNT sent me a flashbar.
02:49 - What this video will cover
05:12 - What is the MiNT Flashbar
10:43 - Unboxing The Flashbar 2.0
15:02 - Features of the 2.0
17:01 - MiNT - please relabel the flash settings
19:44 - Battery drain? On the subject of batteries.
23:40 - Final thoughts on the MiNT Flash bars
27:12 - Oh yeah... the Kratax batteries
29:17 - Underpowered flash?
30:20 - How flashes work
32:11 - Lets dive into the flash aperture mechanism
34:14 - How an ambient exposure works
36:58 - How a flash exposure works
38:58 - The Flash Cam Follower assembly
46:20 - Real-time demonstration
47:58 - Adjusting the cam follower
49:24 - Correct aperture shapes at 10" distance
50:34 - What happens when it is incorrectly calibrated
53:34 - Fill Flash
58:12 - Testing flash
1:00:19 - Summary
1:01:10 - On the subject of the SLR680
1:02:25 - Alternatives
1:04:44 - SX-70R PCB - manual flash aperture
1:06:23 - f8 flash mod
Oh. Forgot to say as you demonstrated two pictures showing flash on the SLR 680 and the SX-70 plus Mint flash bar during the review - I would like to see a real shoot out comparison of the two options.
@@monochromebluess i plan on covering this in the future at some stage. I have many thoughts regarding such a comparison
great video on the topic that will hopefully clear up some confusion. i had a basic understanding based on information online and testing photos but seeing the actual mechanisms inside was immensely helpful. pretty clever design!
Jake--This was a really important video, and I'm glad you made it with such detail. I've been confused for a long time about the 'follower bar' and could never figure out what it did, and why. Solenoid #2!. That's why it's there. Great explanation--it's a mechanical aperture function. Thanks for posting this. Keep up the great work with the videos.--Steve
I literally just got a Mint flash bar 2 this week - what a coincidence this video is.
I agree with the labeling confusion. I had to read the manual twice to understand why there were two settings.
They sell the slower cycle time as a battery saving feature, which I guess is technically true if you turn it off right after taking a picture. Overall it is a very nice flash! My SX-70 definitely needs an overhaul.
How the cam follower actually works is super clever!
Very interesting video. Do you think there would be situations where it would make sense to use "full power mode" with a 600 converted SX70 ? For instance if the subject is really far away ? or as a fill flash in very bright situations?
@@pierredubois5851 technically you could!
It would be kinda hard to meter for the situation though and you'd have to experiment
Thanks, I'm going to try that, could be an interesting experiment.@@theinstantcameraguy
Holy sh I wasn't expecting an hour long video lol. Now I have high expectations
@@JeffDvrx there is so much to explain haha
19:00 - on why not name the flash bar settings, personally I'll use both settings for 600 film. I've noticed that if the subject is far away (say trying to cram more than 4 people in a photo) or with individuals with highly melanated skin, I need to use the full power. Is this a sign my camera needs to be re-calibrated? Maybe. But I think people get confused because they simply do not read up on the manuals, I personally wouldn't fault that to MiNT. I get at least using a quarter symbol over the 'half' though, lol.
28:14 - I've used the 3.6 volt rechargeable batteries meant for the Powerbar before in the Flashbar 2.0 when I was in a pinch. Significantly faster charge time on the flash (almost immediate), but I didn't leave it in there for long as I was worried the higher voltage would fry the circuit - I don't know how much of an issue this would be if the circuit was strictly designed with 1.5v batteries in mind.
Thank you for the in-depth explanation. I knew the general idea, that the exposure was based on the distance, but I love learning of the specifics and actual mechanics behind it. (Will be info dumping this on unsuspecting friends 💕)
@@analoggdreamss I'm not sure shoving 7.2V into a flash unit designed for 3V is a good idea haha
Skin colour is an entirely different kettle of fish. Using full power on a subject with very dark skin is no different to +2 exposure correction on a standard camera.
Really nice video! Do you have any video on how to completely open the camera front and calibrate that tiny screw? My photos tend to come out overexposed when using flash, so I would like to adjust it.
Really this video explains everything you should need to know
But I REALLY do not recommend you try
I put odds very high you will break it. The plastic is very brittle, and needs a lot of practice
Watch my other videos for how to service SX-70s to see how the front comes off
@@theinstantcameraguy Ok, I will try to get my hands on a broken one or more to practice. I am familiar with opening the front, but just would love to see a video of you just doing the calibration. But indeed the show you did here with the white paper behind was really nice.
I certainly would like to see a SLR680 vs SX-70 Sonar+Mint Flashbar shootout. Mostly because I have a 600 converted sonar that I call my poor-man's SLR680.
I'll definitely be doing one in the future!
Thank you for the fascinating description of how the camera works with a flash. I don’t feel so bad about being confused by the flash bar power setting. I thought the switch was meant to allow the use of 600 film in an unmodified camera. My confusion was should you still use the 600 setting if the camera has been modified to use 600 film natively? In that situation, would using the SX-70 setting over-expose?
It is 100% MiNT's fault for not explaining this better. Kinda does my head in that it's up to some random Australian guy on TH-cam to explain what should otherwise be a straight forward thing. Why Mint had to make things so confusing is beyond me!
When you use the flash, its the flash output that dictates the majority of the exposure.
1/4 power is for 600 film
Full power is for SX-70 film.
You set the flash for the FILM you are using.
What the camera's PCB/electric eye is calibrated for does not matter.
This is why MiNT advertise that you can shoot 600 film in an un-modified camera. Its technically true, assuming you ALWAYS use the flash
Great Video, and it raises a question I have on my Impulse AF Camera. This is a 2nd Gen Sonor autofocus that has an always on. Often I don’t want the flash artifacts in an image. I started out by just putting my hand over the flash, but i have recently made a little light box that will bounce the flash to the ceiling. I am not getting the results I would normally expect. I am not seeing the impact of the bounced light.
BTW: i haven’t had any of my three impulse AFs serviced, they first is going out to Retrospek this week, but all three seem to be behaving the same way.
Your issue is due to the fact that the Impulse AF is ONLY designed to be used with flash
The camera expects a certain level of light output to correctly expose a photo
Bouncing the flash or manipulating the flash in any way will very likely just result in under-exposed photos since the camera has no other way to compensate.
I do not personally like or recommend the Impulse series of cameras. Not only are they very difficult to take apart and service, but functionally they are effectively just a 'worse' version of the Polaroid 660AF - which DOES have a true ambient exposure mode, with a roughly 1 second maximum exposure time.
Yes, the Impulse AF has a built in self timer... but at what cost.
Personally, I do not think you will see much benefit in getting your Impulse serviced
In my opinion you are probably just better off getting a Sun 660AF
So question on the Mint flashback. For a 600 converted SX-70, the close up Polaroid accessory kit comes with a diffuser that would sit over the old style disposable flash bars when using it. Is that still something that would need to be slotted over the mint flashback bar?
The diffuser is only necessary for a close up lens
I've never tried to fit one over the MiNT camera, but I'd certainly try it, since diffusion will help with macro
The underpowered flash complaint isn't entirely false. On my sonar SX70, I have the large side handle Polaroid Polatronic flash unit. I've done comparison shots of both flashes, and the polatronic is crazy bright compared to the Mint2. I've also used the disposable flash bars ( I absolutely love those!) and the disposables are still brighter, and much more saturated b/c of the warm light compared to the Mint2. Now I'm not saying the Mint2 is bad by any means. It's definitely worth the money, and I still choose the mint over my other flashes b/c it's so PORTABLE and REUSABLE! And I've noticed using 600 film at "half power" indoors works EXTREMELY WELL!!! I was absolutely shocked how good the results were. But yes, compared to the flashes of yesteryear, the Mint2 is a bit underpowered, BUT with the slim design, portability, and ease of use, I'm VERY VERY happy with my Mint2!
@@AnAvgJoe
I don't believe you are referring to a "power" issue though or the exposures would be drastically different
One thing you may be noticing is the results of a much larger flash head on the Polatronic.. It's like twice the size of the mint flash, and in my experience will generally throw light more evenly over a scene because of greater spread
If the Polatronic flash given its size gives more light than the Mint Flash Bar 2 and it could be argued that that is good - what about the “new version(a)” you hinted at in the video.
Will these units be brighter ?
What is the time scale for these being on the market ?
Is this something you are working on your own such as developing the PolaVolt or are you perhaps Beta testing a unit or two for new players ?
@monochromebluess brightness isn't the correct way to think about this
If a flash was simply just 'brighter' it would result in overexposed images
Its COVERAGE that makes the difference. The DISTRIBUTION of light across a subject can make an image overall appear brighter. A flash with a wider throw of light will generally result in a more pleasing image. Its about even illumination
I do agree that the Polatronic is a better flash than the MiNT, but such as a flash is also utterly gigantic in comparison, requires a bracket to mount it and thus only works on tripod socket cameras.
The new flashes I'm beta testing will mount similar to the mint, but will have wider coverage. As soon as I have them I'll make a video
I'm not the inventor, but will providing critique, feedback etc.
I should note that I've shown MiNT this video and passed on my feedback, but I appear to have been largely ignored so far
@@theinstantcameraguy thanks Jake. Look forward to seeing the results of the beta tests on the new flash unit re the increased light distribution and coverage benefits.
Mint might not be listening but … they did send you a free Flash Bar 2 so they can’t be all bad
The first charge usually takes long because the capacitors needs to charge with energy. Once this happens the flash unit charges more quickly. The same thing would happen if you have not used the flash in a while. Just cycle it 5 times and the capacitors should be good to go and charge more quickly.
It is always a good idea to remove batteries if you are not going to use electronics for a while. I have not experienced the battery drain with the 2.0.
I also have not noticed drain in the 2.0 since repeatedly using it after this video. It's much better than the 1.0
I understand how the capacitors work. The 'cold start' charge of the 2.0 though is just super long compared to most flashes I've ever used - including the Mint Flash 1.0
It's quite noticeable
18:32 now possible stupid question here. Does this change with a camera that’s been 600 modified?
Like if my camera has been converted to shoot 600 film (dang I wonder who whipped that up for me) should I be setting my flash bar to the 1/4 power? Or since everything is adjusted already do I set to full power?
@@McCoyFromSpace the flash does the exposing. So you keep it on 1/4
With regards to the colors, it’s probably random but they’re also somewhat the colors that a Polaroid turns at both ends of the temperature range
@@Tomcat12789 the yellow might help with a cold photo
But I think for a hot magenta photo you'd need blue filtration no?
Great explaination on the flash system! I am a bit confused in fill flash. Traditional fill flash is give out a flash to a shadow subject which is in a bright background. However the fill flash for alpha model is just the system to choose if it need to give out a flash or not under a sunny day. Am I right?
@@tinngsmile actually you mention something that I didn't cover in this video. SOME models of SX-70 PCB simply just do not fire that flash at all if the scene is very very very sunny. This was done in order to "save flash bulbs" I believe. I believe that only applies to Model 1 & 2 cameras. Truthfully I'm not 100% confident I know how this actually works, so I didn't mention it :)
Alpha/Sonar models though... As far as I know, do have true fill flash. To do this successfully at all distances, the shutter needs to work in the way I described it.
@@theinstantcameraguy I just tried point the iPhone Torch to my mint I-type sx680 electronic eye, the flashbar2 just keep flashing on all focus distance 🤷🏻♂️
@@tinngsmile Mint is different lol
Brand new PCB
I'm not sure what flash mode it has
I just purchased a new mint flash bar for my early sx70. The flash works when I press the test button, but does not respond when the camera's shutter is pressed. I have removed and inserted flash multiple times in hopes of working contacts clean. Camera was recently serviced by retrospekt. Wondering if you could provide any troubleshooting suggestions. Thank you
@@hrwildem4993 sounds like your flash fire assembly might be dead
@@theinstantcameraguy Thank you for the response and all the information you've provided through this channel.
The cam adjusting screw is very small and brittle, how do you turn it without breaking it? How much of a turn makes a difference?
@@wlbcparking you do it carefully that's how!
It's really difficult
Turn account required really depends on how out of sync it is
@@theinstantcameraguy Hmmm I've broken a few now, some disintegrate just by looking at them. Gave me more time to see how they work and what that litlle plastic screw does. I have managed to get them to work as they should now, using a little bit of solenoid wire. Inspired by you to be ressourceful and use stuff around!
@@wlbcparking yeah the lug effectively stops the metal lever at a set distance.
Solenoid wire is very helpful stuff!
Why does the SX-70R board disable fill flash for the 680?
@@scottgann2688 it doesn't now
Firmware update :)
@@theinstantcameraguy The SX70R website doesn’t have firmware download section that I can find. I do see the tool to flash new firmware. Perhaps you can inform us on your preferred method to update existing boards. Many thanks for your wealth of knowledge.
@@scottgann2688
Boards will generally arrive pre-flashed
Firmware updates are possible, but you will need to teach yourself how
Contact Carlisle directly
18:10 just read a manual
@@FreakSez the manual wouldn't be necessary if the thing was just labelled properly
The thing literally has one switch and one button. No manual should be needed