Preparing an Instax wide 100 to be a camera back
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ม.ค. 2021
- Instax wide format is the only instant photo format that is economical (around $1/photo) and that has decent quality. This is generating interest in converting cameras to use Instax wide. I converted a Polaroid pack film camera using an Instax wide 100, but didn't document all of the steps.
This video documents the steps taken to prepare the Instax wide 100 to be used as a camera back, retaining the film ejection system. With additional prep on a Polaroid pack camera, this back can be mounted onto the back of a pack camera as in my previous video: • Converting a Polaroid ... . I have detailed the steps taken to prep a Polaroid 455 for this back, as well as the steps to mount it at • Making a Pola-Instax 4...
It can also be used in other applications. I built a 5x7 camera back with dark slide for use with my large format camera. The Instax 100 back works in this application because the camera back with motor fits inside a 5x7 frame, so the motor/handle can be inset inside the camera. This of course will produce a much cropped photo, so using the 210mm lens for that camera will produce equivalent results of a 100mm lens on 35mm--great for portraits.
The steps to preparing the Instax 100 are straightforward: remove the case, remove the lens, gear box, electronics, and cut off the lens housing. Then, wire the motor to the battery and shorten the following edge of the micro switch cam so the motor turns off a bit earlier. The existing shutter button can be used as a switch to kick start the motor, and can be soldered in parallel with the micro switch.
The model 210 is similar, but with these differences:
1. The electronic boards are not screwed into the frame (just the LCD is). They are held on with plastic rivets. Just pry the boards off.
2. The lens housing is not part of the frame!! Removing the lens assembly removes everything. There are bits to trim off, but not all the cutting as shown in this video.
3. The micro switch rides on top of the gear that cycles once for each photo ejection, and drops into a slot to turn off. This slot in the gear needs to be lengthened, which will involve taking apart the gear box and drilling the slot longer. This is not a trivial task.
4. The shutter button is a micro switch and can be used as is (as opposed to a PCB contact requiring a piece of tin foil to complete contact).
Overall, this makes it easier to modify a 210, though maybe more technical to take apart the gear box to modify the gear. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
I'm about to do this Instax Wide back conversion. I'm soooo glad I found your videos. Thank you so much for making these. I haven't found much out there explaining the process. I'm kind of scared to mess up two fine cameras, but is worth trying. Thanks again !
It took me a bit to sacrifice the Instax/Polaroid to do this at first, but this is my second one, used for a large format back. If I modify another Polaroid 100, I'll be sure to post detail on what needs to be cut/modified, etc. The "Pola-Instax model 100" works great and I'm glad I did it.
Really good instruction. Thanks.
i noticed that in your 3D print file, the rb67 adapter is missing the top two holes that the RB67 body clips go onto. However, in your photos it seems like the print has them?
For this kind of mod, is it better to tear down an instax 100 or 210 or 300? Or is it basically the same? I own 100 & 300 and they don't seem to be build exactly the same way. Thanks !
Ok, so I got ahold of an Instax wide 210 and took it apart: Much much easier to work with converting it to a back! Here are the differences:
1. The electronic boards are not screwed into the frame (just the LCD is). They are held on with plastic rivets. Just pry the boards off.
2. The lens housing is not part of the frame!! Removing the lens assembly removes everything. There are bits to trim off, but not all the cutting as shown in this video.
3. The micro switch seems to turn off the motor so only one piece of film will go through the rollers when activated. This alleviates the need to lengthen the cam actuating the micro switch.
4. The shutter button is a micro switch and can be used as is (as opposed to a PCB contact requiring a piece of tin foil to complete contact).
The wiring is the same as above. Instead of taking 1/2 hour to do the above job. It tool only 10 minutes. I would definitely recommend using a model 210 for a back instead of the model 100.
Thank you so much for this video ! I m doing it but got stuck at "Shorten cam 2-4mm by filling and cutting"... Could you explain me which part has to be shorten ? I don t get it.
It is a bit difficult to see in the video. Near the bottom of the gear assembly, you'll see a micro switch (with 2 thin wires connecting to it) with a metal lever that sits on a plastic cam driven by the gears. The cam turns the switch on to keep the motor running until the film is ejected, at which point there's a space in the cam where the metal lever drops down to turn off the switch so the motor stops. I found the length of this space needs to be lengthened around 2-4mm by cutting the cam away (which the metal lever is riding on) at the tailing edge so the switch turns off earlier, otherwise after the motor turns off, momentum keeps things running and the switch rides up on the cam again and turns back on, running another piece of film through. By shortening the cam (or lengthening the space), the motor turns off a split second earlier and has time to stop before the switch lever rides up on the cam again.
@@thewetcoast i see the metal thing, and the "cut" on the wheel ! what should i cut, the little metal bar or sand the plastic for the bar to go down earlier ? so far the instax is ejecting pictures one by one, should i do it anyway ? thank you !
Do you have a website with your different instant camera mods ?
@@thewetcoast i saw what you meant on your other video ! all good.
i saw that the 210 is easier than the 100 too...
@@gregoryhervelin849 The 210 is easier overall, but the gearbox needs to be taken apart to lengthen the slot so the microswitch turns off earlier. It doesn't use a cam to turn off the microswitch like the model 100. It's pretty involved, and lengthening the slot is tricky...
@@thewetcoast hello ! I doing often your technique : ) any idea where to find the same explanation for a 210 ? or a 300 ?
thanks again for this video ! you ever tried that with the 300 ? any advice ?
+ any easier place to get in touch with you ?
@@convoiexceptionnel try @hackaninstant on Instagram
No, but I presume it's similar to the 210, which is much easier since you don't have to cut off the lens body.
@@thewetcoast
i open the 300, the trigger seems far away, not as accessible as in the 210...
@@convoiexceptionnel I'll have to get a 300 to assess whether it's possible to use it as a back...
I have a quick question, maybe a silly one. I have no knowledge in soldering. Do you think this can be achieved without any soldering? If not, how easy can this soldering be without prior knowledge 🙊? I'm willing to learn in order to get this right haha. Thanks !
You may be able to do this without soldering if you keep the leads intact from the microswitch, motor, and battery. Strip at least 1/2" of bare wire from all leads and twist tightly together. Cover with hot glue to prevent unraveling. Otherwise, soldering is not difficult. The key is to heat the wire/contact then touch the solder to the wire to melt it on, being sure not to move anything until the solder solidifies. It helps to melt some solder on to the soldering iron to help heat transfer when touching it to the wire/terminal.
@@thewetcoast I'll try with the soldering. I was with the idea of learning that so might be a good opportunity to do so. Thank you for replying!
@@itzelon have you tried it yet? I am looking for donor cameras right now!
@@DieEisflasche I have! I have done some tests. I only need to make the micro switch to eject one photo at time. I manage to do a release switch and turn it off as soon as one photo is ejected. but it's not very relying which have made some ink leaks on the remaining photos. Just got a blurry photo and other 19 look awful or pure white haha. But these video helped a lot. Good luck on yours!
@@itzelon Be sure to trim (shorten) the cam which controls the micro switch. I found I needed to trim it around 2-3mm. This lengthens the time that the microswitch is off, to give the motor enough time to spin down and stop the cam before it activates the microswitch again. Be sure also to clean the rollers after all this is done. And pure white photos indicate light leaks when mounting. Try lining the back with black tape.
I have4 No idea how you wired this... Makes no sense to me.. I'm going to kjust do it on free will
The circuit is very simple: battery, motor, and cycle switch in series, with another switch in parallel to the cycle switch to start the eject sequence.
@@thewetcoast Thanks
Same ive done the same thing to the mini but the video is so fast and no explanation lol
@@thewetcoast Do you have the final photo that is clear, the video is too fast and not a lot of explaining, I already have it taken apart just need some more clarification
@@TheElysed Go ahead and check out polaroids.theskeltons.org/instaxwide.htm -- it has descriptions and photos of this process, and even describes two methods to do it. There's also a contact form on the website if you have questions.