Polaroid Current Pricing - 1948 - '70 User manual

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        A thinner bellows material was used on the 850                 Fortunately,both varietiesof the cutter bars are
       and 900 models, sometinrescausingthe bellows to               riveted into the camera body, which would make
        misfold when the camerais closed.Also, many model              switching parts very difficult. It would alsobe neces-
       900 camerasare found in rather poor condition -               sary to replacethe pull down tab with a correct serial
        apparentlyfrom heavyusage.                             number for this variation.
         Spend a few minutes putting your latest find in
                                                          What about accessories?        top top shape.Chromecan be polished;metalbodied
       models washed in a lnild dishwashingdetergent;and                   In this first edition of the pricing guide, we have
        the vinyl coveringscleanedwith a product such as                                                                    confined out listing of accessoriesto flashgunsonly.
       The Tannery,availableat most drug or grocerystores.                                                                                                                    If a Polaroid outfit can be purchasedfor the price of
                                                                       the cameraalone, then the accessoriescan be viewed          Dust the bellowsgently with a soft, damp cloth.
                                                               as a bonus.
            Carefully re-glueany vinyl coveringthat has pulled
       away from the metal housing.                                                                 Regardingproduction figures:
         Sometimesparts can be switchedfrom one camera                                                                      Production figures shown in this guide have been
         to anotherto come up with the bestlooking model.                                                                 compiled from information suppliedby Polaroidplus
                                                                a careful study of serial numbers on the different
        Are variationscollectible?                                    models. Although the figures are approximate,they
                                                                     are nqverthelessquite accurate.
          Very definitely. The color dot varietieson the J33
      & J66 modelsactually identify cameraswith different              The camerasare getting harder and harder to find.
         shutter speeds.Also, the flash distancerangeon the           Huge numbers of the  roll film models have been
        yellow dot camerasis seven feet; on the blue and              "traded in" on newer Polaroids,and these older
       greendot camerasit is ten feet.                             modelsin turn havebeen re-soldin South America.

         The regular cutter bar and latching cutter bar
                                                                    Determining current prices:         variations identify camerasmodified by the factory
         to use 3000 speed film. When the new film became                                                           The current priceshavebeen arrivedat through a
         available,certain models were internally lightsealed                                                                  combination of prices in camera stores (where they
         to handle the film. The early lightsealedmodels,with                                                                     are priced only as a usuablecamera);and their scar-
         serialnumbersprecededby the letter "L", were still                                                                                     city basedon production figures.
       equipped with the regularcutter bar. It was quickly
        discoveredthat this bar was permitting enough light             Once collectorsbegin to appreciatethe desirability
         to enter the camera to affect the high speed3000                of the older Polaroids,prices will begin to find their
          film. Within a matter of months, the lightsealed              true level.
       models were equippedwith a new latching cutter bar
                                                                     For  the moment, however, collecting Polaroid         that sealedout the light at this spot on the camera.
                                                            camerascan still be just plain fun. They are available
         The cutter bar problem producedsomevery scarce               at bargain prices and the collector is under no pres-
         variations.In the caseof the model 150, less than              sure to buy the latest ro11t'ilm model before the price
       50,000 of the lightsealedcameraswith the regular           goesup next month. How sweetit is!
         cutter bar were produced.

          Lessthan 30,000lightsealedunits with regularcut-
         ter barswere madeof the model 800.I

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