Resurrecting a 1978 Polaroid SX-70 Sonar for Modern Film
Back in March, I attended PolaCon Bay Area in hopes of connecting with other photographers before our upcoming move. Each month, the San Francisco PolaPals get together during the SF Instant Photo Walk, the longest running instant photo walk in the world. Led by Brian Brooks, the owner of Underdog Film Lab in Oakland, this group is filled with talented photographers and artists, a fun and inspiring group of instant photography enthusiasts.
One of the friends I made is Alex Cheng, an expert Polaroid restorer and technician. Shortly before attending PolaCon, I had found a deal on a Polaroid SX-70 Sonar. I brought it along to the convention with me, unsure if it even worked. After taking a quick look at it, Alex was confident he could make it better than ever. In just a few weeks, he fully repaired, restored, and modified the camera with an attention to detail not found elsewhere.
I brought the freshly restored Sonar along to the May SF Instant Photo Walk to put it to work. Shooting with the camera is an absolute blast. The sonar autofocus snaps to life with a distinct click, taking the guesswork out of quick street scenes as we moved through the city.
With the modification allowing the camera to shoot faster and more readily available 600 and i-Type film, this camera turned from a collector’s piece into a workhorse.
Field Notes
Knowing this camera was made in 1978—my birth year—explains why it occasionally insists on doing things its own way. The sonar focus works amazingly well out on the open sidewalk, but if you step into a tight crowd or shoot through a doorway, it prefers to make its own decisions. Switching over to manual controls when things get crowded keeps the authority in your hands.
