I’ll be shipping all remaining July 2023 Mamiya RB67 Polaroid Backs this week, so I’m now taking orders for Batch 3!
Lead time remains 4 weeks for these. I may ship sooner, but on average expect a 4 week delay till shipping.
DIARY
RB67 and RZ67 Polaroid Backs shipping updates
Yay, I fixed the little annoying light leak I discovered post beta testing in the RZ67 Polaroid back and I am now resuming shipping, the first two orders are out the door on July 5th!
Also resuming work on the RB67 nextgen backs, shipping order 3 of 7 (first batch) on Wednesday as well, and with a little luck, even 4 of 7.
All remaining first batch orders should ship by end of next week (July 14th).
RB67 (next gen) and RZ67 Polaroid Back order updates
All orders have to be be pushed back about 1 week beyond the initial 2 week lead time, apologies.
I am fixing a potential light leak on the RZ backs and fixing a wiring issue on the RB backs.
New Polaroid Backs (for RB67 and RZ67) are now in the Candy Store !
Wait is over.
Visit the Candy Store for the new Mamiya RZ67 Polaroid Back or for the Next Generation Mamiya RB67 Polaroid Back !
I am taking orders for the first batch of these, with a lead time of approximately 2 weeks from order date.
Mamiya RZ67 Polaroid Back – it’s done
I have finished the prototype. You can see and test this at Polacon NYC this weekend.
Will be taking preorders after Polacon NYC, assuming successful testing!
That’s all folks!
RZ67 Polaroid Back News
For those waiting for a Polaroid Back for their RZ67, based on available Polaroid hardware, the wait is almost over. I have received the first shipment of laser cut metal lock rings and currently printing the final version of the adapter top. With a bit of luck, I will have a working prototype this weekend, and will bring it to Polacon NYC for a few lucky people to test.
To reiterate, this will have a dark slide, automatic one button eject, and on off button, and will function on 4 AAA (replaceable) batteries
Stay tuned!
In case if you want to build a replacement battery for Impossible Project Labs..
So a customer in Japan asked me if I can show him how to make a pack, cause mailing anything overseas is so darn expensive now and I made a short video, and it’s now a Rescue Me page! This one’s for you, Massa!
Hey Andrzej, here comes some help – IP Lab conversion tip
If you’re Andrzej and you’ve just sent me an email asking for help with the IP lab conversion, I just added a note with photos in the Install your RB67 analogue.studio Impossible Lab conversion kit! Rescue Me page!
Your yahoo email bounces so I had to find a way and hoping you see this!
For everyone else, this is how to correctly reconnect – notice the orientation of the blue tape – the ribbon cable to the eject board when you build your Polaroid Back from an Impossible Project Lab.
Polaroid Back news!
Head out to the RB67 Polaroid back page in the Candy Store and snap the last available Impossible Lab Based Polaroid Back for Mamiya RB67!
Yes I know I’ve said I’m discontinuing these before, but low and behold, I keep finding Impossible Labs for reasonable price and I make another one. But as I said before, the base for the product is old, long discontinued and rarely available at a decent price. So if i find another decently priced Impossible Lab, I’ll make another back based on it, and I will continue making conversion kits as long as there’s a demand.
All that being said and as promised, I have now finished two working prototypes of the new version of the Polaroid Backs for Mamyia RB67. They have functional dark slides, they run on 4AAA batteries, and the eject is one touch automatic. There’s also an on/off switch. Are these “better” than the Impossible Lab based ones? Functionally they are absolutely identical. The IP lab version has built in rechargeable battery, this runs on AAA. That’s the only real difference. What will be different is the price. The IP Lab version is (now) $340 plus shipping options (conus/canada is still free shipping), the “new” version will be more expensive. How much? I don’t know yet. There’s significant more work to make these and I have to source a laser cut dark slide and new electronics. Official launch is still a few weeks away.
What about the RZ version I keep talking about. I took the next logical step and bought a (broken) RZ body to move to the next stage. I am now confident I have a working dark slide solution (already tested on the RB version), and enough backfocus to make the mating connectors part. Eta? I don’t know. Two months? Maybe sooner.
Just to reiterate, all these backs take available integral Polaroid film, as in itype, type600 or SX70. They do not work with instax film.
Stay tuned
long live Polaroid Backs – new design, RZ67 in the works.
After a full year of sitting on it, i took the time and finished the design for using newer itype Polaroid cameras as a support for my Polaroid backs!
Impossible Lab limited and super expensive inventory, move aside!
Here is the prototype for an integral film Polaroid Back for RB67 (for now, since this is my most used camera).
It uses 4 AA batteries as power source for the motor so no more recharging, lost charging cables, etc. The charge from one set of AA should last for quite a while, have not tested it yet but I would not be surprised if it lasts for 20-30 packs, one alkaline AAA has a capacity of ~2000 mah, which is more than 6 times the capacity of the Impossible Lab batteries (old or the replacements I make/sell).
I know I know there’s already other backs out there on ebay that use iType cameras as the basis for Polaroid Backs so how it this special ?
- Mine has a dark slide (stainless steel). My competition does not. And it’s really nice to have one.
- The backs have single action automated eject. You press the eject button once, it ejects one frame. You need to keep pressing the eject button till the frame ejects for the “other” backs and you can easily eject multiple frames at once, since the polaroid eject action is so quick. Sure, you can get used to this but why?
So when can you buy these? Not just yet. This is just the prototype, the finished product will look slightly different and may use a nicer looking and less fragile eject button. And still need to undergo testing. So maybe mid September 2022 till they hit the market.
What about the other systems you’re making backs for based on IP labs? I will redesign those this fall, maybe available in Oct 2022 or so?
And the question I receive so often, what about RZ67?
Yes, it’s possible, based on my measurements. As a matter of fact, I am working on the design now and stay tuned for news mid September 2022, hoping to have a prototype by then and maybe have it on the market by mid October 2022.
What about Hasseblad series V or Bronica SQ, etc? Nope, sadly never. Those systems are simply too tight and they have a frame size of 58x58mm, so Polaroid film is such a waste on them anyway. Instax square is my only (complicated and therefore expensive) option for Hasselblad now and yes, I will make more of those backs.