Vintage Cameras

LO-FI EXO IW: a kit to convert your packfilm camera to Instax WideHello from Lo-Fi! I have been trying to come up with a pack-film solution for Polaroid pack-film cameras like the 180 and 195, and all of the automatics, since 2016, when they announced that the peel apart pack-film would no longer be available. I have finally done it!I am proud to present the Lo-Fi EXO IW. EXO is partially inspired by the exoskeletons that you see in tech, military, and movies, where someone steps into an armored suit that gives them extra strength or abilities. This particular exoskeleton allows an obsolete camera to return to full usability, with no permanent modification to the camera!The kit comes with everything you need to have, other than film and the pack-film camera, to get your camera back in the game! The only change you have to do to your camera, is pull the hinge pin and set the door aside. The rest is just clipping the back on and mounting the rest with thumb screws! It is very easy.It also comes with a stand that is easily mounted, allowing you to set it down flat on a table or surface, and the stand comes with a tripod socket so you can mount it flush on any tripod(this only works with the metal cameras that have tripod sockets. All others will have to use something like double sided tape if you want to use the stand)! Important notes: This kit does not come with film, the flash, or the camera- you have to provide your own. This kit will not fix a non-functioning camera, so if you have an automatic with corroded battery terminals, you would have to fix that first. Automatics have a switch in the battery compartment that you need to bypass or hold in place. This kit does not allow you to collapse the camera down into the lid while it is installed- the exoskeleton does not fit into the lid. With some automatic cameras, you may get vignetting at infinity. This is due to the offset of the film. There is no vignetting with the smaller, no offset, instax square exo back I make. There is no vignetting with the professional cameras. Compatible Polaroid packfilm cameras:Professional: 180, 185, 190, 195Automatic: 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 125, 135, 210, 215, 220, 225, 230, 240, 250, 315, 320, 325, 330, 340, 350, 355, 360, m60, m80, 420, 430, 440, 450, 455, Countdown 70, Countdown 90Compatible Polaroid accessories: Close up kits, portrait kits, self timers, cable releases for the above cameras! I printed solid tops and bottoms with fill at 50 percent(much more than the average 20 percent fill that typical 3-d objects are printed). This takes a long time, but it is worth it in strength of the parts!Keep an eye out for my other new products, my lofianddiy blog, and my youtube channel of the same name! Thanks for your patronage!! Shipping and handling: I put 10 business days handling on my products (and 15 business days on the really hard ones- see the shipping date prior to checkout)because I make them/process them to order. I do them in the order received. This system keeps me quite busy- I work long hours and don’t take weekends off. This means rush orders are all but impossible. Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding! Build philosophy: I make all of my builds with longevity in mind. I push back against the idea of planned obsolescence. The simplicity of design and durable nature of my products are intentional. Though I am an artist by education, I have always had a love for machine function. I have repaired everything from motorcycles to jet aircraft, and I bring all of that to each design. You will note that I often emphasize non-destructive and reversible. I do not design conversion kits that will permanently damage your treasures, rather kits that enhance your treasures, and even bring them out of retirement! Mission: I am an artist, a painter by discipline. I have a terminal degree in my field and taught at the college level for many years. I have done many large conceptual works of art, and my largest one to date is my company Lo-Fi. My mission is pretty straightforward: Design and offer widespread creative solutions to allow use of analog cameras and other analog items. I honestly cannot imagine an end to this project- it seems I will never run out of things to try!