Item is an instant camera, with a plastic body and hand strap, that usually sells for around $80. Features include: two exposure settings of black and white or colour, a manual exposure control through a lighten/darken switch, 2 distance settings and the option to turn the flash on or off. Has no electronic flash, but a place for a flash bar socket exists.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, that originally retailed for $233 and now usually sells for around $140. It comes with a flash bar and #1210 diffuser. The lens is 4-element glass lens, 116 mm, f/8 with a manual distance setting and a minimum focusing distance of 26 cm. There is a manual lighten / darken exposure control and the model has "fill-flash" capability (using Flashbars). Early production models, such as this one, are simply labeled "SX-70 Alpha" with no additional number, but they later came to be known as the Polaroid SX70 Alpha 1.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, that originally retailed for $180, but now usually retails for around $140. Camera also comes with a tripod mount, remote shutter button, accessory holder, close-up lens, flash diffuser, three manuals and a carrying case. There is a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens with a minimum focus of 10.4 inches and front-cell focusing and the viewfinder offers single-lens reflex(SLR). The shutter is electronic, with speeds ranging from 1/175 to 10 sec and there is a socket to plug-in the remote shutter release. The exposure is automatic, with an aperture range of f/8- f/22 and smaller apertures are possible when flash is used. There is also automatic flash exposure based on focus distance, with the maximum distance being 20 ft. The camera has a built-in flashbar socket and additional accessory flashes were also available. It was the first camera to use Polaroid integral print films and it marked the beginning of a trend towards cameras with an SLR and a folding body. Serial number is C404089014.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, with a plastic body and hand strap, that usually sells for around $50. Camera is transparent on top, allowing for partial view of inner workings of camera. Features include: a 25mm f/10 3-element Quintic lens, a self-timer, an optional flash button, photos are exposed automatically, sonar autofocus, sound, a manual lighten/darken option and a remote control option. Serial number is H7E2AWQMNA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, with a plastic body and hand strap, that now usually sells for around $20. Item is similar to the Spectra camera. Camera has a Polaroid quintic 125mm f/10 3 -element plastic lens. The only option for photographers on this model is the exposure adjustment, which can be adjusted manually, making instant photography more instantaneous. Serial number is D28J8JJDUFBA.

Item is a Polaroid Passport camera, with a plastic body and handle. Comes with a manual and instructions on how to prepare the validation plate. There is a focal distance of 1.2 m, f stops are 8 to 32 and electronic shutter speeds are B, 125 and 60. The camera automatically takes one picture after the other, works without batteries and there is the option of adding a flash with an x-sync cable. Serial number is A31481, EM2231A.

Item is a Polaroid Passport camera, with a plastic body and and hand strap, that usually sells for around $30. Item comes with a leather case, manual and a registration card. There is 4 lenses, an optical viewfinder, a shutter release cable, shutter has speeds of B, 125, 60. Serial number is D46458.

Item is a Polaroid Passport camera, with a plastic body and and hand strap. Item comes with a leather case, manual and a registration card. There is 2 lenses, an optical viewfinder, a shutter release cable, shutter has speeds of 8, 16, 32. Serial number is M00399.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body, neck strap and back toggle, that usually sells for around $80. Lens is plastic and the camera focuses from 3 ft. to infinity(over 30 ft. for Polaroid). There is a manual lighten/darken exposure dial, but the electric eye feature automatically determines shutter speed and aperture control. Also has a built-in flashcube socket, with the flashcube automatically rotating after each exposure. Serial number is TD8251AA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and neck strap, and now usually retails for around $30. Model borrows heavily from the Polaroid EE 33 and was produced for the international market. The lens is 114mm, f/9.2 3-element plastic and is a standard helical mount focusing lens (Polaroid Polartriplet) with a minimum focusing distance of 1 meter. There is a built-in flashcube socket, with the flashcube rotating automatically after each picture. The shutter is electronic and speeds range from 1/500 to 10 sec. Photos are exposed automatically. The aperture exposure is automatic through the electric eye feature and there is a "face sizer" focusing aid for images within 5 ft. Serial number is VJ8272A.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, that originally retailed for $180 and now usually sells for around $80. Item is similar to the Polaroid SX 70 Alpha 1 camera. The lens is 4-element glass lens, 116 mm, f/8 with a manual distance setting and a minimum focusing distance of 26 cm. There is a manual lighten / darken exposure control and the model has "fill-flash" capability (using Flashbars). Serial number is 4B725121052.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, that originally retailed for $180 and now usually sells for around $80. Item is similar to the Polaroid SX 70 Alpha 1 camera. The lens is 4-element glass lens, 116 mm, f/8 with a manual distance setting and a minimum focusing distance of 26 cm. There is a manual lighten / darken exposure control and the model has "fill-flash" capability (using Flashbars). Serial number is 5D725750061.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, with a plastic body, that usually retails for around $100. Features include: a manual focus dial with a range from a foot to 30+ ft. using split circle alignment, and automatically adjusting shutter with speeds from 1/175 to 5+ seconds, aperture exposure automatically adjusts from f8 to f22, and a lens which is 116 mm f8, 4 element glass. Serial number is 4L622677252.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and neck strap. Similar to the Pronto! in design. Features include: an electronic shutter and automatic exposure, a three-element, 116 mm f/9.4 plastic lens, and the option to add a flashbar for indoor photos. Serial number is ANF623AB.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and neck strap, that now typically sells for around $50. The shutter speed is 1/4 to 1/200 sec and is electronic. The aperture is fixed at F/14.6, manual lighten/darken control is possible, focusing options are 0.9 m to 30+, and the lens is plastic 103mm. At the height of production, 30,000 of these cameras were made each day. Serial number is CJV808GA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and a neck strap, that usually retails for around $20. Features a single-element 106mm f/14 lens, with a focus range from 4 ft to infinity, a light management system, a built-in electronic flash, and an electronic shutter with speeds ranging from 1/3-1/200 sec. Serial number is E3E99920NA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and a neck strap, that usually sells for around $20. It is based on the Polaroid One Step 600 Camera, marking it as being one of the later models; earlier models had a tan body and were based on the Polaroid Amigo 620. The lens is 116mm f/9 3-element plastic, there is an automatic focusing system with the Polaroid Sonar AF system and minimum focus is 3ft. The shutter is electronic, with speeds ranging from 1/4 - 1/200 sec and photos are exposed automatically. Serial number is A6J89963NC.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and a neck strap, that usually sells for around $220. Similar in design to the Polaroid 635 CL. Features include: a plastic lens, a built-in autoflash, a manual lighten/darken control, an electronic shutter and photos are exposed automatically. Serial number is F1E56037NH.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body and hand strap, that usually retails for around $40. Features include: a 116 mm f/11 single-element lens, with a close-up option for objects 0.6-1.2 m away, the shutter is electronic, with speeds ranging from 1/4 - 1/200 sec, photos expose automatically and there is a built-in electronic flash with an override button. Serial number is C8D ATHA9 VAJA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, with a plastic body and neck strap, that usually sells for around $20. Features include: a 116 mm, f/11, single-element plastic lens, with autofocus (2-zone detection), an electronic shutter with speeds ranging from 1/4-1/200 sec, an autoflash and manual exposure control through the use of a lighten/darken control. Serial number is G56 02CUX VAGA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera, with a plastic body and hand strap, that usually sells for around $20. Features include: a 25mm f/10 3-element Quintic lens, a self-timer, an optional flash button, photos are exposed automatically, sonar autofocus, sound, a manual lighten/darken option and a remote control option. Serial number is M6V21V42NA.

Item is a Polaroid instant camera with a plastic body. Features include: a built-in flash, manual exposure control by a light/darken switch, an autofocus lens with red-eye reduction. Serial number is T-094-C.

Series consists of cameras that combine exposure and development in one step to create photographs instantaneously.
While Polaroid is by far the most well known of these cameras, the first patent for instant photography was for the Dubroni, a French wet plate camera, designed so that the glass plate could be sensitized and developed by pouring the chemicals over the plate through a tube in the camera. Later cameras were developed so small tintypes (1895) and direct paper positives (1913) could be made quickly for tourists on busy streets.
But it was the Polaroid Corporation that made instant photography a household item, beginning in 1937 when Edwin Land's young daughter's desire to see her photograph immediately, inspired him to develop the Polaroid's first instant camera: the Land Camera.

The Heritage Collection also contains Kodak Instant Cameras; produced in the late 1970's, they spawned a patent infringement lawsuit from the Polaroid corporation that resulted in the recall all of instant Kodak models sold and the discontinuation of their production.

To browse the individual items in this series, click on the "View the list" link under the "File and item records are available for this series" title (to the right of the page).

Source: <a href="http://www.shutterbug.com/content/it%E2%80%99s-instant%E2%80%94-it%E2%80%99s-not-polaroid-pre-and-post-polaroids-1864-1976">Wade, John. "It's Instant - But It's Not Polaroid: Pre- And-PostPolaroids, From 1864 to 1976." Shutterbug : Published May 1, 2012.</a>

Item is a Polaroid Land Camera Super Colorpack instant film camera. Similar to the Polaroid Super Shooter, the Super Colorpack has a rigid plastic body and a manual finder on the lens and uses peel-apart Land Pack Films.