This Posting based on e-mail conversation.
include miniportrait flash , Lense Adapter, focus distance

hi there,
found your address on flickr..
was wondering if u could give me advice on ehich flashlight to use on my polaroid 402 ??

what is your problem.
what is your equip with m402 ?

studio lighting ? or small speed light ?
give more about your shooting circumstance and accessories :)

i got an polaroid miniportrait 402 and have been using it outdoors so far for poeple/portrait etc.
now it’s winter here in berlin/germany but i still wanna make use of the camera. same occasion, mainly poeple.
acctually i intend to take pictures at a wedding…. so i was wondering if you might have an idea on which flash would suit me need best..? also, i dont wanna spend a fortune on the flash. i paid about 10 US dollars for the camera on ebay so i dont intend to pay 120 US dollars for a brand new flash…
i thought about a Agfa Agfatronic 320 CA or something similar….- what do you think?

I usually use studio lighting equip  for miniportrait photoshoots.

400w ~ 600w monohead or other studio lighting. so the LIghting is same in  every picture.

But sometimes I use just sunlight (with no lighting)

when using daylight I measure the light using a minolta light meter. and fixed camera settings.

for example    F16  / 1/125 sec

and a speedlight.

I think ‘ Agfa Agfatronic 320 CA ‘ is good enough for a m402 shoot.

(flash’s Guide number 32 for 21 )

not a whole body shot. just bust shot.  I also tried shooting with a small speedlight.

If I don’t have a light meter, first I use my best judgement to guess what the settings would be. Then check by shotting the subject with a digital camera (In “A” mode) using the same settings as the m402. Then adjust until I get my desired results in the digital camera. Once I have the results I’m looking for, change the m402 settings to match the digital camera. The light sentsitivity of the m402 and the digital camera will not be exactly the same, but close.

(It’s alittle titious process, but it saves on film cost)

so in the end i bought the agfatronic 320 on ebay for litte money….still waiting on it and once i get it i will ply with it :-)
should be fun.
like your pictures a lot by the way.
i also recently bought a polaroid miniportrait 4×5...forgot the model number now…format is 4×5 and it has a built in flash….black with blue writing…with sonar focus….guess you know it. now, since you seem to be a little miniportrait expert-any idea wh the flash doesnt fire? battreries a brand new, it sounds like the flash is charging but nothing happens when it push the release button. i havent loaded the camera with film yet but shouldnt the flash go off without film aswell? any idea?

funny-i read the model name two days ago but forgot it already again :-)

think it’s 545 or similar….4×5 format anyways.
whatever, doesnt matter.

ja, the flash is charging, the LED is blinking when it’s ready but when you fire it there is the smallest light coming out of it you can possibly imagine…if i cover the flash with my hand so it flashes into my hand i can see that it’s alive but it fires at probably 2% of it’s power only….strange. batteries are new…
by now i got my agfatronic and it works with my 402 and luckily aswell with the …erm 545, 454…whatever….
i tested the flash to figure out the f-stop and shutter speed and took 2 pictures with the 402.  i took 4 different shots in one sheet and strangely the flash varies a lot….twice it’s too dark only once it’s fine….batteries are new, again….guess i have to do some more testing.. cant scan the pics and mail it right now coz i’m not at home for some time and dont have a scanner here i think…

another questions: do you know these adapters?

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350281680593&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

i just got them today-do you know what the “1m” and “1,5m” stands for ? focus distance of the 402 is at 1,20m….so 1m makes sense, but 1,5m doenst sound like a close-up lens since you are further away…do you kno how to use them?
will only be able to test them maybe the weekend…busy working…

by the way, finally got the model number : it’s the 455…4 lenses of course

about that Adapter