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

Polaroid miniportrait, M402, M454, M403 Shooting Sequence, originally uploaded by publish9(아홉시).

Polaroid miniportrait, M402, M454, M403 Shooting Sequence

This posting is info about Polaroid miniportrait, M402, M403, M454 Shooting Sequence with lense cap.

see image below . use black cab. coke or any beverage’s cap is ok.

but important thing is. cap must black one.

or you will see the unexpexted red. blue tone polaroid. don’t waste you film.

*Sequence. by the top image. shoot 1->2->3-> each time. you have to change the

lense cap order. and you ‘ll get this result below.

It’s opposite direction of ‘ Z ‘

Polaroid Miniportrait 202, originally uploaded by Airchinapilot.

This beast is a Polaroid Miniportrait 202.

It has two lenses so that it can make two copies of the same portrait on the same print. This is so that you can cut it in half and have two photos of the same person for use in documents that require two copies. *later versions can do four!

If you cover one lens at a time, you can make two separate portraits on the same print. That’s about it’s only neat thing. I acquired it mostly for its pack film back which I intend to use in a future setup. A bajillion of these were produced for passport / identity photo-taking.

Other “features”:
– locked focus at 1.2m / 47in
– three shutter speeds: B | 60 | 125
– Three apertures: 8 | 16 | 22
– will fire a flash or trigger through PC terminal

Lighting info:
– Key: speedlight snooted with “bar mask” from camera L
– Rim: speedlight snooted from subject L high
– BG: speedlight snooted with red gel

I blogged more about this creature.

(via http://www.flickr.com/photos/airchinapilot/3255450001/)

Miniportrait, originally uploaded by Bouncing Light.

Meet the newest member in the family: an old Polaroid Miniportrait Model 402. On top of it, is an old Agfatronic 162 flash. Photo taken with yet another old new member: Polaroid Image Elite.

save polaroid
and
Support the impossible

Via Bouncing Light on 9 Jan 09, 5.54AM KST. on flickr

Description

Fuji Instant Color polaroid Film FP-100C is a “peel-apart-type” instant color daylight film with an ISO speed rating of 100.  Fujifilm FP-100C instant color film represents the primary type of instant product used within the professional and ID market places. FP-100C can be used in cameras and other photographic equipment that accept instant film with an image size of 3.25 x 4.25 in., and those provided or fitted with an instant camera back. The FP-100C instant film series has been optimized for shooting under daylight or electronic flash.

Features

ISO 100 with exceptional image quality
Excellent results with low light/long exposures
Increased resistance to fading light
Improved results in over / under development times & a wide range of temperature ranges
Available in 3.25 x 4.25 and 4 x 5 formats 10 sheet packs

Price $9.99  (via adorama.com NOV/2009)

Polaroid Studio Express, M402, originally uploaded by publish9(아홉시).

.I just found my blog link from flickrminiportrit forum.

about “control to make 4 separate pictures at different times.”

answer is “use to get Black caps to cover the lens’s.”

lancephoto says: I just got a miniportrait 454 with a 4×5 back and I have two questions. 1) There doesn’t seem to be any control to make 4 separate pictures at different times. Am I just supposed to cover the lenses except the one I want to be exposed or is there a better way? 2) is there a way to buy a different back and use 100 type film with this that will not cut off the image? Anyone else out there have this camera and can give me some pointers? Thanks for considering my quandries… - Lance Posted at 11:35PM, 19 December 2008 KST ( permalink )

	Bouncing Light says: 1. I cover them (I have a 402) 2. Don’t know the answer to this one, I have 2 backs and both of them take type 100 film Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )
	bambam4236 says: Lance i think with this model you used to get caps to cover the lens’s. heres a link that might lead to a manual thelangolier.com/2008/03/miniportrait-m454m402.html Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )
	bambam4236 says: Lance i just saw one on ebay with 3 caps on the lens’s so that must be the only way to do it. I have a 484, its kind of cool as it has a knob in the middle of the four lens’s that you just turn to take individual shots ;) Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

POLAROID miniportrait M402 MANUAL/USERGUIDE, originally uploaded by publish9(아홉시).

POLAROID miniportrait M402 MANUAL/USERGUIDE

Polaroid miniportrait [id/passport] camera userguide(manual) ·

M202, M203/M403 M402, M205, M206

User Guide

*(via Polaroid)

http://www.polaroid.com/service/userguides/photographic/idpassport_ug.html

polaroid miniportrait camera 402-20070, 1977 , originally uploaded by kameramuseum.

Polaroid miniportrait studio express, originally uploaded by publish9(아홉시).

POLAROID MINIPORTRAIT MODEL M402

shooting sequence

SEE this Q&A for more info

(via  http://www.flickr.com/photos/publish9/1959294771/)