The Polaroid SX-70 is one of my favorite cameras. The design is so cool, collapses to a small brick, but when expanded, the lines are intriguing. It looks like it is never fully open. It was produced primarily in the ’70s, 1972 to 1981. I just found out today it was nationally released in the fall of 1973 – just like me. I have a few in my collection. This one is an SX-70 Alpha, and I have an SX-70 Sonar. Both were given to me recently for my mini camera museum I have in my studio. (Thanks Sean) When I was a kid, I read that they were used on the SkyLab by astronauts to document the sun. which fascinated me. My neighbor had one on his shelf, and I loved looking at it, he let me open and close it a few times – simple things to impress a kid.

The one below, well, that is a different story. A Kodak Disc 4000 camera, not the jewel of my collection and one of many Disc Cameras I have. I had this very model as a teenager. It was bad. The good news was it fit in your pocket, bad news people took it out and shot photos with it. I used this camera on my trip to Plimoth Plantation. I still have the prints they are just as bad now as they were then. I found online that the original price was listed at $66, there is no way my parents paid 66 dollars for this camera, so I am chalking that up to don’t believe the internet. The SX-70 went for $180 (over $1000 in today’s money), and in good shape, they are still worth decent cash. They have a huge cult following and can still be used with some very expensive film. The disc camera makes a very nice door stopper.

tr/trp