For those interested in photography, there is the Science Museum Camera Club held at the Buffalo Museum of Science which meets every 1st and 3rdWednesday of the month from 6:30p-9:00p at 1020 Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14211. The club costs $35 per year for individuals, $45 for families, and is free for students that are 18+ with valid School ID. Members may submit to contests by the Photographic Society of America (PSA) as well as theNiagara Frontier Regional Camera Clubs (NFRCC). 

I hope to check out the club soon myself. 

I recently had the opportunity to review two cameras which are distributed by Impossible Project. The I-1 is their signature Analog Instant Camera ($299.00, ). In this post, I will compare the I-1 with the the Sun 660 AF ($229) which is a refurbished Polaroid 600- type camera.

While the I-1 has an arguably better lens, and a slimmer, cleaner profile, I prefer the Sun 660 to the I-1 for its ease of use.

The I-1 has a circular on-and-off switch. However, the drawback to the I-1’s power switch, is that it can get turned on accidentally while in your bag. The Sun 660 bypasses that problem. There’s no on-and-off switch, simply fold out the camera to activate the power, or fold the camera in to turn it off. 

The I-1 has a viewfinder that is based on a glass square that is magnetically attached to the top of the camera. In my bag, the viewfinder would get unattached which caused me unnecessary panic. Again, the Sun 660 ameliorates that issue. The viewfinder is integrated into the fold-out top piece, which makes up the top part of the camera body, and lets you frame your shot effectively. The viewfinder on the Sun 660 is also more substantive, a legit glass chamber to peer through unlike the I-1’s flimsy glass square with a magnetic applique that frames the image poorly. 

My other observation was that the Sun 660’s neck-strap is more useful than the screw-on hand-strap of the I-1. What good does a hand-strap do me? Well at the particular moment, I happened to be trying to capture shots of the Washington DC Capital Mall, not be burdened by a hand-weight!

The I-1 is a better camera overall. The I1’s shape, internals, and materials are superior. Admitting, I stubbornly cling to the Sun 660 AF because it is easier for me to use to chronicle my travels.

The next part of my post is geared toward those who want some technical tips on how to approach these cameras.

Tricks of the trade:

-Do not try to use Impossible Project I-1 type film with the Polaroid 600 Camera. The film cartridge from the I-1 won’t fit the 600. The 600 cartridge has a spot with exposed metal below it. That is the correct cartridge. 

  • -Once the film cartridge is loaded, do not open the film door until all 8 photos have been developed. The film is sensitive and should not be exposed to light.
  • -A successfully functioning frog tongue is one of the most important components
  • -The flash is always on.  Even during the daytime with bright sunlight.  It can’t be turned off!