Polaroid 600 cameras and accompanying film were introduced in 1981 with the Polaroid OneStep 600 camera. This new line of film offered greater speed than the earlier SX-70 film. Polaroid 600 film had an ISO rating about 640, four times faster than that of SX-70 film. This new line of film and cameras was also much more targeted toward the consumer market with cheaper, simpler cameras.
Unlike later generation models within the 600-series line, the OneStep 600 lacks both a built-in flash and close-up filter. It has a single element, plastic 116mm lens that is commonly found in other Polaroid 600 cameras. The OneStep was followed up by dozens of different cameras over the decades, with a complex variety of names. Most of these cameras are largely identical in function; general traits include: a built-in electronic flash that folds down over the lens when the camera is not in use, a sliding close-up filter for close portraiture, and the aforementioned plastic 116mm lens. Some versions offer sonar autofocusing (Polaroid Autofocus 660) or pop up flash (Polaroid Impulse).
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A Polaroid OneStep 600 and a Spooky Story
New cameras are a normal occurrence in the lives of our staff. They are typically not an event to take note of, but recently staff member Peter Carlson had something... unusual occur. It happened right after he had bought a Polaroid OneStep 600 from "Pa" Merriam over at the Emporium Galorium - a rundown, little curio shop that sells various knickknacks from golden monkey paws to ancient Germanic talismans. Among the collection, this Polaroid stood out like a sore thumb and Pa Merriam seemed strangely eager to dispense with it, making Peter an offer he couldn't refuse.
With the camera under his arm, Peter wandered down to Cathedral Park, his favorite locale to test out a new camera. Once loaded up with a fresh pack of Polaroid film, Peter snapped this picturesque scene of the park, the sun, and the St. Johns Bridge - a scene free of any human, or inhuman, element... or so he thought!
A few minutes later, as the image coalesced on the film, Peter noticed a strange thing: a figure seemed to be peering out at him from behind a nearby tree. Looking up at the empty park in front of him, he was perplexed. He brought the camera up to his eye and he fired it off again, anxiously awaiting the ejected film's development. Sure enough, there it was! Though now, much closer. Heart beating a bit faster, Peter fired again, almost too afraid to look at the resulting image. When he did, a scream escaped his mouth and the camera fell from his grasp, firing one last time as it hit the grass. A short while later a young couple came across the abandoned Polaroid and a small stack of prints. Of Peter there was no sign.
This short story was inspired by Stephen King's novella "The Sun Dog."
... We really enjoy the Halloween holiday here at Blue Moon Camera. Before Peter disappeared that fateful afternoon, he gave us his favorite Halloween movie recommendation: The Abominable Dr. Phibes.