C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Polaroid Pronto! B, introduced in 1976, was one of Polaroid's first attempts to bring the SX-70 integral film format to the mass market at an aggressively low price. Where the original SX-70 was a precision folding SLR in polished chrome and leather selling at a luxury price point, the Pronto! B was a simple rigid plastic box with a fixed-focus lens, automatic exposure, and no rangefinder or SLR viewfinder. It used the same SX-70 film packs as the more expensive cameras - providing a fully self-developing print that ejected from the front of the camera - but reduced every other aspect of the camera to the minimum required for basic functionality. The Pronto! B was aimed at consumers who wanted the novelty of instant integral photography without the cost of the SX-70.
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C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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About this camera
The budget SX-70 box - fixed-focus instant photography stripped to its minimum in 1976.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | Polaroid SX-70 integral film (10 frames per pack; ~3.1 x 3.1 in image on ~3.5 x 4.2 in card) |
| Lens | ~103mm f/14.6 fixed-focus plastic lens |
| Focus | Fixed focus (zone ~1.2m to infinity) |
| Shutter | Electronic auto; ~1/4s - ~1/250s (approximate) |
| Meter | Photoelectric (automatic; no manual override) |
| Flash | X sync; accepts Polaflash or equivalent bar flash |
| Film battery | Integral 6V in SX-70 film pack |
| Weight | ~340 g (unverified) |
| Years | 1976 - ~1979 |
The SX-70 launched in 1972 as one of the most sophisticated consumer cameras ever made: a folding SLR that collapsed flat to shirt-pocket size, used a new integral film that developed in daylight in front of the user, and was priced at around $180 USD. It was a commercial success among enthusiasts and early adopters, but the price kept it out of reach for much of the market Polaroid wanted to address.
Polaroid began developing simplified integral-film cameras almost immediately after the SX-70 launched, aiming to deliver the integral-film experience at a fraction of the cost. The Pronto! line, introduced in 1976, was the first product of this effort. The Pronto! B was the base model: a rectangular plastic body with no folding mechanism, a simple fixed-focus lens, and fully automatic exposure controlled by the camera without user input. The integral film pack itself provided the battery, as in the SX-70.
The "B" designation indicated the basic configuration; companion models like the Pronto! RF added a rangefinder for improved focus accuracy at closer distances. The Pronto! line was sold alongside the SX-70 cameras, positioning itself as the entry point to the Polaroid integral film ecosystem.
By the late 1970s, Polaroid moved to the 600 film system with its higher-speed emulsion, and the SX-70-film Pronto! models were succeeded by new box cameras designed around 600 film - including the OneStep Express and the Polaroid 1000 (sold in the UK). The Pronto! B was discontinued around 1979.
The Pronto! B and its Pronto! siblings mark the moment Polaroid committed to mass-market instant photography using integral film. Before the Pronto! line, integral-film instant photography meant the SX-70 and its relatively high price. The Pronto! cameras made the ejecting-print experience available to a broader consumer base, establishing the commercial pattern - a premium folding SLR plus a budget box camera on the same film - that Polaroid would repeat with every subsequent integral-film generation.
The camera is also an artifact of 1970s design: a deliberately simplified consumer product that prioritized low manufacturing cost and ease of use over image quality or flexibility. For collectors, the Pronto! B is interesting primarily as a historical object in the evolution of the instant-camera market rather than as a working tool. The fixed-focus lens and lack of any exposure override mean it produces workable results in good light but offers little creative control.
Polaroid Pronto! B
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