Page 1
Macro 5/3 SLR–1200
User Guide
Page 2
English 3
Introduction
The Polaroid Macro 5/3 SLR-1200 is a simple to operate, fully automatic, portable
camera designed for dental and medical
documentation of patient conditions, and
other applications requiring high quality
close-up photographs. The camera uses
Polaroid self-developing instant color films,
so you know immediately that you have
the picture you need.
The Macro 5 camera produces reproductions at: 0.2X (20%), 0.4X (40%),
1X(100%), 2X (200%) and 3X (300%).
The Macro 3 camera produces reproductions at: 1X(100%), 2X (200%) and 3X
(300%) only. The lenses for each reproduction size are self-contained, so there is
no need to attach accessories when changing magnification.
The camera has two built-in electronic
flash units providing even illumination, and
a microprocessor-controlled exposure system that automatically sets the camera for
the correct exposure at all magnifications.
The flash units also can be used individually for side-lighting or in combination with
auxiliary lighting. (Macro 5 only)
The camera is compatible with:
• 5X Close-Up Contact and Non-Contact
Attachments (PID Nos. 625957/623724)
• Intraoral Dental Kit (PID No. 629873)
• 0.67 Non-Contact Attachment for Cosmetic Ophthalmology (Macro 5 only) (PID
Nos. 625942)
• Polarizer kit to reduce reflections from the
flash units when photographing glossy or
glass subjects (PID No. 619909) (Macro 5
only)
• Fluorescein kit for external ophthalmic photography includes a #8 yellow barrier filter
and #47A blue exciter filters (PID No.
619908) (Macro 5 only)
Page 3
4 English
Other features include:
• Dual-light rangefinder helps you place the
camera at the proper distance from the
subject for correct focus.
• Date / time module (Macro 5 only) that
allows you to print the date or time on pictures.
• Can be hand-held or used on a tripod or
copystand.
• Grid screen in viewfinder (Macro 5 only)
for consistent framing of subjects
The numbers throughout the text refer to
the illustrations at the end of the book.
CAUTION (MACRO 5 ONLY): THIS CAMERA IS BATTERY POWERED. TO AVOID
ELECTRICAL SHOCK, CAMERA SHOULD
NOT BE EXPOSED TO OR IMMERSED IN
WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS, DISASSEMBLED, OR OPERATED IF DROPPED OR
DAMAGED. FOR REPAIR INFORMATION,
CONTACT NEAREST SERVICE CENTER.
Camera parts (1)
a Shutter button
b Right hand grip
c Electronic flash units
d Lens
e Film door release button
f Film door
g Tripod socket (on bottom of camera)
h R anging lights
i Magnification selector knob
j Battery compartment (inside hand grip)
(Macro 5 only)
k Left hand grip
l Viewfinder
mControl panel
Load the batteries (Macro 5 only)
The camera requires four AA batteries to
provide power for the ranging lights. Alkaline batteries (standard or rechargeable) are
recommended; rechargeable NiCad batteries also can be used.
The battery compartment is located in the
handgrip; slide the battery door open (2);
the battery holder will pop up. Unsnap the
battery clip (3) and remove the battery
holder (4). Insert the batteries in the orientation shown on the holder (5). Replace
the battery holder, snap on the clip and
close door.
Important: Remove the batteries and store
them separately if the camera will not be
used for an extended period of time. Use
of the camera in extreme heat or cold will
shorten battery life.
See Battery cautions.
Load the film
The camera uses Polaroid HighDefinition
instant self-developing color films, 1200
Film with 12 frames per pack or T990, and
Gridfilm with 10 frames per pack. These
high-speed (ISO640/29() films are balanced for electronic flash and daylight
(5500K), and produce positive color prints.
1 Press the film door release button; the door
drops open (6).
2 Check that the film processing rollers are
clean, before loading the film. Dirt or bits
of dried developer on the rollers can cause
a pattern of repeated spots or bars on pictures. Clean both rollers with a soft, lintfree cloth, dampened with water if necessary (7). Rotate the rollers as you clean
and inspect them.
3 Hold the film pack by the edges, with the
safety cover facing up (8). Slide the pack
all the way into the camera.
Page 4
English 5
4 Close the film door. The safety cover
ejects from the front of the camera (9).
Both 10 and12-frame film
• E = Empty, no pack inserted
• S = Fresh pack inserted - ready to start
• 1 = 1st frame taken
• 2 = 2nd frame taken
etc
•11= 11th frame taken (appears in red -
no frame emerges if 10-frame pack used)
To remove an empty film pack
Open the film door, grasp the tab on the
end of the pack, and pull the pack out (10).
The control panel (11)
a Power button
Press to turn on the camera. The flash
units begin charging, and the green indicators light up when the camera is fully
charged for picture-taking.
The camera turns off if the power button is
pressed again, or after 30 seconds of inactivity. (Note: The camera can also be
turned on by lightly pressing the shutter
button.)
b Low battery indicator (Macro 5 only)
Yellow light comes on when the batteries
in the handgrip are weak (the ranging lights
also will become dim.)
c Flash status lights
The red LED blinks while the flash units are
charging; the green lights will come on
when READY.
The flash units can be turned on or off
selectively (Macro 5 only).
d Standard PC socket for auxiliary flash
(Macro 5 only).
e Reset button (Macro 5 only)
This returns the camera to the nominal
flash and Lighten / Darken settings.
f Lighten/Darken controls
Each setting adjusts the flash output to
increase or decrease exposure by 1/3 fstop. The center light is the nominal setting.
g Magnification indicators (Macro 5 only)
Light up to show the selected magnification.
h Date / time control and display (Macro 5
only)
Allows you to print the date or time on pic-
tures.
i Film counter
Both 10 and12-frame film
• E = Empty, no pack inserted
• S = Fresh pack inserted - ready to start
• 1 = 1st frame taken
• 2 = 2nd frame taken
etc
•11= 11th frame taken (appears in red no frame emerges if 10-frame pack used)
Set the magnifi catio n
Turn the magnification selector knob to the
desired setting (12). The knob clicks into
position at each magnification; the camera
will not function if the knob is between
lens settings.
In addition to the magnification, the selector shows the camera-to-subject distance
and icons that represent the approximate
area of a subject included in the picture.
Focusing and framing t he subj ect
1 Hold the camera at the approximate dis-
tance from the subject for the selected
magnification. For example, if taking pictures at 1X, hold the camera 10 in. (25cm)
from the subject.
Page 5
6 English
2 Press the shutter button lightly (13); the
ranging lights go on. The lights stay on as
long as the button is pressed. If you
release the button, the lights go off in
about 15 sec. Press the shutter button
lightly to turn them on again.
3 Look over the top of the camera; note the
two ranging lights on the subject (14).
Move the camera nearer or farther from the
subject, until the two lights merge (15).
4 The viewfinder shows the area included in
the picture, with the ranging lights in the
center of the picture. Use the grid screen
(Macro 5 only) to ensure consistent framing.
If you have difficulty seeing the ranging
lights, check that the camera is at the correct distance from the subject. See also
Troubleshooting.
Take the picture
Look through the viewfinder, and reframe
the subject as needed.
Use the grid screen to ensure consistent
framing. (Macro 5 only)
Press the shutter button all the way to take
the picture (16).
The picture automatically ejects from the
front of the camera when you release the
shutter button.
Lay the picture down flat or hold it by its
wide border while it develops. Do not
shake, bend or squeeze the picture, and
never cut pictures or take them apart. See
Caution notice on film box.
Picture tips
• When taking portraits at 0.4X or 0.2X
magnification (Macro 5 only), turn the
camera 90° for a vertical format to include
the entire face (17). You may want to turn
off the lower flash unit for more pleasing
lighting.
• Important: Always hold the camera so the
front panel is parallel to the subject (18).
Holding the camera at an angle (19) may
cause uneven picture sharpness.
• If you wear eye glasses for distant viewing, wear them when using the camera for
accurate viewing and focusing.
Lighten/Darken control (11f)
The camera is designed to provide the correct exposure for subjects of average
brightness. With some subjects, you may
want to make the picture lighter or darker
to enhance specific details. Each setting on
the panel indicates an exposure change of
1/3 f-stop, up to 1 full f-stop.
• Press the light arrow to lighten pictures
(increase the exposure).
• Press the dark arrow to darken pictures
(decrease the exposure).
The camera has a memory and saves your
custom Lighten/Darken setting until you
press the reset button (Macro 5 only) to
return to the nominal setting. If using the
Macro 3, press the opposite arrow until
green light aligns directly over the vertical
line.
Date display module (Mac ro 5 o nly)
The date display module (11h) allows you
to print the date or the day / time on pictures (20).
Setting the date
1 Press MOD (mode) repeatedly until the
desired date sequence is displayed:
No printing - - - - - Month / day / year 8 27 ‘99
Day / month / year 27 8 ‘99
Year / month / day ‘99 8 27
Day / time (24-hour clock) 27 14:22
2 Press SEL (select) to select the year,
month or day (see blinking digit).
Page 6
English 7
3 Press SET repeatedly (or hold button) until
the desired digit is displayed. Repeat steps
2 and 3 until the desired year, month and
day are all set.
4 Press SEL again to lock in the date.
Setting the time
1 Press MOD until the day / time mode is dis-
played. The first set of digits in the display
is the day of the month, followed by the
time in hours and minutes.
2 Press SEL and the hours will blink. Press
SET to toggle through the hours. Press
SEL again to lock in the hour. The minutes
will now blink.
3 Press SET to toggle through the minutes.
Press SEL again to lock in the minutes.
4 Press SEL again to lock in the time.
Shutting off the dat e dis pl ay opt ion
Press MOD until a series of dashes appears
in the display.
Note: The date module is powered by the
battery in the film pack, or by the batteries
in the handgrip. If there are no batteries or
film in the camera for more than 5 minutes, you will need to reset the date / time
after replacing the batteries.
Flash control (11c)
The two built-in electronic flash units are
designed to provide even illumination at all
reproduction scales. You can turn off
either flash unit (Macro 5 only) if side lighting is needed to show texture or elevation.
The light output from the remaining flash
unit will be increased to produce the correct exposure.
Press the flash control once to turn off the
right flash; press it a second time to turn
off the left flash; press it a third time to
turn off both flash units.
Lighting techniques (Macro 5 only)
Both built-in flash units can be turned off,
and auxiliary lighting used. The auxiliary
light is connected to the PC socket on the
back of the camera (21). Advanced photographers may find it useful to experiment
with different lighting arrangements.
• The auxiliary lighting must be electronic
flash - do not use tungsten, halogen or fluorescent lights.
• The built-in flash can be combined with
auxiliary lighting.
• Test exposures may be required to determine the correct location and settings for
the auxiliary flash unit for correct exposure.
Outdoor use
The camera is designed primarily for indoor
use; if it must be used outdoors:
• Select an area not subjected to bright sunlight, which may cause overexposed pictures.
• Shade the subject from direct sunlight. (It
is difficult to see the ranging lights in very
bright light.)
• Use the built-in flash units to ensure consistent exposure
• Optimal performance 71°F (22°C).
GridFilm
This film has a grid pattern which is created during manufacture. The grid pattern
appears as an overlay on any picture taken
with the film.
The pattern consists of 17 vertical and 13
horizontal lines.
To help you define location on the grid, the
vertical lines are identified by letters across
the top, and the horizontal lines are identified by numbers along the left border (22).
You can specify the location on the picture
by a letter-number combination.
Page 7
8 English
Calculating measurement from the grid
pattern
When taking pictures at 1X magnification,
each square of the grid pattern represents
5mm (0.2 in.). The chart below shows the
value represented by each square in pictures taken at each magnification.
Magnification Grid square value
0.2X (Macro 5 only) 1 in 25mm
0.4X (Macro 5 only) 0.5 in. 13mm
1X 0.2 in. 5mm
2X 0.1 in. 2.5mm
3X 0.07 in. 1.7mm
Troubleshooting
Difficulty focusing:
The ranging lights may be difficult to see
when using the camera in very bright light,
or when photographing very dark subjects.
If you have difficulty seeing the ranging
lights:
• Check that the camera is set for the
desired magnification, and is at the correct
distance from the subject.
• Check that the film is not outdated.
• Move the ranging lights to a lighter area on
the subject.
• Look over the top of the camera, rather
than through the viewfinder.
• Check the battery indicator (Macro 5 only);
if necessary replace the batteries in the
handgrip.
Camera does not func ti on:
The flash and/or LED ranging lights will not
function if the film pack battery is weak or
dead.
No image in viewfinde r:
The magnification selector knob is
between settings.
Pictures too light:
The camera may be too close to the subject for the selected magnification. The
Lighten/Darken control may be set incorrectly. Very light subjects may require setting the control toward Darken. There may
be bright ambient light affecting the exposure.
Pictures too dark:
The camera may be too far from the subject for the selected magnification. The
Lighten/Darken control may be set incorrectly. Very dark subjects may require setting the control toward Lighten.
Subject not sharp:
The camera is at the wrong distance from
the subject. (Pictures also will be incorrectly exposed - too light or too dark.)
Portions of pictu r e out of foc us , or di storted subject:
The camera is not parallel to the subject.
Care and Maintenance
Lens care:
Avoid touching the lens. To remove dust or
fingerprints, breathe on the lens and wipe
it gently with a clean, soft facial tissue. Do
not use silicone-treated eyeglass tissues.
Temperature:
The camera and film are designed for use
at temperatures of 40-105(F (4-41(C).
Store below 75(F (24(C). Never leave film
or a loaded camera in a hot area (such as
the luggage compartment of a car).
Caution:
To prevent electric shock, do not remove
camera covers. No user serviceable parts
inside. Refer servicing to the nearest
Polaroid Service Center.
Page 8
Camera Specifications
English 9
Lens focal
2
length
Effective lens
aperture Depth of field
3
Magnification
1
Lens to subject
distance
0.2X (20%) (Macro 5) 52 in./132cm 221mm f/20 8.8 in./22cm
0.4X (40%) (Macro 5) 26 in./66cm 188mm f/34 3.8 in./10cm
1X (100%) 9.9 in./25cm 128mm f/47 0.86 in/2.2cm
2X (200%) 4.8 in./12cm 85.4mm f/67 0.31 in./0.8cm
3X (300%) 3.1 in/8cm 64mm f/100 0.20 in./0.5cm
1
If the exact magnification must be documented, include a scale in the picture (23). The scale
and the subject must be at the same distance from the camera.
2
The camera contains separate lenses for the magnification. Each lens has the proper focal
length for minimum perspective distortion and more working space between the camera and
subject, and a small lens aperture for better depth of field.
3
The depth of field, or distance zone within which the subject will be in sharp focus, is limited in
close-up photography. The zone will exte nd ab out half its dis tance in fron t o f, an d half behind ,
the point of sharpest focus.
Note: The camera has a fixed shutter speed of 1/50 sec.
EMC statement
Polaroid Corporation certifies that this
product conforms to the following standards:
Limited Warranty
Your Macro 5/3 camera has been thoroughly tested and inspected before shipment. All parts are guaranteed against
defects in materials and workmanship for
Safety: Low Voltag e Di re c tive 73/2 3/ EEC
EMC: EN55022, Class B; EN50082 -1;
IEC 801-2, 801-3
Free technical assistance
If you need assistance or additional information please contact a Polaroid dealer, or
office nearest you. For assistance within
the U.S.A., call us toll free at 1-800-3435000, Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Eastern
time). Or, write to the Customer Care Center, Polaroid Corporation, 201 Burlington
Road, Bedford, MA, 01730-1406.
If outside the U.S.A., contact the nearest
Polaroid Office. (See list on back page.)
one full year from the date of original purchase. During this period, any such defects
will be remedied by Polaroid Corporation
without charge, except for transportation
costs. The warranty excludes damage
resulting from normal wear, mishandling or
accident, and a charge will be made for
such repairs. The warranty does not
include the batteries, or damage caused by
leaking batteries.
U.S.A.: This warranty excludes consequential damages in jurisdictions where
permissible.
Outside U.S.A.: This warranty does not
affect your statutory rights.
Page 9
10 English
Service
Before returning a camera for service, contact the Polaroid Customer Care Center or
the nearest Polaroid Office for shipping and
service information. The camera should be
packed in its original shipping carton or
other sturdy container, and shipped, prepaid and insured, to the nearest Polaroid
Office.
Battery Cautions (Macro 5 only)
• The batteries used in this device may
present a risk of one or more of the following occurrences: Release of toxic materials, release of flammable vapors, rise in
surface temperature. Do not recharge,
incinerate or mutilate.
• Replace batteries with the same type. Use
of another battery type may present a risk
of fire or explosion
• Dispose of used batteries promptly. Keep
away from children. Do not disassemble
and do not dispose of in fire. The cell may
explode. Check with local codes for possible special disposal instructions.
• When replacing batteries, replace all at the
same time. Mixing fresh and discharged
batteries could increase internal cell pressure and rupture the discharged batteries.
FCC Notice (U.S.A. o nly)
Warning: Changes or modifications to this
unit not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found
to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will
not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment
off and on, the user is encouraged t o try to
correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/
TV technician for help.
Radio and television interf erenc e
FCC requir em e nts
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1 This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence.
2 This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
EMI Notice (Canada)
This digital apparatus does not exceed the
Class B limits for radio noise emissions
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio
Interference Regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
Page 10
(Macro 3)
1
a
b
i
c
d
e
f
(Macro 5)
1
a
b
c
d
e
f
3
O
R
C
A
M
0
0
2
1
LR -
S
g h
1
5
O
R
C
A
M
0
0
2
1
-
R
L
S
g h
k
l
10
m
i
j
k
l
10
10
m
2
3
4
Page 11
5
10
POWER RESET
a c
ed
b f
h
g
I
10
I
POWER
a c f
6
7
8 9
(Macro 3)
11
(Macro 5)
11
10
Page 12
POWER RESET
87
1
2 0
9876
11
20
29
38
47
3
12
13
14
15 16
18 19
21 22
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
17
20
23
Loading...