Polaroid POLAROID SPECTRA AF - Spectra System Instant Camera User Manual

SPECTRA AF

This book contains operating instructions
for the Polaroid Spectra AF camera
(see p. 2.) The text refers to pictures
on these fold-out pages.

Este manual contiene las instrucciones
de operation de la camara Polaroid Spectra AF
(p. 23). El texto hate referencia a las figuras de
estas hojas desplegables.

• Get in close to subject (p. 20)

• Acerquese al sujeto (p. 42)

• Add foreground interest (p. 20)

• Anada interes al fondo (p. 42)

16 17

• Use color in pictures (p. 20)

• Use el color en las fotografías (p. 42)

• Keep background simple (p. 20)

• Mantegna un fondo sencillo (p. 42)

14 15

• Distant background: too dark (p. 10)

• Fondo distante: demasiado oscuro (p. 32)

• Close background: good picture (p. 10)

• Fondo cercano: buena fotografía (p. 32)

12 13

• Flash off: facial shadows (p. 8)

• Flash: apagado sombras en la cara (p. 30)

• Add foreground interest (p. 20)

• Anada interes al fondo (p. 42)

10 1 1

1

2

34

56

9

78

IMPORTANT
SAFEGUARDS

As with any battery-operated equipment, observe
these basic safety precautions:

1

FOLLOW ALL OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

2

CLOSELY SUPERVISE CAMERA WHEN IT IS
BEING USED BY OR NEAR CHILDREN.

3

DO NOT USE CAMERA IF IT HAS BEEN
DROPPED OR DAMAGED - UNTIL IT HAS
BEEN EXAMINED AT AN AUTHORIZED
POLAROID SERVICE CENTER.

4

TO AVOID ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARDS,
DO NOT DISASSEMBLE CAMERA. SERVICE
OR REPAIR WORK MUST BE DONE ONLY BY
AN AUTHORIZED POLAROID SERVICE
CENTER. INCORRECT REASSEMBLY CAN
CAUSE ELECTRICAL SHOCK WHEN CAMERA
IS USED AGAIN. DO NOT IMMERSE IN
WATER OR OTHER FLUIDS.

PLEASE KEEP THESE
INSTRUCTIONS

The camera

The camera 2
The control panel 3

Using the camera

Open the camera 4
Check the control panel 4
Load the film 4
Position your subject 4
Take the picture 5

To remove an empty film pack 5

Features

The autofocus system 6
The viewfinder displays 7
The programmed flash 8
The recharge indicator 8
Flash range 9
The exposure control 9
The self-timer 11
Photographing through glass 12

Guide to better pictures

Lens care 13
Picture care 13
Film care 13
For information and help 14
Warranty 15
Troubleshooting guide 16
Picture-taking tips 20
Camera, film specifications 21

Contents

?

2

The camera a Sonar rangefinder

(sends out sound waves
to measure the distance
to your subject).

b Film door release
c Film door
d Film exit slot

e Photocell-silicon photo-

diodes

(measures light
from the scene and light
from the flash, indoors
and outdoors).

f Film shade

(protects the
picture from light as it
exits the camera).

g Programmed flash
h Self-timer indicator

i Patented Quintic lens

(three element, 125mm
lens system.) Ten-zone
focusing from 2 feet
(0.6m ) to infinity.

j Hand strap

(adjustable)

k Release latch

(opens

and closes the camera).

l Viewfinder
m Neck strap connector

(see attachment instruc­tions that come with
neck strap).

n Tripod socket

(under-

neath the camera).

o Two-stage shutter but-

ton

(press halfway to
restore the green light;
press the rest of the way
to take the picture. To
delay ejecting the pic­ture, hold the shutter
button down).

The camera

The camera 3

The control panel a Feet or meters selec-

tor

(slide it down using
the tip of a ball-point
pen, and the distance
reading in the view­finder will be in meters).

b Audio signal switch

(slide it down when you
want to turn off the
warning tone, beeps, or
chimes).

c Self-timer switch

(slide
it down to get into your
picture).

d Sonar autofocus over-

ride

(slide the switch
down to turn off the
autofocus system).

e Programmed flash

(slide the switch down to
turn off the flash).

f Exposure control

(adjust it to lighten or
darken a picture).

g Rapid-recharge indica-

tor:

Green /;gM (means
the flash is ready to fire
and you can take a pic­ture).

h Picture counter

(counts
down to show how
many pictures are left in
the film pack).

4

Open the camera

Place both hands under the camera as shown. Slide the
release latch back. The camera will open automatically.

To close the camera (picture 4): When you have finished
using the camera, close it to protect the lens. Hold the
camera as shown. Slide the release latch back. Push both
sides of the cover down until it locks.

Check the
control panel

When you want the camera to be

fully automatic

, be sure

all the switches are in a row as shown in picture 2.

Note:

When the switches are not in the automatic mode,
there is a red mark (or green symbol for the self-timer) vis­ible on the panel.

Load the film

Use only Polaroid Spectra color film. Other Polaroid films
cannot be used with this camera.

Push the film door release

down

. The film door will open.
Hold the film pack by its edges only and slide it all the w ay
into the camera.

Position your
subject

You can take the most pleasing pictures of people,

both

indoors and outdoors,

when they are

3 to 5 feet (0.9m to

1.5m) away.
Indoors:

Your subject should be within the

2 to 15 foot (0.6m

to 4.6m)

flash range. For best results, your subject should

also be near a light-colored background.

Outdoors:

Your subject should be at least

2 feet (0.6m)

away

from the camera.

Using the camera

1

2

3

4

(pictures 3, 4)

(pictures 5, 6)

Using the camera 5

Take the picture

Slide your left hand through the hand strap and hold
the camera as you would a pair of binoculars.

For horizontal pictures, hold the camera as shown in
picture 7. For ver tical pictures, position the camera with
the flash on top as shown in picture 8 to get the best
results.

To remove an empty
film pack

After you take the tenth picture, the picture counter
sets to zero and three chimes sound to remind you to
remove the empty film pack.

Push the film door release

down

to open the film door.

Pull the blue tab to remove the film pack.
When the camera contains an empty film pack:

• You wilI hear three chimes

when you open the camera

• You will hear three chimes and then see a flashing zero

in the viewfinder when you press and hold the shutter
button

halfway

5

(pictures 7, 8)

(pictures 5 & 9)

6

The autofocus system

As you press the shutter button, your camera sends
sound waves - within 1 0 thousandths of a second - to the
central part of the scene (approximate area circled in
white, see illustration).

The sound waves are used to measure the distance to
the person or object (in the central part of the scene) that
is

closest to the camera.

A built-in computer then uses this measurement to pro­vide the correct lens setting, so

be sure that:

• The sound waves must have a clear path to your subject.

If
an object (candlestick, centerpiece, etc.1 prevents the
sound waves from reaching your subject, the lens will
focus on that object, and your subject will not be clear
and in focus.

• When photographing more than one person, place

everyone the same distance from the camera.

• When taking a picture through glass, turn off the auto-

focus system.

Features

Features 7

The viewfinder displays

When you have a film pack in the camera and press the
shutter button

halfway

, a display appears in the viewfinder

to help you take the best possible picture.
When you see a

number in the viewfinder

, it tells you the
distance to your subject (in feet or meters). This number
will help you follow the distance recommendations
throughout this book.

When you see a

green “good picture” symbo

l, the condi­tions are right for taking a good picture. Press the shutter
button the rest of the way.

When you see

a flashing yellow “caution” symbol and hear a

warning tone

, you should correct a problem before taking
the picture. The distance reading will help you identify the
problem. When you see:

The number 1:

Your subject is too close. Release the shut ter

button and stand at least 2 feet (.6m) from subject.

A number from 16 to 20:

Your subject is beyond the flash
range. Release the shutter button and move closer to your
subject to keep within the 2 to 15 foot (0.6m to 4.6m) flash
range.

A number from 2 to 15:

The flash is off.
Slide the flash switch up to turn the flash
back on.

Note:

Distance readings do not appear when your subject

is beyond 20 feet (6.2m).

The good picture symbol

8 Features

The programmed flash

Every time you take a picture, indoors or outdoors , your
camera blends light from the scene with just enough
flash to provide the right lighting for the best possible
picture.

In the sample outdoor scene, photographed without

flash (picture 1 0), bright sunlight has created harsh facial

shadows.
Your camera blends sunlight with just the right amount

of flash to soften shadows and reveal facial details (pic­ture 11).

The recharge
indicator

The Polaroid Spectra features a rapid rec harge flash with
recharge times usually less than a second. The green
light on the control panel will come on and the flash will
automatically begin to charge every time you:

• Load film into the camera

• Take a picture

• Press the shutter button halfway

• Open the camera

When the green light comes on, the flash is ready to fire.
The light will stay on for 20 to 30 seconds.

If you want to take a picture after the green light has
gone off, lightly press and release the shutter button to
turn the green light back on.

(pictures 10, 11)

Features 9

Flash range

Indoors: Your subject should be 2 to 15 feet (0.6m
to 4.6m) from the camera.

Outdoors: Your subject should be at least 2 feet
(0.6m) away.

The exposure control

Use the picture control when you want to retake a
picture to make it lighter or darker.

When retaking a picture to make it lighter:
Slide the control all the way up (a).

When retaking a picture to make it darker:
Slide the control all the way down (b).

Any partial adjustments will not affect your exposure.
The control must be adjusted all the way in either
direction.

After you have finished taking the picture, do not forget
to return the control to the normal position (c) .

Special situations

Pictures taken of people in highly reflective beach or
snow scenes often turn out too dark. You may want to
set the control all the way up to the lighten setting (a)
before taking this type of picture.

a lighten

b darken

c center

10 Features

Backgrounds too dark?

If the background of a flash picture is too dark but your
subject is well illuminated (picture 12), the background is
too far away.

Moving the control to the

lighten

setting will not correct

this problem, so be sure the exposure control is in the

normal position.

Retake the picture, placing your subject

near a back ground

and keeping both within the

2 to 15 foot (0.6m to 4.6m)

flash range (picture 13).

(pictures 12, 13)

Features 11

The self-timer The self-timer lets you get into your picture.

To use this feature, place the camera on a tripod or other
steady support. If you attach the camera to a table tripod,
be sure the camera is positioned over one of the tripod’s
legs for proper support.

Frame your picture in the viewfinder and press the shutter
button halfway to be sure you get the green “good pic­ture” symbol. Then release the shutter button.

Slide the self-timer switch all the way down (a). You now
have 12 seconds to get into your picture.

During the first 10 seconds, the camera will beep and you
will see a flashing red light (b) on the front of the camera.

Two seconds before the camera takes the picture, the red
light will stay on and the beeps will become a steady sig­nal to remind you to hold still and smile.

After the camera has taken the picture, it will not eject the
film until you slide the self-timer switch up (c). Do not
close the camera before you slide the switch up.

If you want to stop the 12-second countdown, slide the
switch up (c) to turn off the timer.

Note: When the self-timer switch is on there is a green cir­cle visible in the control panel.

a

b

c

12 Features

Photographing through glass To avoid focusing on the glass and getting a flash

reflection, turn off the autofocus and flash systems by
sliding both switches down, as shown (a, b).

When you turn off the autofocus system, the lens sets
for distant scenes (15 feet (4.6m) to infinity), requiring
the picture to be taken in a special way:

• Be sure the scene is at least 15 feet (4.6m) from the

camera and in daylight.

• Frame the picture in the viewfinder and press the

shutter button halfway (you will not see a distance
reading because the autofocus system is off).

• When you see the green “good picture” symbol, take

the picture.
If you see the flashing yellow “caution” symbol and

hear a warning tone, there is not enough light to take a
good picture.

Important

When you have finished taking the picture, turn on the
autofocus and flash systems by sliding both switches
up (c, d).

a b

c

d

13

Lens care It is important to 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-treat ed

eyeglass tissues.

Picture care The development process takes place inside the film;

therefore, developing Spectra pictures can be stacked.
During the first 60 seconds of development, handle the
picture gently . Fanning or bending the picture will disturb
the development process. Wind can also affect develop­ment as the picture exits the camera. You can delay eject­ing the picture by holding the shutter button down until
you can protect the picture from the wind. Hold the devel­oping picture by its wide white border.

Note: Keep the developing picture away from hot sur­faces like the hood of a car.

Film care For best results, use Spectra film between 55°F (13°C) and

95°F (35°C). See film box for more details.

Guide to better pictures

14 Guide to better pictures

For information and help If you are unable to get good pictures, review this instruc-

tion book. Picture problems are often due to incorrect use
of the camera. lf you need further help, and before you
return your camera for repair, please see your dealer or
contact the nearest Polaroid office. If you write, please
explain the nature of the problem and, if possible, enclose
sample pictures. Include your return address.

U.S.A.

Polaroid Customer Care Center
201 Burlington Road
Bedford, Massachusetts 01731
Representatives available weekdays
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern time:

Tel: [phone] TDD: 1-800-448-6708
México

Polaroid de México
Paseo de la Reforma No. 195
Col. Cuahtémoc
06500 Mexico, D.F.

Tel: [phone]
Canada

Polaroid Canada, Inc.
350 Carlingview Drive
Rexdale, Ontario M9W 5G6

Tel: [phone]
Toll free: 800-268-6970

Guide to better pictures 15

Warranty
U.S.A.: Full five-year
Mexico: Full five-year

If your camera proves to be defective within the warranty
period, we will, without charge, either repair it or at
our option replace it with a fully reconditioned camera.

The warranty period begins from the original date of
purchase. To verify the warranty period, you should
keep the sales slip or other proof of the purchase date.
Without this information, the warranty period will be
determined by the manufacturing date on the camera.

The repair or replacement of your camera is guaranteed
for the remaining warranty period on your original
camera. The warranty does not cover damage caused
by accident, misuse, or tampering with the camera,
and a charge will be made for such repairs.

For warranty service, the camera must be returned to
and repaired by a Polaroid Service Center (see page 14).
Please call us at the number listed for your location.

U.S.A.: Full five-year warranty
Mexico: Full five-year warranty (see p. 37)
U.S.A.: This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and

you may also have other rights, which vary from state
to state. This warranty excludes all consequential dam­ages. Some states do not allow the exclusion of conse­quential damages, so the foregoing exclusion may not
apply to you.

16 Guide to better pictures

Blurry picture Cause

•

When subject is not cen­tered in the picture, the
sound waves pass by the
subject and measure the
distance to the back­ground. This causes the
subject to be unsharp
because the lens focuses
on the background.

• Object in foreground pre-

vented sound waves from
measuring correctly. Lens
focuses on object, causing
unclear and possibly dark
subject.

• When picture is taken in

low light (dusk, shade, etc.)
shutter can stay open for as
long as 2.8 seconds. Cam­era movement can cause
the picture to be blurry.

Solution

•

Center the subject in the
picture. Or, if you want to
keep your subject off cen­ter, frame your subject in
the middle of the view­finder. Press and hold the
shutter button halfway to
lock in the correct lens set­ting. Then reframe your
subject off center and press
the shutter button the rest

of the way.

• The sound waves travel to

the central part of the
scene. Be sure there are no
objects in front of your
subject.

• Hold the camera steady as

you take the picture, or
place the camera on a firm
support.

Guide to better pictures 17

Repeated spots or
bar pattern

Cause

•

Developer rollers inside the
film door need to be
cleaned.

Solution

•

Open film door in indirect
light (do not remove film).
While turning rollers, clean
them with a lint-free cloth
dampened with water.

Damaged picture Cause

•

Picture was shaken back
and forth or bent shortly
after it ejected from the
camera.

• Picture was left in the exit

slot, and camera was set
down on a table or other
surface.

Solution

•

During first 60 seconds of
development, handle print
gently; hold it only by its
wide white border, and do
not wave or bend it.

• Remove print from exit slot

as soon as it ejects.

18 Guide to better pictures

Subject too dark Cause

•

Camera’s photocell mea­sured the bright window
light, causing the subject to
be too dark.

• When a bright source of

light (lamplight, candle­light, etc.) is in the central
part of the scene and in
front of the subject, the
camera’s photocell will
measure the bright light,
causing the subject to be
too dark.

Solution

•

Reposition subject away
from the bright back­ground.

• Move the source of light to

one side of your subject so
it is not in the central part
of the scene.

Background too dark Cause

•

Background was too far
from subject.

• Subject may have been

beyond flash range.

Solution

•

Place subject near a back­ground and keep the pic­ture control in the normal
position.

• Stay within flash range of

2 to 15 feet (0.6m to 4.6m),
and keep the picture con­trol in the normal position.

Guide to better pictures 19

Picture too blue
or too red/yellow

Cause

•

Pictures taken at temper­atures below 55°F (13°C)
can have a blue tint.

• Pictures taken at temper-

atures above 95°F (35°C)
can have a red or yellow

tint.

Solution

•

In cold weather, keep cam­era and film as warm as
possible. Immediately
place developing picture in
a warm poc ket for at least a
minute, being careful not
to bend it.

• Avoid storing camera and

film in hot places, such as
glove or luggage compart­ments of a car, or near a
heat source, such as a
radiator.

20 Guide to better pictures

Picture-taking tips Color

Vibrant, bold colors are vividly reproduced on Spectra
film (picture 14). Look for color when framing the scene
in the viewfinder. Colorful props such as toys or flowers
can add interest to the scene.

Distance

You can take the most pleasing pictures of people
when they are 3 to 5 feet (0.9m to 1.5m) from the camera
(picture 15). Backgrounds become less distracting and
attention focuses on your subjects.

Background

Indoors, try to have a light-colored background.
Outdoors, keep the background simple (picture 16).

Composition

When photographing landscapes, include something in
the foreground to establish a feeling of depth or dimension
(picture 17).

(pictures 14, 17)

Guide to better pictures 21

Camera, film
specifications

Aperture/shutter system speci­fications

Apertures: from f/10 to f/45.
Shutter speeds: from 1/245 to

2.8 seconds.

Camera body size

Length: 6.82 inches (17.3cm)
Width: 5.46 inches (13.87cm)
Height: 3.07 inches (7.78cm)

Camera weight

1 lb. 12 1/2 oz. (.8kg approx.),
without a film pack.

Film advance

Automatic film advance; motor­ized picture ejection.

Film size

Outer border: 4 x 4.06 inches
(10.1 x 10.3cm)
Image area: 3.60 x 2.90 inches
(9.1 x 7.2cm)

Film speed

IS0 600/29° (approx.)

Film type

Polaroid Spectra color film only.
Starts developing in seconds.
Ten pictures per pack.

Lens

Patented Quintic, three ele­ment, 125mm lens system.
Ten-zone focusing from 2 feet
(0.6m ) to infinity.

Photocell

Dual-filter, silicon photodiodes.
Green filtered cell measures vis­ible light; black filtered cell mea­sures infrared light for better
indoor flash exposures.

Power source

A fresh, 6-volt battery in each
film pack powers all camera
functions.

Programmed flash

Built-in fill flash designed to be
used indoors and outdoors.
Recharge time: from .1 to 2.8
seconds. Flash duration: from 1/
3000 to 1/20,000 of a second.
Indoor flash range: from 2 to 15
feet (0.6m to 4.6m).

Sonar autofocus system

Computerized autofocus sys­tem uses sound waves to mea­sure accurately the distance to
your subject and set the lens.
Sonar ranging time: from 10 to
50 thousandths of a second.

Viewfinder

100% viewing (no parallax) at 6
feet (1.8mI - a popular picture­taking distance. Six lenses, two
prisms, and four mirrors pro­vide sharp, clear viewing. View­finder magnifications: .5x
(subjects appear half lifesize).

22 Guide to better pictures

“Polaroid “ and/y “Spectra”® Printed in Great Britain/Imreso en Gran Bretaña

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