Dmitri’s Comment

Fixing Polaroid SX-70 not ejecting dark slide as the motor drive runs continuously.

After returning from a multi-day hike, I found that my SX-70 would whirl its motor without stopping when I inserted a fresh pack but the dark slide would not come out. The articles online were not helpful and the repair manual called for the replacement of an entire block — which was as helpful as the 1-800-number the camera had printed near the rollers for a toll-free helpline.

Thankfully, I found a YouTube video that showed exactly the reason and a way to fix the issue: youtube.com/watch?v=BH8Q6X…. It was a little difficult to watch and there was an important part of the process missing: how to remove the rollers. Eventually, I figured out that the rollers (the entire block that pops open for the film to go in) could be removed by squeezing the left hinge which would free the assembly quite easily. I then followed the instructions (stretched the spring to replace the fragile plastic bits) and the issue was resolved.

The longest part of the process was removing the leatherette from the bottom of the camera which I prized for its distinct quality over the older models. It took a lot of ginger prying and alcohol. My brother found a glue (which I’m waiting for now) that should help me fix the leatherette semi-permanently so that it could be removed without much trouble later: mcmaster.com/7467A72/

Hope this helps someone!

#repair