Camera Information - Automatic 250

Camera Info - Automatic 250

The following information was taken from "The Land List".

Polaroid Land Camera Automatic 250

Produced: 1965-1969
Original Retail: $59.95
Estimated Production: 1,250,000 - (1,400,000)

Lens: 114mm f/8.8 3-element glass
Shutter: Electronic; 10 seconds - 1/1200
Has flip-up single-window view/rangefinder made by Zeiss Ikon. Finder has projected framelines and automatic parallax compensation.
Viewfinder has projected framelines and automatic parallax compensation.
Aperture-priority automatic exposure only
Has settings for film speeds of 75, 150, 300, and 3000 ASA.
Has "scene selector" switch which gives choice of two different aperture settings for each film speed setting; lens can be used at full aperture with 3000 ASA film.
Has exposure compensation dial with range of -1/+2 stops ("Lighten/Darken" control).
Has metal body and metal shutter/lens housing; has tripod socket

NOTE: There were a few minor changes made to this camera during its production life. On the earlier models, (a) the viewfinder has a larger eyepiece, (b) the hinged plastic camera cover has no model number, and (c) the camera body has a decal instructing where to attach the #268 flash. Later versions of the 250 have the model number on the plastic cover. In addition, the look of the instruction manual cover was revised, and the viewfinder has a smaller eyepiece. It appears that the later Polaroid cameras with the Zeiss finder (i.e. the 350, 360, and 450) all have the 'small' eyepiece. Both finders appear to be functionally identical, and both have the same magnification. The larger eyepiece version might be marginally more convenient for eyeglass wearers, however.

The 250 is a wonderful model. It is only equalled in build quality and usefulness by the 350 and 450, which only have a flash shoe built-in but are otherwise the same.

However, as the note above states, the 250 can come with a larger eyepiece finder. Which you can see here.

The greatest part, is that the internals remained the same. So you can enlarge a small one yourself with some filing.

The metal body and finder go really well together and make this camera actually quite attractive to look at. Which is why I chose it for my conversion from auto to manual, twice.

The price of this model can vary wildly. Most people never notice the eyepiece difference, but if you do, grab the larger one of course. If you can't see the finder window in an online photo, but you can see the front cover, if the front just says Polaroid, it has the larger eyepiece. Expect to pay $10-100 for one depending on the condition and accessories included.

Like all of these models the batteries are hard to come by and typically not cheap. When looking for any Automatic packfilm camera, keep in mind to look for little or no corrosion in the battery compartment. If there is corrosion it may have spread through the wires making the upgrade to a 3xAAA batteries alot harder.

Because the majority of the body is metal, scuffs, scratches, dents and gouges can really make this great looking camera, ugly as sin.

If you get lost at anytime, you can always click the link at the bottom of the page to come back here.