Polaroid Spectra User manual

SPECTRA PRO

Multiple exposure

Camera parts

Control panel

h1
i1
j1
k1
l1
m1

Programmed time exposure - 30 seconds

Contents
The camera
Film 2
Camera parts 2
Control panel 2
Operating instructions
Open camera 3
Load film 3
Position subject 3
Take picture 4
To remove an empty film pack 4
To close camera 4
Viewfinder displays 5
Autofocus system 5
Audio signals 5
Electronic flash 6
Self-timer 7
Exposure adjustment control 7
Features
Photographing in natural light 9
Manual focusing 9
Time exposures 10
Programmed time exposures 11
Manual time exposures 12
Backlighting 13
Sequential pictures 14
Self-timed sequential pictures 14
Variable sequential pictures 15
Multiple exposures 17
Helpful hints for using the
camera’s special features 19
Full lifetime warranty 20
For information and help 20
Accessories 21
Specifications 22

2 The camera
Throughout the text you will find
letters that refer to illustrations on
the fold-out pages.
The camera
Film
Use only Polaroid Spectra color film.
Each film pack provides 10 color pictures
and contains a battery that powers all
camera functions.
Check the film expiration date on every
film box to be sure the film is fresh.
Camera parts
a
Sonar rangefinder (sends out sonar
waves to measure distance to subject)
b
Three-element, 125mm coated-glass lens
c
Automatic shutter system -variable
speed/aperture (speeds range from 1/245
of a second to 6 seconds; apertures from
f/l0 to f/45)
d
Self-timer indicator
e
Electronic flash (from 1/3000 to 1/20,000
of a second)
f
Film shade (protects picture from light as
it ejects from the camera)
g
Photocell (silicon photo-diodes measure
light from the scene and from the flash)
h
Film exit slot
i
Film door
j Tripod socket (on bottom of camera)
k
Film door release button
l
Shutter button
m
Control panel
n
Liquid crystal display (shows picture-tak-
ing information.The display comes on
when there is film in the camera.The dis-
play
disappears about every 40 seconds.
Lightly press the MODE or shutter button
to make it
reappear.)
o
Viewfinder
p
Neckstrap connector
q Release latch (to open and close camera)
r
Hand strap
Control panel
s
Self-timer button
t
Electronic flash symbol
u
Autofocus symbol
v Audio signals symbol
w
Exposure adjustment symbol
x
Time exposure symbol
y
Backlighting symbol
z
Sequential pictures symbol
a1 Multiple exposures symbol
b1
MODE button (press to select a feature)
c1
Green light (shows flash is ready)
d1
Control buttons (press them to turn each
feature on or off, or to set the digital dis-
plays)

Operating instructions 3
e1
Picture counter (counts down to show
how many pictures remain in the film
pack and is used with the sequential pic-
tures and multiple exposures features)
f1
Indicator bar (shows that the feature
above it is on)
g1
A uto reset button (always returns the
camera to fully automatic operation:
electronic flash, autofocus and audio sig-
nals)
This booklet describes the selection and
use of each special feature individually,
although most of the features may be
used in combination with each other for
creative picture-taking.You can turn the
individual features on or off between
pictures by pressing the
MODE
and
control buttons.
Note: Closing and reopening the camera
will
always reset it for fully automatic
operation.
If the display fails to react as expected
when you press the control buttons,
press the
A uto reset button or close and
reopen the camera to start again.
Operating instructions
Open camera
Place both hands as shown (h1) . Slide the
release latch back.The camera will open
automatically.
Load film
Use only Polaroid Spectra film.
Push the film door release button down.
The film door will open.
Hold the film pack by its edges only
(i1)
and slide it all the way into the camera.
As soon as you close the film door, the
battery in the film pack will provide power
to the camera and you will see:
•
the film cover eject
•
the liquid crystal display appear a green
light indicating the flash is ready to fire.
The liquid crystal display should look like
this:
If it does not, press the
A uto reset button.
Note: The display disappears about every
40 seconds.
Lightly press the
MODE
or
shutter button to make it reappear.

4 Operating instructions
Position subject
Indoors , your subject should be within the
2 to 15 foot flash range and, for best results,
near a light-colored background.
Outdoors , your subject should be at least
2 feet
away.
The viewfinder and liquid crystal displays
will help you stay at the right distance.
Take picture
Slide your left hand through the hand strap
and hold the camera as shown (
j1 ) for
horizontal pictures. For vertical pictures, see
picture
k1 .
Frame your subject in the viewfinder and
press the shutter button
halfway .You should
see:
The distance to your subject; for example:
A green “good picture” symbol.
To take the picture, press the shutter button
the rest of the way.
When you release the button, the camera
ejects the picture and the flash
immediately recharges.
Note: If you have pressed the shutter
button halfway and you wish to reposition
your subject or yourself,
release the
button
. Make the changes and press the
shutter button halfway again.
To remove an empty film pack
After you have taken the 10th picture, you
will hear 3 chimes to remind you to
remove the empty film pack.
To remove the pack, push the film door
release button down. Pull the film pack out
by the colored tab.
When the camera contains an empty film
pack
•
you hear three chimes when you open the
camera
•
you hear three chimes and see a flashing
zero in the viewfinder when you press the
shutter button halfway and hold it.
To close camera
Hold the camera as shown ( l1 ). Slide the
release latch back. Push the cover down
until both sides lock.
When you are not using to protect the
lens.

Operating instructions 5
Viewfinder displays
When you press the shutter button
halfway, displays indicating distance and
symbols for “good picture” or “caution”
appear in the viewfinder.
When you see the green symbol press
the shutter button the rest of the way to
take the picture.
When you hear a warning tone and see the
flashing yellow caution symbol your
subject is either too close, too far, or the
flash is turned off. For example, the
display shows the yellow symbol and
the distance 1:
•
your subject is too close. Release the shut-
ter button and stand at least 2 feet from
your subject.
If the display shows the yellow symbol and
a distance from
16 to 20* :
•
your subject is beyond the flash range.
Release the shutter button and position
your subject within the
2 to 15 foot flash
range.
If the display shows the yellow symbol and
a distance from 2 to 15:
•
your subject is within range, but the flash
is off
. Press the A uto reset button to turn
the flash on.
*When your subject is beyond 20 feet, the
distance display is blank.
Autofocus system
When you press the shutter button, sonar
waves (at frequencies beyond our range of
hearing) are sent to the
central part of the
scene. A built-in computer measures the
time it takes the sonar waves to reach the
scene and the echo to return.This
measurement is used to provide the correct
lens setting.
• Be sure the sonar waves have a clear path
to your subject.
If an object near the central
part of the scene prevents the sonar waves
from reaching your subject, the lens
focuses on that object, causing your sub-
ject to be unsharp.
•
When photographing more than one per-
son, focus and illumination are improved if
everyone is at about the same distance
from the camera
.
You can turn off the autofocus system to
focus manually. See
Manual focusing .
Audio signals
Your camera has three audio signals: a
warning tone when the “caution” symbol
appears in the viewfinder,
beeps that signal
the self-timer countdown, and
chimes that
tell you the film pack is empty.

6 Operating instructions
Note: The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
To turn off the audio signals:
1
Press the
MODE
button until you see only
the audio signals symbol:
2
Press the up ( Z ) or down ( X ) control
button
once to remove the indicator bar
and turn the signals off:
3
Press the
MODE
button once to return to
the full display.You can now take a
picture:
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press the
A uto reset button.
Electronic flash
The flash automatically begins to charge
every time you
•
load film into the camera, or
•
press the shutter button halfway, or
• take a picture, or
•
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 wish to take a picture and the green
light has gone off, press the shutter button
halfway or press the
MODE
button.You
can take the picture when the green light
comes on again.
The electronic flash is designed to be used
for every picture - indoors and outdoors.
Every time you take a picture, your
camera’s built-in electronic flash blends
light from the scene with just enough
flash to give you the best possible picture.
In bright sunlight, your camera blends the
sunlight with just the right amount of flash
to soften shadows and to reveal the facial
details you expect to see in the picture.
In the shade, the flash automatically sup-
plies the additional light needed to
produce a pleasing photograph.

Operating instructions 7
Note: The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
In low light (at dusk, in the shade, etc.), the
shutter can stay open for as long as 6
seconds after the flash has fired, and camera
movement can cause the picture to be
unsharp.
Hold the camera steady or place it on a firm
support.
Flash range
Indoors: 2 to 15 feet.
Outdoors: Your subject should be at least
2 feet
from the camera.
Self-timer
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 the tripod’s
longest leg 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.
Press the self-timer button on the back of
control button once to turn on the lighten
the camera.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 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.
If you want to stop the 12-second
countdown, press either the
A uto reset
button or the self-timer button.
Exposure adjustment control
Use this feature when you want to retake
a picture to make it lighter or darker.
To do this:
1
Press the
MODE
button until you see only
the lighten/darken symbol:
2
To lighten a picture, press the up ( Z )
control button once to turn on the lighten
setting:

8 Operating instructions
Note: The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
3
To darken a picture, press the down ( X )
control button once to turn on the darken
setting:
4
When you have selected the setting you
want, press the MODE button once to
return to the full display.You can now
retake a picture to make it lighter
(A) or
darker
(B) :
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press the
A uto reset button.
Important: If the background of a flash
picture is too dark but your subject is well
illuminated, the background is too far away.
To correct this problem,
do not use the
lighten setting. Instead, press the A uto reset
button and retake the picture. Place your
subject
near a background and remember to
keep both within the 2 to 15 foot flash range.
A
B

Features 9
Note: The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
Photographing in natural light
To eliminate flash glare and to take
advantage of natural light situations, you
can turn off the flash when taking
pictures indoors or outdoors.
To turn the flash off:
1 Press the MODE button until you see only
the electronic flash symbol:
2
Press the up ( Z ) or down (X) control
button once to remove the indicator bar
and turn off the flash:
3Press the MODE button once to return to
the full display.You can now press the
shutter button to take a non-flash picture:
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press theAuto reset button.
Manual focusing
You can turn off the autofocus system
and program the distance to your subject
by using the manual focusing feature.
This allows you to photograph through
glass, screens, and fences.When you
shoot through glass, you may wish to
turn off the flash to eliminate glare. See
Photographing in natural light .
To use this feature:
1Measure the distance to your subject.
2Press the MODE button until you see only
the autofocus symbol:
Features

10 Features
Note:The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
3Press the up (Z) or down (X) control
button once to remove the indicator bar
and turn off the autofocus system:
4Press the MODE button once.The number
5 will start flashing:
You must now set the distance to your
subject.
5If the focusing distance you want is less
than 5 feet away, press the down (X)
control button.The distance decreases in
.1 foot increments down to 2 feet.
If the distance you want is greater than 5
feet, press the up (Z) control button.The
distance increases in one-half foot (.5)
increments up to 10 feet.The infinity
symbol , appears after the number
24. Select this symbol when the subject
or scene is more than 24 feet away.
6When the distance you want is displayed
(for example, 14 feet), press the MODE
button once to return to the full display.
You can now press the shutter button to
take the picture:
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press theAuto reset button.
Time exposures
The camera can make automatic time
exposures of up to 6 seconds, depending
on lighting conditions.You can also
program the shutter to stay open from 1
second up to 2 minutes.You can also
make a manual exposure up to 2
minutes long by pressing the shutter
button to control the time the shutter
stays open.
Programmed and manual time
exposures are described in the next
section.You may want to use these
features to photograph fireworks
displays, sunrises and sunsets,
lighthouse beacons at night, colorful
holiday and amusement park lights,
moonlit oceans, city skylines at night,
and more.

Features 11
Note:The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
For time exposures, the camera must be
placed on a steady support, such as a
tripod.
Turn the flash off for better time-exposed
photographs.
Programmed time exposures
With this feature, you can program the
shutter to stay open, from 1 second up to
2 minutes, to record time exposures.
To program a exposure:
1Press the MODE button until you see only
the time exposure symbol:
2Press the up (Z) control button once to
turn on the programmed time exposure
system:
3Press the MODE button once.The :01
second display will start flashing:
4You must now decide how long you want
the exposure to be.
When you press the up (Z) control
button, the time will increase in 1 second
increments up to 2 minutes.When you
press the down (X) control button,
the time will decrease in 1 second
increments.

12 Features
Note:The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
5When the time you want is displayed (for
example, 30 seconds), press the MODE
button once to return to the full display.
You can now press the shutter button to
take the picture:
If you wish to interrupt the preset time
exposure in order to shorten the
exposure time, press the self-timer
button.The shutter will close and the
picture will automatically eject.
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press theAuto reset button.
Manual time exposures
You can control the time the shutter
stays open by pressing the shutter
button down for up to 2 minutes when
using the manual time exposure feature.
Place the camera on a very steady
support and frame your subject.
To take a manual time exposure:
1Press the MODE button until you see only
the time exposure symbol:
2Press the down (X) control button once
to turn on the manual time exposure
system:

Features 13
Note:The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
3Press the MODE button once to return to
the full display:
4Press the shutter button and keep it
down to control the time the shutter
stays open.You will know how much
time has elapsed by watching the digital
display.When the time you want has
elapsed, release the shutter button.The
camera will eject the picture.
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press theAuto reset button.
Backlighting
The flash must be on when this feature is
used.
Since a backlit subject can appear too
dark in the picture, your camera is
programmed to fire just enough flash to
illuminate the front of your subject. For
best results, your subject should not be
further than 6 feet from the camera.
To use this feature:
1Press the MODE button until you see only
the backlighting symbol:
2Press the up (Z) or down (X) control
button once to turn on the feature:
3Press the MODE button once to return to
the full display.You can now press the
shutter button to take the picture:
To return the camera to fully automatic
operation, press theAuto reset button.

14 Features
Note:The display disappears about every 40 seconds. Lightly press
the MODE or shutter button to make it reappear.
Sequential pictures
The camera allows you to take a series of
pictures at various time intervals from 3
seconds to 19.9 minutes.Two types of
sequential pictures are possible: self-
timed sequential pictures and variable
sequential pictures. Both are described
below.
The number of pictures you can take is
automatically limited to the number of
pictures left in the film pack.
Self-timed sequential pictures
These pictures are programmed for 12
seconds for the initial picture, 6 seconds
thereafter.The self-timer signals alert
you when each picture will be taken.
To take self-timed sequential pictures:
1Press the MODE button until you see only
the sequential pictures symbol:
2Press the up (Z) or down (X) control
button once to turn on the feature.
You will see 12 seconds and a self-timer
symbol appear.The number to the right
shows how many pictures you have left
in the film pack:
3Press the MODE button once.The 12
second display will start flashing: