The Keystone 800 shown on this page is a very interesting clone of the
Polaroid pack 100 cameras. It introduces an electronic flash to basic
Polaroid cameras. Except the top range 360 and the late ProPack, no Polaroid pack camera had
electronic flash. Technically it's near to the Colorpack II, but the
shutter has to be cocked separately, as on the folding series. Flash
handling is completely different to Polaroid, it sets a fixed speed and
aperture is coupled to the distance set on the optics. It has a tripod
socket, a user guide on the camera and needs ordinary AA batteries.
Technical features:
Lens: 114mm, f/9.2 3-element plastic Shutter: Electronic, range about 10 sec. - 1/500 Size: approx. 18,5x13,5x14cm, Weight: 850gr. Automatic exposure system Settings for 75 and 3000 speed films (fixed aperture of 9 and 45) Electronic flash with fixed speed and range-coupled aperture
Keystone
obviously had no Polaroid license, but as the cameras helped to sell
Polaroid film, they have never been sued. There were other models, most
of them less interesting: the 750, similar to the 800 but without flash
(it takes flashbars, like the SX-70), the 850, same model as the 800
but with rechargeable batteries (which all have died by now) and two
SX-70 clones, the XF-1000, similar to the 2000 or the Pronto! (also
branded as Porst 500) and the XF-1500 with electronic flash (also
branded Revue Direct).
So here are some photos of the Keystone 800:
The camera.
Right side. Shutter has to be cocked manually. The flash only charges when the shutter is cocked.
Back.
Left side with electronic timer.
User guide on camera.
Second model, slightly different, with silver ring around the lens and different timer.
