A notification to PA-45 holder users...

Last time German Bear wrote me complaining about using the PA-45 holder, here is what he wrote:

"Problem: Polaroid back welded with Byron. If I use a Polaroid holder, it's easy to connect with the Byron, but how to get off? Once I did, after I want to change to Grafmatic but Polaroid holder didn't move a millimeter from the Byron. He was like welded, I pull and pull and at the end only with force I could get off.
Solution: ?? Why it's so hard to get off? Can you do something?"

What he refers is a Fuji PA-45 instant film holder.

He sent me the holder, and I mount it to my Byron, that is really tight, like he said, welded with camera back, no way to shake or move. that is good for mounting, then I unmounted it, IT WELD! Just like Byron is equipped with a PA-45 back permanently!

That is really weired, so I forced to take it off, at the moment I fully understood what Bear were feeing, standing on the street, with friends who are watching.....and that stupid Byron just grab the holder won't let go! Bad dog! Bad dog! Let go!!

Took a break and had a cup of tea, I remounted the holder, this time, with my own PA-45 holder.

Funny thing is, my holder is easily unmounted, and even it allow little space when mounted, totally different with the one from Bear.

I compared with two holders carefully, be honest, found nothing different, they should be all the same, but why two holders acts so much diverse?

Then I checked the edges, found out that when mounting, one holder is very much bump at the side of back, another one won't. The one that bumps will cause the holder tightly mount, and there is no space for it to unmount.

Could that be versions of PA-45 holder? a little different on edge exists between versions.

Since Bear's holder needs a little space for unmount, then let it be some space! I filed both edges, make a small ditch, that keeps little spaces between holder and back.

Now Bear's holder is mount/unmount as easy as mine, that should solve the problems.

To all my clients who are planning to use Fuji PA-45/Polaroid 550 instant film holder, if your holder "welded" on the back, please do as what I did, filed both side with a small ditch.