Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement

Alex Diaz-Kokaisl and 2 other contributors

Last updated on May 7, 2024

45 minutes - 1 hour

Difficult

Prerequisite Only

This guide is only intended to be used as a prerequisite for other guides. It's incomplete by itself.

Introduction

Go to step 1

Prereq to remove the back cover with the film door still attached. Used for the display and the back cover itself.

What you need

Tools

Step 1 Safety information

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Safety information: step 1, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Safety information: step 1, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Safety information: step 1, image 3 of 3

If you have any film left, take some photos and remove the cartridge! Disassembly will expose the film and damage it.
Before you begin:
Power down and unplug your camera.
Put on the lens cap to avoid scratching your lens during disassembly.

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Step 2 Open the film door

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Open the film door: step 2, image 1 of 2

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Open the film door: step 2, image 2 of 2

In the following steps, "left" and "right" are written from the perspective of using the camera—or when the lens is facing away from you.
Use the latch on the left side of the camera to open the film door.

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Step 3 Insert a blocker

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Insert a blocker: step 3, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Insert a blocker: step 3, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Insert a blocker: step 3, image 3 of 3

Fold a piece of cloth or napkin (or the included bag) into a small square.
Insert the cloth into the film compartment far enough to block the film door from closing during disassembly.

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Step 4 Flip the camera over

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Flip the camera over: step 4, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Flip the camera over: step 4, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Flip the camera over: step 4, image 3 of 3

Flip the camera over, making sure the cloth stays lodged in the film compartment.

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Step 5 Unfasten the bottom cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unfasten the bottom cover: step 5, image 1 of 1

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four 3.9 mm-long screws securing the bottom cover.

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Step 6 Unclip the bottom cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the bottom cover: step 6, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the bottom cover: step 6, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the bottom cover: step 6, image 3 of 3

Insert the tip of an opening pick under the top left corner of the bottom cover, near the slider button.
Tilt the pick up and push to position the pick between the bottom and front covers.

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Step 7

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 7, image 3 of 3

Slide the opening pick toward the rear of the camera to release the clips along the left edge.
Leave the opening pick at the bottom left corner to prevent the clips from resecuring.

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Step 8

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 8, image 3 of 3

Insert the tip of a second opening pick under the top right corner of the bottom cover.
Tilt the pick up and push to position the pick between the bottom and front covers.

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Step 9

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 9, image 3 of 3

Slide the opening pick toward the rear of the camera to release the clips along the right edge.

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Step 10 Remove the bottom cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the bottom cover: step 10, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the bottom cover: step 10, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the bottom cover: step 10, image 3 of 3

At this point, the bottom cover clips should be released. If not, slide an opening pick along the perimeter of the back cover to release any remaining clips.
Tilt the back of the bottom cover upward and pull it away from the camera, making sure to thread the film door lever from its recess.
Remove the back cover.
During reassembly, insert the film door lever into its recess before aligning the bottom cover and pressing it into place to secure its clips.

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Step 11 Remove the blocker

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the blocker: step 11, image 1 of 1

At this point, you can remove the blocker from the film compartment.

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Step 12 Unfasten the back cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unfasten the back cover: step 12, image 1 of 1

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 3.9 mm-long screws securing the back cover.

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Step 13 Separate the alignment pegs

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Separate the alignment pegs: step 13, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Separate the alignment pegs: step 13, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Separate the alignment pegs: step 13, image 3 of 3

There are two alignment pegs along the bottom edge of the back cover.
Insert a spudger between the frame and the alignment hole on the back cover.
Twist the spudger to lift the back cover off of the alignment peg.
Repeat for the second alignment peg.

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Step 14 Disassembly information

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Disassembly information: step 14, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Disassembly information: step 14, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Disassembly information: step 14, image 3 of 3

There are eight large clips that secure the back cover. The next four steps show how to release them.
These clips are very strong and require significant force to release.
The procedure to release the clips is tricky and will require time and patience to perform correctly.

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Step 15 Unclip the back cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the back cover: step 15, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the back cover: step 15, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Unclip the back cover: step 15, image 3 of 3

Releasing the clips requires getting a tool between the covered "thin" edge of the front cover and the clips themselves.
Angle an opening pick upward and insert it at the gap where the bottom right corner of the back cover meets the triangular tip of the front cover’s right edge.
Push the pick up to get it above the overhanging lip in the back cover.
You'll see the plastic warp a little. This is normal.
While pushing upward, slowly rotate the pick towards the left edge of the camera until it's under the front cover.
The pick can slip out easily, so this may take a few tries.

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Step 16

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 16, image 3 of 3

While pushing the pick downward, slide it all the way up the right edge to release the clips.
Keep the pick as upright as possible while sliding to avoid hitting the clips.
The plastic in the lip of the back cover will warp. This is normal.
Leave the pick at the top corner before continuing to prevent the clips from resecuring.

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Step 17

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 17, image 3 of 3

Angle a second opening pick upward and insert it at the gap where the bottom left corner of the back cover meets the triangular tip of the front cover’s left edge.
Push the pick up to get it above the overhanging lip in the back cover.
You'll see the plastic warp a little. This is normal.
While pushing upward, slowly rotate the pick towards the right edge of the camera until it's under the front cover.
The pick can slip out easily, so this may take a few tries.

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Step 18

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement: step 18, image 3 of 3

While pushing the pick downward, slide it all the way up the left edge to release the remaining clips.
Keep the pick as upright as possible while sliding to avoid hitting the clips.
The plastic in the lip of the back cover will warp. This is normal.

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Step 19 Reposition the back cover

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Reposition the back cover: step 19, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Reposition the back cover: step 19, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Reposition the back cover: step 19, image 3 of 3

Don't try to pull the back cover off just yet, as it's still connected by a cable.
At this point, the back cover should feel loose. If any parts still feel connected, repeat the last four steps until all the clips release.
Pull the back cover off the camera and rotate it over the right edge to expose the flex cable.
During reassembly, make sure the the flex cable isn't caught between the covers before re-engaging the clips.

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Step 20 Remove the tape

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the tape: step 20, image 1 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the tape: step 20, image 2 of 3

Polaroid I-2 Back Cover Removal with Film Door Replacement, Remove the tape: step 20, image 3 of 3

Tool used on this step:

Tweezers

$4.99

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Use tweezers to peel off the tape covering the interconnect cable ZIF connector on the control board.
Set the tape aside. You'll reuse it during reassembly.