[LargeFormat] A good day in the store, and a query

[Wilkes, Don MSER:EX]

Some days your ship comes in, I guess...

I popped in to my local, largish camera store at lunch, on m y way to pay
some bills.  Much to my delight, they seem to be remaindering all their
photo books, and I happily picked up brand new copies of Adams' 'Yosemite'
[paper, $5], 'The Print [hardbound, $20], and Picker's 'Beyond the Zone
System [hardbound, $15].  While paying at the pro counter, I aksed the sales
guy if he happened to know anyone looking to sell a Polaroid 545 back --
alas, no, but he did give me some good tips on where to leave some ads.

On my way out, I asked the same of one of the guys behind the camera
counter, who looked at me a little quizzically, then pulled out a cardboard
box from under the counter.  There, in amongst various junk, was a very
newish-looking 545 -- at least I think that's the model.  Woo!  Even better
was the price: I was thinking something over $100, and he countered with
$50.  Yes!  The only fly in the ointment was the cost of some test film. The
cheapest they had was about $60 for 20 sheets.  Still, I can't imagine much
being wrong with it, and it'll be fun to mess about with some Polaroid.

Now -- a question.

This back looks newer than any other 545 back I've seen before.  At first, I
assumed it was a 545i, but it does not seem to have plastic parts, which is
what I thought distinguished that model.  I can't find a model number
anywhere on the beast.  The whole thing is black anodized metal, as far as I
can tell, with the most distinguishing feature being the word 'Polaroid'
being printed a zillion times in a grid pattern on the back in
black-on-black, with the exception of one in white in the lower right
corner.

So -- what have I got?  A quite new 545, an all-metal 545i, or something
else?  The reason I'll need to know is so that I can get instruction and
field-repair notes from Polaroid and Steve Grimes.  I'm off to Yosemite in a
couple of weeks, and hope to have mastered this puppy well enough that I'll
feel confident in shooting Type 55 P/N.

What a lovely day this turned out to be...

Cheers,
\donw in Victoria, B.C.