Instamatic

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Instamatic was Kodak's trademark name for a line of cameras that used their easy-load 126 cartridge film cameras. These cameras were very innovative at the time, both by the ease of loading and for the simplicity of use. The ability to capture the instant fulfilled George Eastman's dream of bringing photography to the masses, which was summarized in this slogan "You Press the Button, We Do the Rest". The first model, launched in February 1963 was the Instamatic 50. Kodak 126 Instamatics were a great success, and sold around 60 million by 1976; thus "Instamatic" became a generic term for cartridge-loading - or any plain point-and-shoot - cameras, irrespective of manufacturer.

Later, in 1972[1] Kodak used the name Pocket Instamatic for some of their 110 cartridge cameras (other 110 models were branded Ektra or Ektralite), and also called some of its Super-8 8mm movie cameras and projectors "Instamatic."

Manufacturing

Instamatic cameras were manufactured in various plants across the world, in particular by Kodak in the US, by Kodak AG in Germany, and by Kodak Ltd in the UK. Instamatic models continued until c.1988.

Description

Whilst most Instamatics were simple "snapshot" cameras, made of plastic with very few, or no, adjustments, the range extended through designs with metal chassis, light meters or automatic exposure, rangefinders and even an SLR with interchangeable lenses. There were also add-ons such as teleconverter lenses and viewfinders.

Early Instamatics (e.g. Instamatic 50) had a special flash adaptor for either AG-1 bulbs or (later) Flashcubes; a few had a pop-up flash gun. Later models used Flashcubes or ("X" models) Magicubes without an adaptor. From 1975, 126 and 110 models were introduced to use the new Flipflash system.[2]


Instamatic models

126 cassette film

Model numbers ending in 0 have pop-up flash gun; ending in 4 have Flashcube socket, ending in X have Magicube socket. Models ending in F have Flipflash

NameManufactureIntroducedWithdrawn
Hawkeye Instamatic US 19631967
Hawkeye Instamatic IIUS
Hawkeye Instamatic R4 US 19651971
Instamatic 11 Brazil 1969
Instamatic 25 UK, Spain Jan 1966 1971
Instamatic 26 UK 1968 1972
Instamatic 28 UK Jan 1972 1974
Instamatic 32 UK 1972 1973
Instamatic 33 UK, Germany Sep 1968 1973
Instamatic 36 UK Jan 1973 1974
Instamatic 44 US, Canada Jun 1969 Oct 1973
Instamatic 50 UK, USA Feb 1963 Jan 1966
Instamatic 55X UK, Germany Sep 1971 1972
Instamatic 56X UK, Germany Sep 1972 1977
Instamatic 66X UK Dec 1973 1977
Instamatic 76X UK 1977
Instamatic 77X UK, Germany, Argentina Jan 1977 1984
Instamatic 100 US, UK, Australia Mar 1963 Jun 1966
Instamatic 104 US, UK, Australia, Germany Jul 1965 Sep 1968
Instamatic 124 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971
Instamatic 133 Germany, Spain, UK Sep 1968 1970
Instamatic 133X Germany, Spain, UK Sep 1970 1971
Instamatic 134 US Jul 1968 Jul 1971
Instamatic 150 US Aug 1964 Jul 1966
Instamatic 154 US Jul 1965 Jan 1969
Instamatic 154X Argentina
Instamatic 155X UK, Germany, Brazil Sep 1971 1977
Instamatic 174 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971
Instamatic 177X UK, Germany Jan 1977 1984
Instamatic 200 UK Jan 1965 1966
Instamatic 204 UK Jan 1966 Nov 1968
Instamatic 220 Germany 1965 1966
Instamatic 224 Germany 1966 1968
Instamatic 233 UK, Germany Sep 1968 1970
Instamatic 233X UK, Germany Sep 1970 1971
Instamatic 250 Germany 19641965/1967 US
Instamatic 255X UK, Germany, Spain? Sep 1971 1977
Instamatic 277X UK, Germany Jan 1977 1985
Instamatic 300 US, UK Mar 1963 Jun 1966
Instamatic 304 US,UK Jul 1965 Apr 1969
Instamatic 314 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971
Instamatic 324 Germany 19661967/1968 US
Instamatic 333 Germany Sep 1968 1974
Instamatic 333X Germany Sep 1970 1971
Instamatic 355X Germany Sep 1971 1977
Instamatic 400 US, UK? Mar 1963 Jun 1966
Instamatic 404 US Jul 1965 Apr 1969
Instamatic 414 US Jul 1968 Apr 1971
Instamatic 500 Germany 19631965/1966 US
Instamatic 700 US Mar 1963 Jun 1966
Instamatic 704 US Jul 1965 Apr 1969
Instamatic 714 US Mar 1968 Sep 1970
Instamatic 800 US Mar 1964 Jul 1966
Instamatic 804 US Jul 1965 Mar 1970
Instamatic 814 US Mar 1968 Aug 1970
Instamatic ReflexGermany 19681970/1974 US&UK
Instamatic S-10 US Mar 1967 Mar 1970
Instamatic S-20 US Mar 1967 Apr 1971
Instamatic X-15 US, Canada Jul 1970 Mar 1976
Instamatic X-15F US, Canada Mar 1976 1988
Instamatic X-25 US Jul 1970 Jan 1974
Instamatic X-30 US, Canada Aug 1971 Jan 1974
Instamatic X-35 US, Canada Jul 1970 Mar 1976
Instamatic X-35F US, Canada Jul 1970 Jan 1974
Instamatic X-45 US Jul 1970 Jan 1974
Instamatic X-90 US Jul 1970 Aug 1973

110 pocket cassette film

See also Kodak, Kodak AG, Kodak Ltd. for other Kodak 110 cameras, not called "Instamatic"

NameManufactureIntroducedWithdrawn
Hawkeye Pocket InstamaticUS
Hawkeye pocket Instamatic IIIUS
Hawkeye Tele-Instamatic US
Instamatic 91 Nov 1974Jan 1976
Instamatic 92 Sep 1974Jan 1976
Instamatic 101 Brazil
Instamatic 125 Sep 1974Jan 1978
Instamatic 130 UK, GermanyJan 1976 1978
Instamatic 192 UK, GermanyJan 1975Jan 1976
Instamatic 230 UK, GermanyJan 1976 1978
Mini-Instamatic S 30 Germany Sep 1976Jan 1978
Mini-Instamatic S 40 Germany Sep 1976Jan 1978
Pocket Instamatic 10 US May 1973Sep 1976
Pocket Instamatic 20 US Mar 1972Jul 1976
Pocket Instamatic 30 US Mar 1972Apr 1976
Pocket Instamatic 40 US Mar 1972Nov 1975
Pocket Instamatic 50 US Mar 1972Apr 1976
Pocket Instamatic 60 US Mar 1972Sep 1976
Pocket Instamatic 100 UK, GermanySep 1972Dec 1974
Pocket Instamatic 101 UK Jan 1974Nov 1974
Pocket Instamatic 200 Germany Sep 1972Dec 1974
Pocket Instamatic 300 Sep 1972Aug 1976
Pocket Instamatic 400 Sep 1972 1976
Pocket Instamatic 500 Sep 1972 1976
Pocket Instamatic A-1 1978
Pocket Instamatic B-1 1979
Tele-Instamatic 330 US Sep 1975 1978
Tele-Instamatic 430 Germany Sep 1975 1978
Tele-Instamatic 530
Tele-Instamatic 608 US Apr 1975Jun 1979
Tele-Instamatic 708 US Mar 1976Jun 1979
Trimlite Instamatic 18US Apr 1975Jun 1979
Trimlite Instamatic 28 US Apr 1975Jun 1979
Trimlite Instamatic 38 US Apr 1975Jun 1979
Trimlite Instamatic 48 US Apr 1975Jun 1979
Winner Pocket InstamaticUS 1979


Super 8 movie cassette film

Super 8 Movie Instamatics
Name Manufacture Introduced Withdrawn
Kodak Instamatic M2 US 1965
Kodak Instamatic M4
Kodak Instamatic M6 (US) US
Kodak Instamatic M12
Kodak Instamatic M16
Kodak Instamatic M18
Kodak Instamatic M22
Kodak Instamatic M24
Kodak Instamatic M30

Instant cameras

Frequently "Instamatic" was used in error to refer to Kodak's instant cameras. Due to the strong association of Instamatic with 126 cameras, the name was not used for Instant cameras, which were instead branded Kodamatic, Colorburst, EK or simply Kodak Instant.

Notes

  1. Dates from Kodak's web site (archived)
  2. Brian Coe, Kodak Cameras: The First Hundred Years.

Books

  • Coe, Brian, Kodak Cameras: The First Hundred Years, pp.223-260, Hove Foto Books, Hove, East Sussex, UK: 1988.
- Source for some of the model names, and many of the dates.

Links