Vintage 110 cameras: The pocket cameras with small film cartridges that made photography incredibly easy

New from Kodak: World’s smallest pocket camera for under $30

By Ivan Berger – Popular Mechanics (June 1972)

It loads like an Instamatic, takes pictures like an Instamatic, is handy like an Instamatic — but looks like no Instamatic you’ve ever seen before.

I dropped a Kodacolor cartridge into my new Instamatic, then slipped it into the breast pocket of my suit. It barely made a bulge — it’s only one inch thick.

It’s the Instamatic 20, first and (at $29.95 with film and Magicube) least expensive of Kodak’s five new pocket Instamatic cameras — and the beginning of a whole new system of photography.

Besides the cameras (which range in price up to $129.95), the system includes four kinds of film (two of them new), a new slide mount system, and three new, small Carousel projectors with 120-slide trays.

The cameras are all Instamatic-easy to use. The cartridge looks and loads like a standard Instamatic 126, but is reduced in size to take 12 or 20 13×17-mm exposures on 16-mm film; you can’t put it in the camera wrong. The film winds with two zips of your thumb on a slide recessed into the camera bottom. You can’t double-expose or wind past the next frame.

You don’t have to worry about exposure settings, either. On all but the under-$30 pocket Instamatic 20 (with fixed aperture and shutter), exposure is automatically controlled by a CdS electric eye and an electronically-timed shutter. On the top-of-the-line pocket Instamatic 50 and 60 models, the eye controls apertures, too, from f/2.7 to f/17.

All five cameras have batteryless Magicube flash sockets that rotate as you wind the film. The pocket Instamatic 40, 50 and 60 also cut down the light that reaches the film when you flash close-up, to prevent overexposure.

In low light, all models from the 30 ($50) up automatically shoot time exposures up to 10 seconds; below 1/30 second, a light in the finder tells you to use a tripod and cable release to prevent shake. Outdoors, the 50 ($110) and its rangefinder-focusing twin the 60 ($130) shoot at a shake-stopping 1/250 second whenever possible.

With the new, sharper Kodacolor II print film (available only in the new 110 size this year), 3-1/4×4-1/4 and 5×7-inch prints were about as sharp as those from regular Instamatics. Slides (on Kodachrome II and Ektachrome) were crisp and brilliant in the new projectors. For black and white, an improved Verichrome Pan is coming soon.

It’s not the first or smallest camera system, but it’s the first you can buy anywhere you normally buy film.

Little camera. Big pictures.

Pocketful of miracles: New Kodak pocket Instamatic camera

Kodak introduces the Pocket – 110 camera

Little camera. Big pictures. Now you can take big, sharp pictures with a camera that fits in your pocket. You get good, clear 3-1/2×4-1/2 inch color snapshots with the new Kodak pocket Instamatic camera.

It has a multi-element lens and uses a remarkable new Kodak film. Just drop in the new little film cartridge and shoot. For flash, use a self-powered Magicube. Five models, all but one with automatic exposure control.

Now Kodak has six pockets: The 110 film cameras

The Hip Pocket cameras – Instamatic 10 (1973)

Newest, smallest, least expensive Kodak pocket camera. Less than $23.

Rollei A110 vintage film camera (1978)

Finally. Simply beautiful photographs from a beautifully simple camera.

Why Arthur Godfrey picked a Vivitar pocket camera (1977)

Kodak Tele-Instamatic 708 camera – less than $96 (1977)

Sears Tele 110 camera (1977)

Save two kinds of shots this Christmas — regular and telephoto closeups.

Michael Landon for Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608

I wanted two cameras in one pocket.

Make the most of the times in your life – Michael Landon, writer, director, star.

When I’m behind my own camera, I like to shoot things my way. So I got a Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608 camera.

It takes big, colorful pictures two ways, telephoto and normal. Actual picture size is 3-1/2″ x 4-1/2″. There are two f/11 Lumenized lenses inside. Just flick a switch to change from normal to telephoto. It couldn’t be simpler. A built-in lens cover protects the lenses when the camera’s in my pocket.

Then there are several ingenious things to make sure I don t goof; double-exposure prevention, centering marks in the viewfinder, and fixed focus. And it looks good. Especially with your own personal monogram on the back.

Captions on right: A normal shot of my son, Mike Jr. / Telephoto gives you a closer look. / This is my daughter, Leslie, and my loudest son, Chris.

Michael Landon for Kodak Trimlite 18 camera

I wanted little Mike to show me his world

– Michael Landon, writer, director, star.

I told my son to take a good look at the world. And then put a frame around the things he likes to see best. “It’s almost as if your Kodak camera is your window on the world,” I said. The Kodak Trimlite Instamatic 18 camera. It couldn’t be simpler. Or handier. Mike just aims and shoots, and gets big, colorful pictures.

You don’t have to focus or adjust anything. And the Lumenized lens gives you sharp, clear pictures. A soft-touch shutter release means there’s less chance of camera movement. You can have your own personal monogram on the back. There’s built-in double-exposure prevention. So it’s really a sophisticated camera that happens to be so simple anyone can use it.

The Christmas camera: It couldn’t be simpler

The gift that keeps on giving picture after picture. The Kodak Trimlite Instamatic 18 camera fits in your pocket and gets big, colorful pictures.

You don’t have to focus or adjust anything. There’s even built-in double exposure prevention.

It comes in a complete gift outfit with Kodak color film and flipflash-everything you need to take pictures on Christmas. Less than $27.

Michael Landon for Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608 cameras

The Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608 camera is twice as nice a gift. Because, with two lenses, it takes big, colorful pictures two ways…telephoto and normal.

It’s easy to use and it fits in your pocket. It comes in a complete gift outfit with Kodak color film and flip flash — everything you need to take pictures on Christmas morning.

The great thing about the telephoto lens is that it can make the best part of your picture bigger.

Kodak Trimlite Instamatic 28 & 38 camera outfits (1977)

Ready in a flash! New Kodak Ektralite 110 film cameras (1979)

Brand-nrew Kodak cameras with a flash that flips out at the touch of a button. So you’re always ready in a flash for sharp, clear pictures.

Kodak Tele-Ektralite 20 camera / Ektralite 30 camera / Ektralite 40 with tele-lens and auto-exposure