Shooting with the Kodak 104 Instamatic
by Dan Wagner
Photographers of all generations will relish walking down memory lane with a Kodak Instamatic camera. The simplicity of its single f/stop, and shutter speed are welcome reliefs from the complexity of shooting with modern cameras. Hearing the distinctive shutter click and rotating flashcube readying for the next shot add to the mystique.
For visual interest, the photos in the gallery above were scanned to include the image area around the frame.
Kodak Instamatic cameras use 12, 20, and 24-exposure 126-film cartridges that are no longer manufactured. And although expired film from the mid to late 1990’s can be found on eBay—the results are not guaranteed. Fortunately, however, the color shifts and faded look of old film are part of the appeal. Photographers can retrofit their 126-film cartridges to accept 35mm film, or purchase new reusable ones.
Kodak Instamatic 104 Specifications:
Square format
126-film cartridge
43mm lens
Focus range is 4’ to infinity
Rotating flashcube requires two AAA batteries
Flashcubes shooting distance 5-10’
Mechanical leaf shutter
1/90 and 1/40 sec (with a flashcube attached)
You can trick your Instamatic camera into shooting at 1/40 sec without firing a flash by using a spent flashcube. Flashcubes provide four separate flashes, and are inserted into a spring-loaded, rotating socket that turns after each shot to expose an unfired bulb. Before buying flashcubes, look at the flash socket to find out if your Instamatic camera requires round base or square base flashcubes.
From the Kodak Instamatic instruction manual:
Simply do this…
Drop in a No. 126 “Kodapak” Film Cartridge—camera is loaded
Operate film advance lever until it locks—first exposure is ready.
Aim through eye-level finder—you see a bright, clear image of your subject.
Press the shutter release—you’ve snapped a picture.
Unloading:
After the last picture, operate the film advance until all the yellow paper has been wound past the rear window (an “X” in the window indicates that the backing paper has not been fully wound into the take-up chamber).
Slide up the lock button and open the back of the camera.
Lift out the used “Kodapak” Cartridge and re-load with a fresh one.
Note: Partially used “Kodapak” Cartridges cannot be inter-changed or removed from the camera except in a darkroom. Therefore, do not open the back of the camera after loading until the yellow paper has been wound past the window. Otherwise, some of the pictures will be ruined due to “light-fogging.”
I hope this information will make your Kodak Instamatic camera adventures easier and more successful. Thanks for visiting The Cranky Camera!
