Maybe Kodak will only sound like film or prints if you are a certain age, or little or nothing. The truth is that one was a leading brand in photography for a whole century and, to this day, after some bump that I will tell you about later, it is still there, offering a variety of photographic products that you cannot even imagine.
In this complete guide we will take a walk through its interesting history, including its failure, and I will introduce you to its different photographic products: analog and digital cameras, film and printers.
Old Kodak Camera: Kodak Brownie
WHAT HAPPENED TO KODAK (AND WHY IT FAILED)
Eastman Kodak Company , better known as Kodak, is a multinational photographic company founded in 1892 in the United States. For a century it led the photographic sector thanks to its cameras and photographic films.
The company traces its origins to George Eastman, inventor of the photographic film that replaced the glass plate, and businessman Henry Strong. In 1888, Eastman, who believed in the democratization of photography, patented a camera that included a photographic film. That same year he launched the Kodak 100 Vista camera coining the tagline:
With this idea of turning a technical, difficult and cumbersome process into something easy and accessible to everyone (seeking photography to be "as practical as a pencil" ), he revolutionized the photographic world, greatly influencing our society.
His inventions did not end there, the commercialization of the transparent roll gave way to the invention of the movie camera; in the middle of the s. XX promoted the color revolution in the printing of books and magazines; in 1975 a Kodak engineer created the first digital type camera ; and produced Apple's first Quicktake digital cameras in 1994.
But… why did Kodak fail? If it was the market leader and Fujifilm, which remained stoically, was always lagging behind Kodak... It was precisely the democratization of photography for which its founder had advocated so much that swept the company away, although it would be more sensible to say that it was the bad decisions in the face of such important changes that led them to bankruptcy.
Fujifilm, which had nothing to lose, bet on the change, while the American brand, being the leader, renounced that digital camera invention that one of its engineers presented, fearing that it could end its film roll business and tried to hide it to the public. world.
What they did not think is that others could discover and commercialize it later. So it was. In short, they did not know how to adapt to the change that was coming and the company filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Led by its new CEO, Jeff Clarke, its restructuring process began in 2014.
Currently, it is redirecting its activity towards other markets, mainly photography and digital printing.
Since 2020, it has also sold pharmaceutical products. Behind all this there is another scandal related to the huge rise in Kodak shares and a loan from the US government, although this would be for another article (journalistic, of course).
KODAK INSTANT CAMERAS
Despite the fact that the company lost a patent battle for instant photography with Polaroid and abandoned this market in 1986, today, we find these Kodak instant cameras on the market. Unlike other brands, they are not only instant cameras, but also work as small pocket printers.
KODAK MINI SHOT 2
Instant camera to take photos that are printed at the moment. With the Mini Shot 2 you can also print photos taken with another camera or mobile device.
The size of the printed photo is 5 x 8.6 cm. It's in yellowand blank.
KODAK MINI SHOT 2 RETRO
Retro style instant camera, takes instant photos and prints the images taken with other devices.
Unlike other instant cameras, with the Mini Shot 2 retro you can decide whether or not to print the photo you just took.
The size of the photo is 5.3 x 8.6 cm and is available in blackand in yellow.
KODAK MINI SHOT 3 SQUARE
With the Kodak Mini Shot Combo 3 you can take images on the fly or print from other devices.
The photos are square format and 7.6 x 7.6 cm in size. It is available in whiteand in yellow.
KODAK MINI SHOT 3 SQUARE RETRO
The same model as the Kodak Mini Shot 3 Square camera, but with a retro style. you also have it in whiteand in yellow.
KODAK PRINTOMATIC INSTANT PRINT
Take photos as you print, images are sized 2" x 3" on Kodak Zink photo paper.
Prints are smudge-proof, tear-proof and adhesive-backed. It also does not require ink, toner, or film cartridge. Available in the following colors: Yellow, blue, green, gray, blackand rose.
KODAK SMILE CLASSIC
Take photos, save and print on a camera with an old-fashioned look but modern features like flash, delayed shooting, micro SD card, Bluetooth connectivity and long battery life.
It is not the most compact, because it prints photos at a size of 10.8 x 8.8 cm , but it is not heavy. It is also in various colors: Blue, black, red, green.
KODAK SMILE INSTANT PRINT
With this Kodak Smile camera you can choose the perfect photo before printing on adhesive Zinc paper in size 5 x 7.6 cm.
Camera and printer in one, with a nice design and a slider to turn the camera on. Possibility to insert a micro SD card, touch control panel, LCD navigation, 2 image modes, preview, automatic flash and rechargeable battery with up to 40 prints per charge.
You can get to know her better in this video:
KODAK STEP INSTANT PRINT
3-in-1 camera and printer. Print on 5 x 7.6 cm adhesive Zinc paper. Available in whiteand black.
Micro SD card, 3.5″ touch screen, 13 MP camera with optical zoom, split screen, pop-up flash, self-timer, selfie mirror, autofocus; HD video recorder; editing to add style to your photos with borders, stickers and filters; it also allows you to connect to any device to share on social networks or to send and print photos. And it only weighs 100g.
KODAK DIGITAL CAMERAS
They missed their chance, out of fear, yes. But in the end, sooner or later, either you get on the bandwagon or you stay on the ground. So Kodak could not be less with the subject of digital cameras, so yes, in its catalog they currently have the following digital cameras:
COMPACT CAMERAS
These are compact cameras from Kodak . They are characterized by being small, light, easy to use and cheap.
I'm including digital underwater cameras and action cameras here because they share your adventurous spirit:unspl
- Kodak Pixpro WPZ2: Submersible, shock and dust resistant.
- Kodak Pixpro 4KVR360:Action camera that records at 360º and in 4K.
- Kodak PixPro SP360:Submersible action camera, 360º and HD video.
- Kodax PixPro SP360 4K:Action camera that records in 4K, at 360º.
- Kodak PixPro SP1:Action camera, robust, compact and ultra-versatile, resistant to water, dust and freezing.
KODAK DISPOSABLE CAMERAS
Kodak's disposable cameras are self-contained, single-use cameras that are very easy to use and relatively inexpensive .
Ideal for traveling, excursions, parties, events, children's birthdays or any occasion in which you want to capture memories without complicating yourself (and keep the intrigue until the moment of development as we had to do a few years ago).
They strictly adhere to the motto " You press the button, we do the rest ", as you shoot all the exposures that the film allows you and hand it over to have the printed photos returned to you. Easy, easy.
Of course, to obtain good results you must use it outdoors and if it is indoors, it must be with a lot of light.
If you are bitten by the analog photography bug and want to try it before investing more, this is an excellent option.
These are the current models of Kodak disposable cameras:
KODAK FUN SAVER
This Kodak disposable camera is compact and easy to take with you anywhere. It brings a fantastic ISO 800 Kodak film that offers a beautiful range of saturated, very vivid and bright colors and a fine grain that is very characteristic of the brand.
HOW THE KODAK FUN SAVER WORKS
Like any disposable camera, you just have to remove the packaging and it's ready to use. If you are shooting indoors or in low light, activate the flash. Everything else is automatic. Once you finish the 27 exposures, you just have to deliver it to a place where you get developed, such as Kodak Express stores or any other photographic developing store.
KODAK SUC DAYLIGHT
Disposable camera without flash, with 39 exposures of Kodak ISO 800 film. Focal range of 1 m to infinity and 32.8 mm, f/10 lens. Dimensions 35 x 110 x 65mm. Weight: 80g
Warning!: This camera, as its name says, is for daylight. It does not have a flash, and it can work for you at dusk, but not at night, or in a dimly lit interior.
KODAK WATER SPORTS
Disposable waterproof camera , robust, durable and shock resistant rubber housing; with lens resistant to scratches and sun cream. It comes with ISO 800 film and 27 Kodak UltraMax exposures.
It's waterproof to 15m, though at that depth you won't have enough light to get decent photos unless you use additional lighting (flashlights etc). It is rather to be used near the surface and with a lot of light since it does not have a flash.
KODAK POWER FLASH
Robust, disposable camera with integrated flash with a range between 1.2 – 4.5 m. Get brightly colored photos and, unlike previous models, thanks to its flash you can use it in low-light environments. 27 exposures of 800 ISO film. Dimensions: 40 x 130 x 120mm. Weight: 70g approx.
In the following video you can see example photos taken with this Kodak Power Flash:
KODAK ANALOG CAMERAS
In addition to disposable ones, Kodak has reusable analog cameras. They are also compact, very easy to use, with practically everything automatic, and very cheap to start with analog photography.
KODAK M35
Fixed focus Kodak analog camera with an aperture of F10 and a shutter speed of 1/120.
Integrated flash, which you can turn on and off. It requires AAA battery to use, although you can take photos without the battery. Focus range: adjustable, 1 m to infinity. Dimensions: 114 x 63 x 35mm. Weight: 100g. It is available on Amazon in the following colors: Mint, yellow, rose, blueand purple.
KODAK M38
Kodak analog camera very similar to the M35 but with improved flash, reel changing is a bit easier and it weighs about 20g more.
Available in: Blue, scarletand Grapefruit.
REELS – KODAK FILM
For a 135 format Kodak analog camera (or 35mm film) you have the following types of reel available.
GOLD 200
35mm film, 36 exposures, 200 ISO. Excellent combination of color saturation, fine grain and high sharpness.
Recommended for daylight or flash. It is one of the most successful reels of the brand that is used by both amateurs and professionals.
GATE 160
35mm Color Negative Film, Kodak Portra 160 135-36. Ideal for amateur and expert photographers alike, with soft, unsaturated colours, perfect for daylight portraits and obtaining faithful skin tones.
DOOR 400
35mm Color Negative Film for professional or amateur use. The Kodak Portra 400 film is the best option to accurately portray different skin tones. It stands out for its fine grain and its soft contrast.
Recommended for use outdoors or in a studio with continuous light and electronic flash. Also available Kodak Portra 800 reel.
COLOR PLUS 200
Economically priced 35mm film, ideal for beginners and getting fairly accurate results without investing too much. Recommended for bright days.
ULTRA MAX 400
Kodak GC/UltraMax 400 color (35mm roll film, 24 exposures). Mid-range and versatile reel, to be used in different lighting situations. Vibrant and saturated colors.
EKTAR 100
35 mm Color Negative Film with 36 exposures, for professionals and advanced amateurs. It is versatile and offers vivid colors with the finest grain you can find.
Ideal for landscape, travel, product, nature and fine art photography.
100 T-MAX
Black and white film for 35mm cameras with ISO 100. Very fine grain and sharpness. For use in abundant light.
There is also Kodak 400 T-Maxwith ISO 400.
Before purchasing a film, you should look not only at whether it is in color or in black and white, but also at the ISO, the number of exposures and the type of photography for which they are recommended. Also watch out for the expiration date.
KODAK PRINTERS
Below is a table with the photo printers that Kodak currently has on the market:
| DockPlus | mini 3 | SMILE | STEP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | 10×15cm | 7.6×7.6cm | 5×7.6cm | 5×7.6cm |
| Connection | Bluetooth docking |
bluetooth | bluetooth | Bluetooth NFC |
| need ink |
? | ? | ? | ? |
| cartridge/ paper |
kodak dock |
Kodak Mini3 |
Kodak zink |
Kodak zink |
| app | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Color | White | White Yellow Black |
White Black Blue Green Red |
Black White Blue Pink |
| Size | 10x17x 6.9cm |
12.7 × 10.2x2.5cm |
11.7×8.1x 2.3cm |
7.6 × 12.7x2.5cm |
| Weight | 760g | 870g | 450g | 249g |
| Others | with and without border |
with and without border |
waterproof adhesive paper _ |
3 photo modes With and without Micro SD border |
| Price | €166.99 | €94.50 | 119.99€ | €79.99 |
I hope this Kodak guide has been useful to you, in that case, I invite you to share it in case we can help someone solve doubts or find what they are looking for.
