{"id":383,"date":"2016-08-19T07:47:55","date_gmt":"2016-08-19T12:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.captainsglen.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2022-01-01T13:48:29","modified_gmt":"2022-01-01T19:48:29","slug":"eastman-kodak-vest-pocket-model-b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.captainsglen.com\/?p=383","title":{"rendered":"Eastman Kodak Vest Pocket Model B"},"content":{"rendered":"
These were churned out by the hundreds of thousands, especially the cheap and cheerful version I have here.<\/div>\n
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Background<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Vest Pocket range were the first cameras to use the 127 roll film reels, which were designed for 8 exposures 4×6.5cm. They sold well over a million samples and, during the course of the first World War, became known as “The Soldiers Camera” when offered with the “autographic” feature. It’s price new of $7.50 translates to $98 in 2013 – clearly an inexpensive camera then and now. Other variants were more sophisticated than the Model B, which was aimed at Boy Scouts in particular.<\/p>\n

Technical Details<\/strong><\/p>\n

Very simple construction with a doublet lens having a single shutter speed, with a series of primitive apertures in a wheel in front of the lens. An included metal stylus was used to write on the paper backing through a sliding slot on the rear of the camera.<\/p>\n

Why it’s special<\/strong><\/p>\n

These were models that really popularized photography in the early part of the C20. Inexpensive and (just barely) good enough to record usable images<\/p>\n

The Museum Sample<\/strong><\/p>\n

Handed down to me by my Mother, it was her parent’s camera before coming to her – somehow it survived in the family for 90 years!<\/p>\n

Additional Info<\/h3>\n