User:Edwin of Northumbria/Pocket Kodak Camera

The Pocket Kodak Camera, introduced by the Eastman Kodak Company in July 1895, was a small, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive camera which could be used with either Kodak 102 roll film or (by purchasing an adaptor) dry photographic plates. Measuring just 2¼ x 2⅞ x 3⅞ inches and weighing about 5 oz (140 g), the camera consisted of a wooden shell covered with leather and internal frame made from aluminium.

Four variants of the original design were produced between 1895 and 1896 in red or black leather, with revised versions being released annually from 1896 to 1899 (Models '96 to '99) in black leather only. The launch of the Model D in 1900 marked the end of the camera's development and it was withdrawn by the end of the following year. The Pocket Kodak was marketed in Europe as well as the United States, where, at a cost of $5, it proved to be an immediate success and according to one report, cameras were selling "like hot cakes" in Chicago within days of becoming available. Out of a total of 147,000 Pocket Kodaks made,100,000 were sold in the first year, their price and ease of use doing much to popularize photography as a recreational activity.

Design and development
The Pocket Kodak was designed to accommodate the bespoke Kodak 102 roll film, which generated twelve 1½ x 2 inch (4 x 5 cm) negatives. Not only could the film be loaded in daylight as it was protected by a paper backing, but from numbers printed on the paper which were visible through a hole covered by red glass at the rear of the camera, it was possible for the photographer to determine when the film had been wound on by the required amount. This feature was a patented innovation of Boston Camera Company, from whom George Eastman purchased a license to use it in 1894 before acquiring the business a year later.

The original Pocket Kodak was produced between July 1895 and June 1896 and had a Tisdell sector shutter with a round reflecting viewfinder. The first of the four variants from this period had felt film guides and plain metal flaps on the film carrier. Initially the shutter was mounted on the film carrier but was later transferred to a separate board. The second variant differed only in having printing on the flaps. The third variant had roller film guides and either printed or plain flaps. The final variant again had roller guides but the shutter was attached to the film carrier. The 1896 model introduced a rectangular viewfinder and rotary shutter, the latter being attached to the film carrier which was made of wood rather than aluminium. The addition of pull-up strips also gave the user limited control over aperture and shutter speed.

Operation
The Pocket Kodak was supplied with two instruction booklets – a "Field Primer" and "Darkroom Primer", whose contents were updated and combined into a single booklet with the release of the Model '96.