Instamatic 126 Cartridges

wblynch · Sep 1, 2010

haha! Lanline is hooked!

I went back to film because d* wasn't good enough and now I'm going back to crappy Instamatics ! (and I never owned an Instamatic in my life before now)

I wish we could get Kodachrome in 126 one last time. Sadly I'll never know that joy.

From my trip to Las Vegas and the Instamatic 104 I only got one picture I liked. And it was a night shot. Fixed lens, fixed shutter speed but my scanner pulled one great picture off a nearly clear frame.

Developed the film myself and I think my C-41 chems are about shot.

M.A.Longmore · Sep 3, 2010

Trolling For A New Signature Quotation !!!

wblynch said:
haha! Lanline is hooked!

I went back to film because d* wasn't good enough and now I'm going back to crappy Instamatics ! (and I never owned an Instamatic in my life before now)

I wish we could get Kodachrome in 126 one last time. Sadly I'll never know that joy.

From my trip to Las Vegas and the Instamatic 104 I only got one picture I liked. And it was a night shot. Fixed lens, fixed shutter speed but my scanner pulled one great picture off a nearly clear frame.

Developed the film myself and I think my C-41 chems are about shot.

.
Hi Bill,

I'm looking for a new signature quote.
This will be taken into consideration,
unless you come up with something
snappier, in the next few days.

I got started with an Instamatic, and Magic Cubes !
Every summer my Mom would buy a bunch of cartridges,
and Magic Cubes. It's just making sense to me now,
That She Was Trying To Keep Me Out Of Trouble ...
Must have been the episode with the model rockets ?

Ron
.

Removed Account2 · Sep 3, 2010

wblynch said:
The Year of the Instamatic.

2013 will be the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the 126 Instamatic cartridge.

It sure would be great if Kodak had a 50th anniversary event. Offer new 126 film with prepaid mailers for $10.99. Or $14.99 for film, processing, prints and Kodak Photo CD.

Maybe we can put a bug in their ears? It gives them 2 1/2 years to get ready.

I note that 2012 is the 4oth anniversary of the 110 film, we could pester Kodak to start ramping up to the great 50th anniversary by marking the 40th anniversary first, to get them used to the idea.....

wblynch · Sep 3, 2010

That's funny. I like it.

Maybe I'll use, "Must have been the episode with the model rockets ?"

Ron LarFor4X5 said:
.
Hi Bill,

I'm looking for a new signature quote.
This will be taken into consideration,
unless you come up with something
snappier, in the next few days.

I got started with an Instamatic, and Magic Cubes !
Every summer my Mom would buy a bunch of cartridges,
and Magic Cubes. It's just making sense to me now,
That She Was Trying To Keep Me Out Of Trouble ...
Must have been the episode with the model rockets ?

Ron
.

M.A.Longmore · Sep 3, 2010

wblynch said:
That's funny. I like it.

Maybe I'll use, "Must have been the episode with the model rockets ?"

.
A classic example of The Troller,
Being Trolled ...

I did not expect that.

Enjoy The Weekend, And The Final Few Minutes Of Summer

Ron
.

hpulley · Nov 4, 2010

Dredging up old stuff here hoping to find something for my own Instamatic but I also have an Astrocam 110. I should check the plastic fins and camera body to see if they might launch in 2012 which would be fun...

For the 126 it looks like it's color or bulk loading B&W... would be fun if Kodak did a commemorative run but I'm not holding my breath for it.

wblynch · Nov 4, 2010

hpulley said:
For the 126 it looks like it's color or bulk loading B&W... would be fun if Kodak did a commemorative run but I'm not holding my breath for it.

We are really out here on our own little island.

Wade D · Nov 5, 2010

Ron LarFor4X5 said:
.
Hi Bill,

I'm looking for a new signature quote.
This will be taken into consideration,
unless you come up with something
snappier, in the next few days.

I got started with an Instamatic, and Magic Cubes !
Every summer my Mom would buy a bunch of cartridges,
and Magic Cubes. It's just making sense to me now,
That She Was Trying To Keep Me Out Of Trouble ...
Must have been the episode with the model rockets ?

Ron
.

My first camera was an Instamatic with color slide film. Got it for my birthday before a trip to Yosemite when I was 12. I was into model rockets but didn't have the camera version. I did launch my first 35mm camera on a tethered weather balloon though. Wish I could find those negs. :confused:

hpulley · Dec 7, 2010

Got my Solaris last week, finished a roll off yesterday and it is being processed at my local lab today. If they muff it I'll have to order some Tetanal powder or something for the next 3 rolls. On my next order I'm going to get some GE Flipflashes too for indoor use. Actually, perhaps I should do that now for fun if it can make shipment by the 25th as I always enjoyed 126 with flip flash around Christmas time as a kid and since this is all about nostalgia for me it sounds perfect.

wblynch · Dec 7, 2010

I did find some flash cubes for my Kodak 104. I think your Christmas flash idea is great. That huge bright spot in the center with the tremendous light falloff at the edges, classic Instamatic!

hpulley · Dec 7, 2010

I had a camera that took FlashCubes too but I can't find it anymore, dagnabbit! My Instamatic just takes Flips. Misfires, the heat of the sun near your head, flying shrapnel on occasion, what could be more fun?

wblynch · Jan 8, 2011

A coworker just returned from visiting his small hometown in Italy and he brought me a roll of 1970 3M 126 black and white.

I guess he stopped into the local photo shop and mentioned 126 to the lady and she went in the back and brought out a dusty box with this 126 cartridge in there, still in the box.

It says ASA 80, 12 exposures so I think it will still take pictures. I'll take a picture of the box and wrapping, and try to use the 12 shots for cool stuff. I'll use in in my Kodak 500 since it has manual control and a better lens than the 104.

I am anxious to use it but gotta save those 12 for just the right shots.

hpulley · Jan 8, 2011

At 80 ASA it might still be good. Faster film might be fogged. I'd kill for some B&W 126 film! I bought four Solaris 200 cartidges from 'Frugal' photographer for $12.99 each (last film available so beggars can't be choosers) but so far out of 3 only 1 has been opened in such a way that I can reload it, the other two broke. I have one more to finish, hopefully I can open it carefully enough to have two reloaders.

The Kodak Instamatic 500 is a great camera, I've been using one lately. Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 38mm f/2.8 lens and 1/30-1/500 Compur shutter, very nice! Mine still has a working Gossen selenium meter too.

wblynch · Jan 9, 2011

I can get old Kodak cartridges open pretty easily with a snap twist and a razor blade. But you gotta be careful or you'll tweak them all out of shape.

Stephen Frizza · Jan 9, 2011

i process 126 film monthly eventually they will all open up easily.its just practice.

hpulley · Jan 9, 2011

wblynch said:
I can get old Kodak cartridges open pretty easily with a snap twist and a razor blade. But you gotta be careful or you'll tweak them all out of shape.

I think the old Kodaks were easier than the Solaris ones but I could be wrong. I haven't so much as seen Kodak 126 in years though I guess I could still buy some long expired Kodacolor on eBay.

wblynch · Jan 9, 2011

hpulley said:
I guess I could still buy some long expired Kodacolor on eBay.

About the only way to get them anymore...

hpulley · Jan 9, 2011

wblynch said:
About the only way to get them anymore...

Have you bought any Solaris 200 from "Frugal" photographer? They're expired March 2010 (color balance has already shifted a bit toward cyan it seems) and they cost $12.99, more than I ever paid for a 126 camera but they work!

wblynch · Jan 10, 2011

hpulley said:
Have you bought any Solaris 200 from "Frugal" photographer? They're expired March 2010 (color balance has already shifted a bit toward cyan it seems) and they cost $12.99, more than I ever paid for a 126 camera but they work!

No, I haven't. I would like to try it but I'm too cheap to pay that price. So I roll my own.

I only expect to shoot 5 or 6 a year and I have enough bulk color for about 20 more rolls. When that's gone I'll do something else I guess.

For me it's only about the fun of using cameras the corporations think we should not use anymore.

hpulley · Jan 10, 2011

wblynch said:
No, I haven't. I would like to try it but I'm too cheap to pay that price. So I roll my own.

I only expect to shoot 5 or 6 a year and I have enough bulk color for about 20 more rolls. When that's gone I'll do something else I guess.

For me it's only about the fun of using cameras the corporations think we should not use anymore.

I just hope that if we buy the rest of their stock, perhaps they'll make another fresh run? That said this was made in late 2007 so if it takes the world over 3 years to go through a run of it then perhaps ferrania won't make any more; I'm still holding out hope that their manufacturing could still make another run of it. It is like everything else in film, if we don't buy it they won't make it.

hpulley · Jan 13, 2011

The last cartridge opened right up! One slight twist and it cracked, fingernail along the edge to open it and the whole back came off perfectly! So now I have two reloadable cartridges, very cool.

And the ferrania Solaris 200 developed great in the Tetenal Press Kit C41 chems. Just too bad the Instamatic 500 shutter didn't fire on the 24th frame for some reason, hmm.

wblynch · Jan 13, 2011

hpulley said:
The last cartridge opened right up! One slight twist and it cracked, fingernail along the edge to open it and the whole back came off perfectly! So now I have two reloadable cartridges, very cool.

And the ferrania Solaris 200 developed great in the Tetenal Press Kit C41 chems. Just too bad the Instamatic 500 shutter didn't fire on the 24th frame for some reason, hmm.

Maybe you can post a link?

BTW, those cartridges that 'broke' still have good spools and backing paper, right? You might want to hold on to those...

Oh, and did I mention I found a whole carton of 12 packs of flashcubes at the Pasadena camera swap last weekend? LOL !! Moving backwards at the speed of light.

hpulley · Jan 13, 2011

wblynch said:
Maybe you can post a link?

BTW, those cartridges that 'broke' still have good spools and backing paper, right? You might want to hold on to those...

Oh, and did I mention I found a whole carton of 12 packs of flashcubes at the Pasadena camera swap last weekend? LOL !! Moving backwards at the speed of light.

Link to which, the film? I buy it here:
http://www.frugalphotographer.com/cat126.htm

I got the Tetenal from B&H:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/109267-REG/Tetenal_T109306_C_41_Press_Kit_for.html

The spools look sturdy enough to last many reloadings but you're right about the backing paper. I'm not sure how many times I can reuse it so I should keep extras as it is already kind of crinkled after one use.

hpulley · Jan 13, 2011

Could I re-use backing paper from 120 rolls I wonder? I bet I could cut it down and mark the 126 frame numbers in the correct place.

wblynch · Jan 13, 2011

hpulley said:
Could I re-use backing paper from 120 rolls I wonder? I bet I could cut it down and mark the 126 frame numbers in the correct place.

Sorry, I meant a link to the pictures from your home developed Ferrania 126 pics...

Yeah, I was thinking about repurposed 120 paper myself. Unless you make your own numbers, they wouldn't show in the window but so what.

I can tell you from experience that you don't want to use White Out on the backing paper for your new numbers. Some 127 film I bought had that done and it transferred to the film emulsion, wasting the 3 rolls.

Instamatic 126 Cartridges

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