Types of Non-Polaroid Instant Cameras
Some of the earliest instant cameras were brought to market before Edwin Land's invention of the instant camera. These cameras are, however, more portable darkrooms than "instant" camera. After Land's patent was brought to market, many imitators surfaced, some using Polaroid-compatible film and equipment, such as cameras by Keystone, Konica, and Minolta. Others were incompatible with Polaroid cameras and film, the most notable of these being made by Kodak, such as the Kodamatic. These cameras accepted a Kodak-branded integral instant film, similar to Polaroid's SX-70 film. This was simple for Kodak, because Kodak had, in fact, manufactured film for Polaroid up to this point, thus they were privy to the manufacturing process. The Kodak film was chemically identical to the Polaroid version with the exception that the final print was viewed from the opposite side to the exposed surface. Polaroid brought a patent-infringement lawsuit against Kodak, and eventually Kodak was forced to stop manufacture of both the camera and film. Kodak was also left to pay a settlement to some customers who were left without a way to use their now-defunct cameras. (Many were offered $50 in Kodak stock). Kodak also lost the contract to manufacture Polaroid's film who now took production in house.
Customers were offered the chance to exchange such Kodak cameras (e.g., the EK160-EF), for one of the new Disc cameras. Although many did make the swap, some did not trust the new disc format, especially in light of the instant picture camera fiasco and held onto their cameras. There are still many thousands available and even in mint condition with all the original booklets, instructions and carrying case they are worth little, and certainly far less than their original 1970s selling price.
Read more about this topic: Instant Camera
Famous quotes containing the words types of, types, instant and/or cameras:
“Science is intimately integrated with the whole social structure and cultural tradition. They mutually support one other—only in certain types of society can science flourish, and conversely without a continuous and healthy development and application of science such a society cannot function properly.”
—Talcott Parsons (1902–1979)
“If there is nothing new on the earth, still the traveler always has a resource in the skies. They are constantly turning a new page to view. The wind sets the types on this blue ground, and the inquiring may always read a new truth there.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The instant field of the present is at all times what I call the ‘pure’ experience. It is only virtually or potentially either object or subject as yet.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“While the music is performed, the cameras linger savagely over the faces of the audience. What a bottomless chasm of vacuity they reveal! Those who flock round the Beatles, who scream themselves into hysteria, whose vacant faces flicker over the TV screen, are the least fortunate of their generation, the dull, the idle, the failures . . .”
—Paul Johnson (b. 1928)