Kodak Instant Picture Cameras
Introduced in 1977 as Kodak's answer to Polaroid's domination of the instant picture market, the film technology was almost immediately challenged by Polaroid as a patent infringement. The long-ensuing legal wrangling finally ended in 1986 when Kodak were forced to withdraw from the instant picture market, leaving very many cameras, (16.5 million, according to one source), with no film. Camera owners were offered various degrees of compensation in exchange for their now useless cameras, which Kodak then apparently destroyed. The ones that are left in the jumble sales, charity shops, lofts and cupboards of the world represent what may be one of the most unusual of the Kodak camera ranges, of little more than sentimental value to their owners and of no practical use, but eminently collectable nevertheless.
The above was written to reflect the position as I understood it in the UK. I have since discovered the position to have been different in the USA, where not the whole camera was returned, but just the nameplate, consequently a lot of cameras exist with no model identification on them.
On some models, three small recesses may be noted, often containing letters. Kodak supplied a sheet of self-adhesive initials with these cameras so that the owner could personalise their camera.
The film has gone the way of the dodo a few decades ago and as far as I know there is no way to convert these cameras for use with Polaroid pack film, which in itself will soon be history too. Even when you find some vintage Kodak Instant film, it will be long out of date and won't give you great (if any) pictures. So all in all, these cameras do look great and should in my opinion be part of any 1970s retro style home but there is no way to take pictures with it anymore.
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