In 1885, George Eastman pioneered the use of photographic film. Three years later, he patented the original box camera which he called Kodak, trademarking a brand that would “revolutionize the field of photography.”
The Kodak No. 1, one of the first mass market-focused cameras was released to the market and made photography accessible to the public. The US$25 camera sported a simple design and was preloaded with 100 frames of film. Photographers would then send the entire camera back to the factory for film developing, printing, and camera reloading. Fittingly, the tagline for the original Kodak was, “You Press the Button, We Do the Rest.”
The National Media Museum has a collection of the original Kodak’s circular snapshots (two and a half inches in diameter), giving us a rare and fascinating look into the world some 125 years ago. Enjoy!
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
National Media Museum
H/t Mental Floss