Instant 35mm

Almost assuredly it was Kodachrome 64.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

"In 1961 Kodak released Kodachrome II with sharper images and faster ASA speeds at 25 ASA.[21] In 1962, Kodachrome-X at ASA 64 was introduced. In 1974, with the transition to the K-14 process, Kodachrome II and Kodachrome-X were replaced by Kodachrome 25 and Kodachrome 64.[22]"

 

I more often used Ektachrome in 35mm, and didn't remember when the change was for Kodachrome, but it seems to have been about the same time.

 

It was on a river somewhere in central Illinois.

A very nice issue, Marc, thanks for posting!

 

Kodak attempted several times to secure competitive advantage by launching new, exclusive film formats. 126 was probably the boldest effort.

 

Looking at those cameras so many years later I am stricken by how different (and nicer) the 500 was from the other types. I wonder how Mr. Nerwin really felt about inventing 126 and these plastics marvels, after his previous work.

 

It was a good year for more serious cameras as well, for instance the Olympus Pen F and a Topcon with CdS behind-the-lens metering.

 

In "Behind the Scenes" we are warned not to get a Pentax into the U.S. without Honeywell's permission - maybe the warning was oriented to those going to the Tokyo olympic games.

 

The article in Camera 35 about two-bath developers is quite useful.

Great discussions regarding the 126 format, and I was interested to see some information on the Yamoto Koki Seisakusho "Artronic L", supposedly the first camera in the world to have an electronic shutter. So far as I know it never reached the production line, but it was an interesting development from a small Japanese company. Thanks for the post, Marc.