Unusual film camera format

A friend of mine who is from Chile came over Sunday to scan some old

slides from his uncle. From the people and locations, he knows that

the slides were taken in the 60's. The transparencies are color and

mounted in a slide frame who's outside dimensions are the same as

35mm slides.

 

Here's where things start to look a little different. When we had to

remove one slide from it's mount (cardboard mount bent and

distorted), we noticed that, although the film and frame appear to be

the same height as 35mm (in portrait orientation), the frame is

square (as is the opening on the slide mount) - it looks like

miniature 6x6! I guess this would make it 24mm x 24mm? Anyway, the

frames are too wide for half-frame 35mm and the sprocket hole (there

is only one per frame at the bottom left of the film when the image

is right-side-up) is much different from 35mm. A single frame fit OK

in the "damaged film" holder for my Nikon LS-4000 and scanned well,

but we are confounded.

 

Considering that the camera is probably 50's or 60's vintage and at

least used, if not made, in South America, does anyone have a guess

as to what type of camera/film format this is?

It could be the Robot (1950s-1960s mechanical 35mm camera that produced 24x24mm images, had a clockwork motordrive) or more likely, a Kodak Instamatic. <br>I say more likely Instamatic, because these were consumer cameras sold worldwide in large quantities, the Robot was far less popular.

My dad used to have the Robot, said he loved it........if anyone cares :o)

 

Max.

I'm sure that has to be 126 film.

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It used to be EXTREMELY common... <b><i>the</b></i> P&S format back before we called it P&S...

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See:

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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/126_film">"126 Film"</a>

1 5/8" square - 127

I'd say Bryce is correct... the single sproket hole per frame, square frame, etc, all point to 126 "Instamatic" film.

I care Max I care!

126, Crackers, not 127. 127 is not perforated.

 

Cheers,

 

Proud owner, ashamed non-user, of a nice Sawyer's Mk. IV

I know it's not perfed. I had a hard time with ' it's like a 6x6 except when it's turned up like a portrait might be on Wednesday after a full moon in the Fall'. That's why I spit out a number - I figured the guy might find a ruler and be done with it.

By the way, you can still get superslide mounts for the square 126 and 127 format films, as well as 127 film (I haven't gone looking for 126). The 127 cameras include some real beauties - my most recent upload is from my Yashica 44, but I keep looking for a nice Baby Rollei...

Thanks for the link, Bryce (and info from most of the rest). 126 is exactly what it is. I've shot 35mm and medium format since the mid-60's, but never had contact with an Instamatic. My horizons broaden every day!