Kodak 3A autographic camera.
Kodak
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1914
Materials
Leather, Paper, Metal, Glass
Measurements
120 x 240 x 50 mm
Place of origin
New York
Collection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1525623.1
Summary
Kodak 3A autographic camera. The Kodak No. 3A Autographic is one of Kodak’s early folding cameras and was designed to take a variant of 122 format film, commonly known as the postcard format. The specific variant in question is 122 autographic which allows you to use the camera’s metal stylus (seen here held by a metal clip onto the back of the camera) to record information about the photograph you just took by opening the long window underneath the stylus holder on the rear panel of the camera and writing directly onto the margin of the negative via carbon transfer paper. Like most early Kodak folding cameras, the lens on the 3A is quite modest: a simple anastigmat with a maximum aperture of f/7.7 and a minimum focus distance of six feet. Coupled to the lens is a home-grown ball bearing shutter with five different speeds: Time, Bulb, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100 seconds. Once you unfold the camera by finding and pressing the hidden button located on the handle side of the bottom plate, the 3A is fairly simple to operate. You compose by using the right-angle viewfinder above the lens, focus using the scale on the front panel and fire the shutter by pressing the lever at the lens barrel’s 10 o’clock position or with a cable release via the socket just behind it. https://vintagecameralab.com/kodak-no3a-autographic/ There is a handle strap attached to the camera with the word KODAK and the pull down metal hinge when extended has the number 29939 on one side and KODAK on the other. When the back is removed the following text – LICENCED FOR USE ONLY WITH EASTMAN AUTOGRAPHIC FILM, PATENT APPLIED FOR. NO 3A FOLDING POCKET KODAK, MODEL C, US PATENTS JUN 21 1898, SEPT 20 1891, OCT 8 1901, JAN 21 1902, APR 29 1902, JUL 8 1902, SEP 9 1902, SEP 7 1909, OC 19 1909, JAN 18 1910. OTHER PATENTS PENDING MANUFACTURED BY EASTMAN KODAK CO ROCHESTER NY MADE IN USA
Provenance
Donated to the Fox Talbot Museum by A. Saffin.
Makers and roles
Kodak, manufacturer