From the 1960s through the 1980s, camera manufacturers tried to make photography simpler. Cameras already had high quality film, shutters, lenses, rangefinders, and exposure meters—but now photographers wanted mechanization. From mechanical film releases, to automatic focusing and instant prints, camera technology boomed in the second half of the twentieth century. The arrival of microprocessors and computers forever changed the world of photography.
Automatic Cameras and Instant Photographs
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Kodak Motormatic 35 c.1960-1962
The Motormatic was Kodak’s first 35mm camera with automatic exposure. Cameras with automatic exposure settings calculated the correct lens and shutter speed for the optimum exposure.
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Kodak Instamatic 100 c.1963-1966
By the 1960s, roll film cameras still deterred mass photography because unloading and reloading film was sometimes a hassle—and if not properly done could damage the image. Kodak introduced Kodapak […]
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Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 c.1981
When is the last time you manually focused a camera? Our cameras today come with autofocus options and digital technology. This camera is a later model of Minolta’s 35mm camera—the […]
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Polaroid 700 c.1955-1957
The Polaroid, also known as the Land Camera after its creator Edwin Land, developed the photograph just minutes after exposure. This camera was similar to the original Polaroid—the Polaroid 95—that […]
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Kodak Disc 4000 c.1982
With the Disc, Kodak introduced a pocket sized camera that used a film disc cassette instead of roll film. It was completely automatic—from the exposure to the film advance—and all […]
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Canon AE-1 c.1981
This is a special SLR (Single-lens Reflex) camera because it is the first to come out with a built in microprocessor—a big step toward the digital age. Digital technology revolutionized […]
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Nimslo 3000 3D c.1980s
The Nimslo was a completely automatic, stereo, 35mm camera. It was also the first 35mm lenticular camera—the prints appeared 3D. No glasses needed! Stereo cameras have two separate lenses that […]