Kodak Cine-Kodak (1923–1960)
The Cine-Kodak is the line of 16mm amateur motion picture cameras that launched the format itself. Kodak introduced the Cine-Kodak Model A in 1923, creating the 16mm film standard specifically for these cameras — a safe, acetate-based alternative to the nitrate 35mm stock used in professional cinema. The Model A was the budget entry at around $325 (some sources say $300), a hand-cranked, spring-wound all-metal body taking 100-foot rolls, fitted with a Kodak 25mm f/3.5 lens and weighing about six pounds. The Model B, at $375, used die-cast aluminum for a lighter build and was positioned as the professional-grade option at launch.
The line grew steadily through the 1920s and 30s. The Model G (1927–1930) sat between the A and B in price and features. The Model K (1930–1937) dropped to $110 with a fixed 25mm f/3.5 lens and a spring-wound clockwork drive that eliminated hand cranking. The Model E (1932–1946) came in at just $35 — the first truly affordable 16mm camera — and used shorter 50-foot rolls to keep costs down. The Model F (1931–1937) occupied the mid-range, and the Model H (1935–1939) was built "like a miniature studio camera" for serious amateurs. The long-running Model M (1937–1960) closed out the line. Edward Tatnall Canby, writing in Audio (July 1987, p.28), reflected on the miles of film he shot over years with his Cine-Kodak 8 — a reminder that these cameras were, for decades, the way American families recorded their lives.
Details on the Model F, G, H, and M are thinner than for the early models — lens specs, drive systems, and capacities for those later cameras aren't well documented in the surviving record. What is clear is the line's historical weight: the Cine-Kodak is widely regarded as a landmark in home movie history, and the Model A in particular as one of the most important cameras in amateur filmmaking.
Known specs (early models)
- Model A (1923–1926): 16mm, 100-ft rolls, hand-crank spring drive, Kodak 25mm f/3.5 lens, all-metal body, ~6 lbs, ~$325
- Model B (1923–1930): 16mm, 100-ft rolls, spring-wound, Kodak 25mm f/3.5 lens, cast-aluminum body, ~7 lbs, $375
- Model K (1930–1937): 16mm, 100-ft rolls, spring-wound clockwork, fixed 25mm f/3.5 lens, $110
- Model E (1932–1946): 16mm, 50-ft rolls, spring-wound, fixed 25mm f/3.5 lens, $35
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