Kodak Magazine Ciné-Kodak Eight, Model 90 (1940–1955)
The Magazine Ciné-Kodak Eight Model 90 is an 8 mm magazine-loading motion picture camera from Kodak. It was one of the cameras that made home movies possible in the late 1930s and 1940s. Little is thoroughly documented about this model, but the record that exists agrees on the essentials.
It was equipped with a 25 mm f/1.9 lens and driven by a clockwork spring motor, with frame rates of 16, 26, 32, and 64 frames per second. The film path is fairly distinctive — noted as being similar to the 100-foot magazine setup on the larger Ciné-Kodak Special. The camera was introduced at $79.50, a price that one source equates to roughly $2,500 in 2017 dollars — a reminder that home movies were a serious investment in the 1930s. That same $79.50 price is cited for January 1936, though other references date the model to 1940; the dating is muddled in the sources, so treat the introduction year as uncertain.
What is clearer is how long it ran. The Magazine Ciné-Kodak Eight Model 90 was produced through the 1940s and stayed in the lineup until December 1955, when it was renamed the Cine-Kodak Magazine Eight. The "ciné" lost its accent.
Known specs:
- Format: 8 mm, magazine load (cartridges, not spools)
- Lens: 25 mm f/1.9
- Drive: clockwork spring motor
- Frame rates: 16, 26, 32, and 64 fps
- Introduced at $79.50 (January 1936 per one source; 1940 per others)
- Became the Cine-Kodak Magazine Eight in December 1955
No owner reviews, maintenance notes, or detailed operational documentation have surfaced in the research. One appraisal source lists the weight and dimensions as 1,200 kg and 46×105×185 cm. Those are plainly data-entry errors for a handheld camera, so they are not repeated here. If you own one and have handled it, the archive would welcome the details.
Similar items on eBay
No exact Kodak Magazine Ciné-Kodak Eight, Model 90 listings are live right now — these searches show current Kodak and similar vintage camera gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Kodak Magazine Ciné-Kodak Eight (1940)
- Fujica Single-8 P2 (late 1970s)