: ''For the unrelated roll-film format produced from 1906 to 1949, see
126 film (roll format)
A film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film for still images or film stock for filmmaking. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary ...
.''
126 film is a cartridge-based
film format
A film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film for still images or film stock for filmmaking. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary ...
used in still
photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
. It was introduced by
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
in 1963, and is associated mainly with low-end
point-and-shoot camera
A point-and-shoot camera, also known as a compact camera and sometimes abbreviated to P&S, is a still camera designed primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing, automatic systems for setting the expos ...
s, particularly Kodak's own
Instamatic
: ''For the film formats associated with the ''Instamatic'' and ''Pocket Instamatic'' camera ranges, see 126 film and 110 film respectively.''
The Instamatic is a series of inexpensive, easy-to-load 126 and 110 cameras made by Kodak beginning ...
series of cameras.
Although 126 was once very popular, it is no longer manufactured, and few photofinishers will process it.
History and technical details
In 1963,
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
introduced a new film, encased in a plastic cartridge, for which they re-introduced the "126" designation. (The number was originally used for the unrelated
126 roll film format from 1906 to 1949). The term "126" was intended to show that images were 26 mm square, using Kodak's common 1xx film numbering system. However the image size is actually 28×28 mm, but usually reduced to approximately 26.5×26.5 mm by masking during printing or mounting.
The 126 film format was defined in
ISO
ISO is the most common abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization.
ISO or Iso may also refer to: Business and finance
* Iso (supermarket), a chain of Danish supermarkets incorporated into the SuperBest chain in 2007
* Iso ...
3029, which has since been withdrawn.
Like the
120 format, there is a continuous backing paper, and the frame number is visible through a small window at the rear of the cartridge. Cameras for this type of film are equipped with a large rectangular window in the back door, through which is visible not only the frame number, but also a portion of the label showing the film type and speed. The cartridge has a captive take-up spool, but no supply spool: the film and backing paper are simply coiled tightly and placed in the supply end of the cartridge. The positioning of the image is fixed by the cartridge. The film is 35 mm wide, but unlike
135 film
135 film, more popularly referred to as 35 mm film or 35 mm, is a format of photographic film used for still photography. It is a film with a film gauge of loaded into a standardized type of magazine – also referred to as a casse ...
, it is unperforated, except for one registration hole per image, similar to the earlier
828 film
828 is a film format for still photography. Kodak introduced it in 1935, only a year after 135 film. 828 film was introduced with the Kodak Bantam, a consumer-level camera.
The 828 format uses the same basic film stock as 135 film (standard 3 ...
. The camera is equipped with a sensing pin which falls into this hole when the film is fully advanced to the next frame, at which point the winding knob or lever is locked, so as to prevent winding past the pre-exposed frame lines.
![Sample 126 Film](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Sample_126_Film.jpg)
The top edge of the cartridge above the film gate has a square notch in a specific position corresponding to the speed of the film in the cartridge. Some of the higher-end cameras used this notch to determine the correct exposure, or to set the
light meter
A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter (more correctly an exposure meter) is used to determine the proper exposure (photography), exposure for a photograph. The meter will include either a Di ...
, if so equipped. Although only film with
speeds between ISO 64/19° and ISO 400/27° were ever manufactured in this format, the standard defined 20 different speeds, from ISO 20/14° to ISO 1600/33°.
The film was originally available in 12 and 20 image lengths; at the time regular production stopped it was only available in 24 exposure cartridges. The film does not need to be rewound, and is very simple to load and unload.
The format was introduced by Kodak under the brand name ''Kodapak'', together with the
Instamatic
: ''For the film formats associated with the ''Instamatic'' and ''Pocket Instamatic'' camera ranges, see 126 film and 110 film respectively.''
The Instamatic is a series of inexpensive, easy-to-load 126 and 110 cameras made by Kodak beginning ...
camera. Although the Instamatic name is sometimes treated as synonymous with the 126 format, Kodak also used it on its later
110
110 may refer to:
*110 (number), natural number
*AD 110, a year
*110 BC, a year
*110 film, a cartridge-based film format used in still photography
*110 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route
*110 (song), 2019 song by Capi ...
-format cameras, which they called ''Pocket Instamatic'' and on its "M" series
8 mm movie cameras.
Around ten million cameras were made by Kodak and other companies. However, with a few exceptions, the format was mainly used for fairly simple
amateur
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
cameras. (Makers of the few high-end models included Kodak,
Minolta
was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta Co., Ltd., which is also known simply as Minolta, was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It made the first integrated autofocu ...
,
Rollei
Rollei () was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by and in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras. Later products included specialty and nostalgic type films for the ...
,
Yashica
Yashica was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, originally active from 1949 until 2005 when its then-owner, Kyocera, ceased production.
In 2008, the Yashica name reappeared on cameras produced by the Hong Kong-based MF Jebsen Group. In 2015, t ...
and
Zeiss Ikon
Carl Zeiss AG (), branded as ZEISS, is a German manufacturer of optical systems and optoelectronics, founded in Jena, Germany in 1846 by optician Carl Zeiss. Together with Ernst Abbe (joined 1866) and Otto Schott (joined 1884) he laid the ...
.) Kodak officially discontinued the format on 31 December 1999.
Current availability and usage
Ferrania
FILM Ferrania s.r.l. is a photographic film manufacturing company located in Ferrania (Liguria), Italy. Ferrania was founded in 1923 as a maker of photographic film, papers, and photographic equipment, including cameras. The company was purchas ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, was the last factory producing 126 film. Their product was an
ISO 200 colour print film marketed under their ''Solaris'' brand. The last scheduled production run took place in April 2007, but an unscheduled production run in late 2007 surprised industry observers and raised hopes that it had not actually been discontinued. Ferrania's subsequent
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
meant that there was no longer any large-scale factory source for 126 film.
Unused, outdated 126 films continue to show up at thrift stores, estate sales, and online auctions. Unless they have been stored frozen, they are probably deteriorated and are suitable only for experimenting. Amateur photographers sometimes salvage the plastic cartridge and backing paper from outdated 126 films and reload them with fresh 35mm film. The process is not difficult, but it is not entirely practical since the two films have significantly different perforations. 126 cameras have a film-advance mechanism that relies on one edge perforation per image, and 35mm camera film has eight perforations per image, on both edges of the film. The photographer must use the film-advance mechanism several times between images, and one edge of each image will have visible perforations.
Because it is
35 mm wide and is developed in industry-standard
C-41 process chemistry, processing of 126 films is readily available, as long as the photofinisher knows that it is standard, 35 mm, C-41 film. Printing the photos can present problems, because modern film processing equipment often cannot handle the square format of 126 film. Some specialist photographic printers can correctly handle it. Standard flatbed scanners that have a light source for scanning film can be used to scan 126
negatives, perhaps using a mask made with black paper.
Note that older film may require other processes such as
C-22.
See also
*
Film formats
*
Film format
A film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film for still images or film stock for filmmaking. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary ...
*
List of color film systems This is a list of color film processes known to have been created for photographing and exhibiting motion pictures in color since the first attempts were made in the late 1890s. It is limited to "natural color" processes, meaning processes in which ...
*
List of film formats
This list of motion picture film formats catalogues formats developed for shooting or viewing motion pictures, ranging from the Chronophotographe format from 1888, to mid-20th century Film format, formats such as the 1953 CinemaScope format, to m ...
References
External links
Pictures of 126 film labelsExploded view of a 126 cartridge3D-printed adapter for 135 format films in 126 cameras
{{DEFAULTSORT:126 Film
Film 126
Film formats
Kodak photographic films
Audiovisual introductions in 1963