This post is exactly what the title states. I had the two 126-format cameras I had in my junk box. The Kodak came from my neighbour, who knew I liked to play with cameras, the Minolta came from eBay ages ago, and I hadn’t got around to using it. Then a friend asked to borrow my Fakmatic 126 adapter. When he was preparing to return it, he thought he had misplaced a piece and bought another one to replace it. Actually, there wasn’t a missing piece, so now I had two adapters. Two cameras, two adapters = kismet.

With two cameras and two adapters, I prepared both sets with Exeter Pan 100 35mm film and went for a wander. Oh, please excuse the state of the camera photos. I usually take the camera photos on my landing bannister in the sunlight, but it has been dark when I get up for work and dark when I return home. Normal service will resume when the weather improves.

Kodak Instamatic 25
This camera came from a car boot sale and was possibly damaged at some point. As you will see, all the photos I took were out of focus. The camera was produced at the end of the 1960s. It has a two-speed shutter, the sun symbol being the fastest at 1/90th. The other setting, the half-sun symbol, is only 1/40th. The camera feels cheap and very plasticky.

I took this camera for a walk at RSPB St. Aidans. Due to the higher number of sprocket holes in 35mm film compared to 126 film, you have to take a shot, advance the film, then take a blank shot. This way, you can avoid overlapping. For this camera, it didn’t work and overlapping still occurred.

Here are the results.

Though I was not expecting the Mona Lisa, I was disappointed with the results. If I hadn’t already loaded the other Fakmatic, I might have given up on trying the second camera.

Minolta Autopak 400-X
This camera is much more advanced than the Kodak. It has a selenium meter, which changes the variable aperture from f/8 to f/27 depending on the light available. Interestingly, the speeds are about the same as the Kodak, either 1/90th or 1/45th. A red warning screen blocks the viewfinder if there isn’t enough light. The dial on the front of the camera lowers the shutter button, thus acting as a safety lock.

Though still plasticky, this camera felt much more ‘luxurious’ than the Kodak. I also took this one to St. Aidans and finished the film at another RSPB site, Old Moor. I loaded the same film, the other half of the one I used in the Kodak.

I was much happier with these results. There was no overlapping, but for some reason, the results were also slightly less ‘square’. Probably due to my cropping post scanning.

These are much sharper, but not pin-sharp, but so much better. Actually, I think the results are the best I have gotten from a 126 camera. Though I am not a huge fan of this format, I am happy to have had a play date with the cameras.

I think I will put the Kodak in the bin, but I will send the Minolta on to a new experimenter.