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The 16mm image was 10mm X 7.5mm this provided
a direct 2.5 times reduction from the standard (silent)
35mm frame, with 40 frames per foot on the 16mm
film. The normal running speed for 16mm film was
24 feet per second (at 16 FPS). This new format
solved the problem of public safety and greatly
reduced production costs.
George Eastman’s next plan was to produce a
complete kit of equipment to use the new format. This 16mm frame dimensions
task was given to Julian Tessier – a French cinema equipment designer – to create the first 16mm
camera the Cine-Kodak Model A and the Kodascope Model A projector. The Cine-Kodak Home
Movie Kit consisted of the Cine-Kodak Camera and tripod, a Kodascope projector, a screen and
a film splicer together with the new reversal film and processing service and the Kodak Cinegraph
film library. The cost of the kit was $335.

All of this was released to the public in February 1923 just two
months after Pathè released their 9.5mm Baby Pathè projector and
library.

Yes, Pathè won the race to produce the first commercially viable
home movie system. However their Baby Cine Outfit initially
consisted of just a small projector and access to a library of 9.5 mm
films, reduced down from Pathè cinema productions. It was
December 1923 before they introduced their Pathè Baby cine
camera together with a rather poor quality direct positive reversal
film. Kodak Cinegraph film
library offered an
In the long run Kodak won the battle for market share but the Pathè extensive range of films
system survived because of its low cost. for home screening.

The Model “A” Cine-Kodak camera with its
lens cover up and ready for action

I believe another first for this camera was
Julian Tessier’s design of an automatic
parallax correction system between the
camera lens and the viewfinder lens. An
extension lever attached to the focusing
system automatically corrects for the
parallax error when shooting mid-shots
and close-ups – another very useful first?

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