Page 12 - RD_2023-09

KODAK CATCHES UP WITH PATHÈ *

The Magazine Loading 16 mm Cameras.
Mike Trickett

When Kodak introduced their Cine Kodak 16
mm camera in 1923, it utilised 100 ft open reels
of film. The film came on solid sided reels,
intended to prevent the film from
accidentally being exposed to light while it
was being loading it into the camera.

Loading the film into the camera
required a degree of skill and dexterity
from the operator. The full reel of film
was placed on the top spindle, it was
then treaded around the guides and
sprockets, through the gate, onto the take-
up sprocket and guide and then onto the
take-up reel. Not a job for anyone with ‘fat fingers!’

Of course this had to been done away from direct sunlight
to prevent fogging the start of the film still on the reel.
This was perhaps fine when done on the kitchen table
without rushing, but with a 100 ft reel of film running
for around four minutes, a decent day’s filming
may have necessitated reloading the camera ‘on
the run’ outdoors, without a steady work area and
in broad daylight.
This problem was recognised by Kodak, so in 1936
they introduced their magazine loading camera,
the Cine Kodak Magazine 16, although the
magazine contained only 50 feet of film, the
ease of loading the film and the
almost impossibility of fogging
the film, made home movies
viable even to the lesser skilled user.

Above: The Cine Kodak Magazine 16 camera. It was a fairly sophisticated camera for it’s time. It
incorporated interchangeable lenses, three running speeds (16,32,64 fps), built-in clockwork motor and of
course magazine loading.

12 REEL DEALS September 2023