Historic Kodak Tele Disc Camera

Description

Disc cameras are a unique element in the history ofphotography in the U.S. Introduced in the early 1980s and gone by 1990, thedisc camera is an interesting comment on the camera market of the time—fascinatedby technology, committed to aggressive marketing and eagerly embraced byconsumers. Eastman Kodak developed the rather complex technology involved and incorporatedit in a series of Kodak Disc Cameras. The most extensive marketing campaign inKodak’s history led to sale of 25 million units over five years. Unfortunatelyfor Kodak (and for the 25 million buyers) high-tech did not produce highquality photographic results, and enthusiasm faded quickly. The clevercartridge design simplified loading and unloading but the tiny negativessuffered from graininess and poor image quality. The Tele Disc camera offeredhere is the most innovative of the line, offering two lenses and twoviewfinders which the user could change by activating the flash. Introduced in1985, it—lke all the disc cameras—were gone by 1990. The technical sophisticationcoupled with the short time in the market makes this a very collectible itemfor any collection showcasing Kodak products.