Kodak Instamatic X-90

agi

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Jul 17, 2006
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I just bought one on ebay and was wondering if anyone knows how to use the darn thing. Does it need a battery? I placed a roll of 126 film in it and know how to wind it but not sure if the shot was exposed correctly.

I couldn't find anything on google.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Post a picture of it. I had a bunch of these (126 but I can't remember the numbers) over the 60's and early 70's. Maybe someone or me will recognize it, and have some memory of how it works. Back then just to be clever I took the cheapest 126 that had been thrown across the room by my friends girlfriend. I cut the lens and shutter out and made a snap-on plastic housing that just mounted on the film cartridge. It worked but winding and light leaks were always fun. BUT it was small.
 
Thanks for the reply...

It's this brick of a thing :).

InstX90ox.jpg
 
I have one of those!

At one time it was the top-of-the line for US made Instamatics.

I see that you have the instruction manual too! cool!

There is a battery compartment on the bottom. Since it has a CdS exposure meter, it requires the battery to operate the automatic exposure. The "X" means that it uses the X Cube flash system so that batteries are not required to trigger the flash. It is shutter speed preferred exposure.

When a flash cube is inserted (even a used one), the aperture settings are keyed to the distance focusing of the lens. Thus, it is possible to vary the F settings based upon the distance settings. However, I think that inserting the flash cube also sets a default shutter speed, probably of 1/30 sec.

It has an Ektar lens, which is Kodak's version of the Zeiss Tessar and the front of the lens ring is actually a Series V filter holder. It unscrews. Should take great pictures, even though the film selection these days is extremely limited.

-Paul
 
I actually don't have the manual for it. Just took that pic from a google search as I'm not at home to take a photo of it. I figured there's a battery for it and tried to pry it off the bottom. Seems that mine had a battery leak and I can't seem to open the compartment. I'll have to try again when I get home.

I purchased about 20 rolls of expired 126 film from a local lab that was unfortunately closing. They wanted a buck for each roll and figured it would be fun to play with it so I bought a cheap x-90 from ebay. Little did I know the battery compartment was messed up (I should have asked). I also have a Kodak Instamatic 104 that my mom used for the longest time as a backup.

I also have a Yashica EZ-Matic on the way so hopefully that one will work.

Too many cameras so little time!!
 
With some black matt board and some glue, you can make a pretty decent pinhole camera--I'll need to find it again but there are some instructions/plans on-line somewhere--the 126 cartridges have a groove around the opening that the matt board will fit into. Basically you build a small box with one side open that fits into the groove, and hold it onto the 126 cartridge with a couple of rubber bands.
I remember my folks using one of the higher end Kodak Instamatics for a while back in the late 60's/early 70's.
Rob
 
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