Kodak Instamatic 500

The Kodak Instamatic 500 is a viewfinder camera. It is part of the Instamatic series. The Instamatic 500 was built from 1963 to 1965 by Kodak AG in Germany.

The Kodak Instamatic 500 is one of the more sophisticated models in the Instamatic series. The housing is largely made of metal, which makes it robust but also heavier.

One highlight of the Instamatic 500 for sure is the Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar f2.8 38mm. It consists of 4 elements, must be focused manually and can be stopped down to f22.

In addition, there is the Compur shutter with exposure times from 1/500 s to 1/30 s. There is also a Bulb mode for long exposures.

Furthermore, the Kodak Instamatic 500 can boast a hot shoe and PC flash socket for an external flash and a thread for a tripod and cable release.

The selenium exposure meter helps in finding the right aperture-exposure time combination. The advantage of this type of light meter is that it does not require batteries, but it loses accuracy over the years.

Of course, these features also raised the price. The list price at the time was $94.50.

Films for the camera

Since production of 126 film was discontinued in 2007 and these cassette films are no longer available today, however, there are still some options for those who want to continue using their Kodak Instamatic 500 camera.

One option is to find old unexposed 126 films that are still in good condition. These can sometimes be found in online auction houses, flea markets, or antique stores.

Another option is to replace the existing 126 film by converting it to 35mm film or roll film. However, this requires some technical knowledge and skill to convert the camera accordingly.