# Kodak Instamatic X-15



## Cinka (May 19, 2007)

Hi all. I'm a commercial photographer for an internet site using purely digital, but I recently picked up a Kodak Instamatic X-15 which uses 126-film. I'm interested in seeing what kind of pictures I'll take with an older point and shoot, but I had a couple of questions. 

Do I have to take the 126 film to a professional lab for developing or can Sav-On still do it? 

The camera came with two Magic Cubes in a box taped to the camera...I'm assuming these are four flashes per cube? 

Is 126 film still readily available or do I have to scour the world for cartridges? What about magic cubes? Where can I find those? 

Also, if anyone has any information regarding usage in general, I would be much obliged. 

Thanks!!


----------



## Hertz van Rental (May 20, 2007)

You can still get it according to Wiki, but it is hard to find.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/126_film
You will probably need to process it yourself but this place might help.
http://www.retrophotographic.com/

They stopped making Magicubes a while back but you can still find old stock for sale if you look. The camera will need a battery to fire the thing and that might pose a problem. Some of the special batteries used are no longer available.


----------



## Cinka (May 20, 2007)

I don't quite see a place for batteries on the x-15 - am I missing something? 

Yeah, it looks like I might have to find everything online or definitely do some hunting in my area.


----------



## Jeff Canes (May 20, 2007)

March 07 was the last production run Solaris 126, the supply should last about 3 years, any mini-lab should be able to process the film, but my will not want too because of unfamiliar will now to handle it.


----------



## Jeff Canes (May 20, 2007)

Cinka said:


> I don't quite see a place for batteries on the x-15 - am I missing something?
> 
> Yeah, it looks like I might have to find everything online or definitely do some hunting in my area.


no battery need


----------



## c_mac (May 21, 2007)

i also have an x-15 and for this specific model there is no battery. luckily because as said before no one is making them.

the film can easily be found at filmforclassics.com but is super pricey! there may be others but that is where my local shop told me to go.

i haven't taken any shots as i don't exactly want to spend almost 10 bucks a roll and almostdouble to have it developed(all according to their site). so if you do take any and have them developed, please post up!!!!


----------



## RacePhoto (May 21, 2007)

Jeff Canes said:


> no battery need



The X-15 used a striker pin that went up into the flash and set it off.

The ones that do use a battery, have a "K" battery, which I haven't seen in about 15 years. Maybe it's the higher price versions that have electronic shutters. If it has a standard cube flash, it's going to have a battery to fire the flash, at the very least. So I'd look closer at other models.

You can still find 126 film at the dollar stores now and then.

There's always eBay. _*Super Cubes Flash  Cube Squares  case of 36 cubes*_* $12.50 + $5 shipping
*
Unlike Kodak disk film cameras which are really obsolete, and you can't find anything for them.

While we're talking Kodak. The instant picture cameras are toast. You will find many without the name plate. The reason is that Kodak lost a technology infringement lawsuit to Polaroid and to get your refund you have to peel off the name plate and return it with the claim form.


----------



## Mike_E (May 22, 2007)

Cinka, if you just want to shoot an off the wall film camera, why not shoot a Leica?  

mike (running away!)


----------



## usayit (May 22, 2007)

<< ropes mike and drags him back.....

So what so "off the wall" with Leica??? 

still use 35mm negatives....
relatively easy focusing rangefinders....
still in production....
they even make a digital Leica M8...


----------



## Mike_E (May 22, 2007)

With so much "stuff" out there to buy spending $3k on a 35mm range finder setup is a bit to the side of the bell curve don't you think?

Why not just get a Hasselblad?  For instance this one has a factory conversion to AA batteries and a 70mm back.. well here... 150 LENS,A-12,POLA&70MM BACKS,PME5,FLASH,FILM,TOTAL KIT

http://cgi.ebay.com/HASSELBLAD-500-...41QQihZ018QQcategoryZ3351QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

for $2850.  But it's not a Leica.

Don't get me wrong, Leicas are nice but not _I_ think worth the price.

My 2 cents worth and mine alone,

mike


----------



## usayit (May 22, 2007)

I'm not arguing pro nor anti - Leica..  nor am I stating whether it is worth the money.

I'm simply asking why is it considered "off the wall"?  If I see a Leica shooter.. I'm like cool ... or wow thats nice.  If I see some rare vintage box that uses silvered glass, now thats off the wall.


----------



## Mike_E (May 22, 2007)

Ahhh, I see.  The winky-smilie thing means that I was kidding.  Leicas are wonderful -if over priced-cameras.  Of the wall simply means "sparsely populated territory".

mike


----------



## usayit (May 22, 2007)

Ah ok...

Btw... With B&H, Adorama, Photovillage, tamarkin, Bergencountycamera... and several other Leica dealers in NYC, seeing a Leica in the area isn't so unusual.


----------



## montresor (May 22, 2007)

Cinka said:


> Do I have to take the 126 film to a professional lab for developing or can Sav-On still do it?



From the place that still develops Kodachrome:

http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/newsite2006/disc-126-film.html

The price doesn't seem bad either, $9 to process, plus the per-print cost, which is also competitive. Now you can get one of these:

http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~ifex534/cameras/contaflex126.html

Note that he will process 126 in C41, b&w, Ektachrome and Kodachrome. Kodachrome 126? Dwayne is God! :hail:


----------



## montresor (May 22, 2007)

Or one of these:

http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~ifex534/cameras/sl26.html

I like the part where it says "the most expensive 126 camera ever produced."


----------



## Jeff Canes (May 22, 2007)

any pro lab with a dip & dunk machine can develop 126 film


----------



## montresor (May 22, 2007)

http://www.filmforclassics.com/

has 126 (C-41, ISO 200) for $9 a cartridge, will process and print (singles, glossy) for $20. Looks like it's the Solaris stuff, which is in limited supply, as noted above.

So it's not cheap, but it's not out of reach.


----------



## RacePhoto (May 23, 2007)

Mike_E said:


> Cinka, if you just want to shoot an off the wall film camera, why not shoot a Leica?
> 
> mike (running away!)



Well I got the joke...

If someone wants to shoot a cheap point and shoot with film, just go to your local Salvation Army, Goodwill or whatever charity resale shops you have, and pick up a 35mm camera for a buck or two. Most are in like new condition because they were free to start with or very cheap, and took such crappy pictures (maybe better than the 126 cameras though) that people used them once or maybe never.

Go to the local dollar store and get a roll of film for a buck.

Most have serious features like focus free operation, (fixed focus). No batteries, because they have no meters. Some might even have shutter speeds, but others have Sunny/Cloudy settings. If they have focus it's a mountain or a close up. Easy to use, because they have no settings, like ISO either. 

On the other hand, this is more settings and control than an X-15 has?

Biggest expense will still be processing, which will be more than the film and camera cost.


----------



## montresor (May 23, 2007)

Two cameras that I got at a thrift store last year, the first for $14.99, the second for $2.32.

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?CanonFTb.html~mainFrame

http://licm.org.uk/livingImage/Canon_AF35ML.html

The FTb has a 28mm J C Penney (read: Soligor) lens, nice DOF and easy to focus. The AF35ML's 1.9 lens has taken some nice low-light stuff, and is primitive enough that it won't automatically fire the flash unless you specifically ask it to.

God bless Value World and all who sail with her! :mrgreen:


----------

