Roll-film Camera

Eastman's roll-film camera patent, U.S. Patent No. 388,850

Historical Context

Invented in 1888 by George Eastman the revolutionary first Kodak camera promised in its advertising slogan "You press the button, we do the rest".

Eastman's camera was the first camera to come with a preloaded flexible film with 100 exposures and cost $25. Purchasers returned their camera and film to the company for developing, then it was returned to them with a new roll of film. Before this photographers laboriously had to use a plate glass negative for each shot.

The new invention opened up a new kind of photography, less formal and more personal.