Sold out!

After ten years of providing 126 Instamatic film to the world, our supply has finally come to an end. 

That's all, folks!

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The Kodak Instamatic 500 (circa 1963-8) shown here has a magnificent Schneider-Kreutznach Xenar f2.8 lens, a beautifully-made and accurate Gossen meter, and a 1/30-1/500 Compur shutter. It has a flash hot-shoe as well as a PC synch socket, and synchs at any shutter speed. After all these years, it is still a very fine camera, and richly deserves to be used. 

It's price during the years it was manufactured was $94.50, equivalent to roughly $700 in 2010 (check the math here).

In mint condition these cameras have been selling recently on eBay for less than $10 up to $20. It fits easily in a coat pocket.

Note: although Ferrania ended production of 126 in April, 2007, we bought most of that last production run, and expect to be able to provide you with 126 film into 2011.

In 1980, when 126 was at the height of its  popularity, the K-Mart discount chain sold Kodacolor VR 200 (126-24) for $3.19. At most non-discount stores, supermarkets, drugstores, and camera stores, it was closer to $3.75, which is roughly $9.75-$9.85 in 2010 dollars (check the math here). So even though it is now a niche product, imported at considerable shipping expense from high-cost Europe (not low-cost China), we are still able to offer it at only about a dollar more than its original retail cost.

Note: you can reload 126 cartridges using ordinary 35mm film, if you're patient and have a darkroom or dark bag. For reloading tips: Click on this link, and locate the "intro, step 2, step 2" etc. icons at the top of the page. The author, Bruce Miller, is a true friend of frugal photography and richly deserves our thanks.

For best results, reload your cartridges with unperforated 35mm film, and manually punch an indexing hole for each frame using a small hand punch, the kind sold at scrapbooking stores. You can locate the positions for the holes easily, because your backing paper has matching holes in the correct positions.

Unperforated 35mm film in 100' rolls shows up on eBay fairly regularly.

Your Instamatic camera is not obsolete.

Solaris FG200-24 126
Guaranteed to fit any Kodak Instamatic camera, from the workaday 104 and 114 all the way up to the amazingly sophisticated Instamatic Reflex and Instamatic 500. And, of course, it will work perfectly in all those Minolta, Olympus, Rollei, Voigtländer, Canon, and other high-quality 126 cameras. 

Science fair deadline? Please note: Most orders which are received by early afternoon (Mountain time) go out the same day, but not all. Even with FedEx overnight service, it may be two business days before you receive your film.

   Item: SOL126-1
Please note: these films carry expiry dates of 2009 or 2010. They are guaranteed to give excellent images but should be stored cold or frozen when you receive them.

About Solaris Instamatic film

Ferrania was the last factory anywhere in the world to manufacture 126 Instamatic-format film. Production ended in April, 2007, but later in 2007 one further run was processed. In July of 2008, the president of Ferrania announced to its unions that all photographic film production would cease at the end of December, 2008 (read the article here).

We expect to have Ferrania 126 films on hand for you to buy through 2010 and into 2011, barring any unforeseen increase in demand. By that time, some entrepreneur will undoubtedly be making 126 again. It continues to be a valuable and valued format for people who want to use the very good 126 cameras that are out there, and for pinhole photographers.

• Finding a processing service for 126 Instamatic film

• Information about making a 126 Instamatic pinhole camera.

• General exposure and processing information

• How to order from The Frugal Photographer, and 

• How we administer and ship your order.

Click here to see samples of this film in use.

Solaris FG Plus is considerably advanced over that company's former products, and has substantially improved granular properties, color fidelity, and exposure latitude. When correctly exposed and processed it gives images that meet the most exacting, professional standards of quality.

Sophisticated 126 Instamatic format cameras have a mechanical "sensor" that detects a notch in the film cartridge body, and automatically sets the camera's exposure system to the film speed being used. Solaris 126 film is rated ISO 200, and is particularly well suited to high-quality photography using sophisticated cameras like the Kodak Instamatic Reflex, Instamatic X-90, and Instamatic 500, the Voigtländer Bessa, Rollei A26 and the Minolta Autopak cameras, Ricoh and Konica rangefinder cameras, and the Yashica Ez-Matic and Ez-Matic Electronic. These kinds of cameras "sense" cartridges from ISO 50 or 80 to ISO 800, and expose Solaris 126 film accurately.

Solaris film's good exposure latitude means it can be expected to also give excellent results in inexpensive 126 snapshot cameras.