Yashica EZ Matic

In 1963 Kodak introduced the simplest camera possible, eliminated the agony of loading a #135 cartridge, and, on the way, also eliminated all other settings. Camera use was dead simple: open the back, drop the Kodapak cartridge, close, aim, and shoot. It was aptly named Instamatic, meaning from zero to 100 in an instant. I had one of these models in the early 1970s and still have a box full of square pics, easily identified by the odd colour palette.

The Instamatic idea was also borrowed for pocket cameras, using #110 cartridges, and a similar concept was used for cine cameras. Kodak gradually added features to later models, yet all models were an eyesore. Kodak sold Instamatics until the mid-1980s when the concept became redundant either by users adept at film loading or by manufacturers offering quick load features. See a list of Kodak Instamatic models. Other camera manufacturers adopted the #126 cartridge; for example, see the Dacora Instacora F and the Ricoh 126 C Automatic.

Common to most, if not all, was the lack of flair and plain shape, perhaps on purpose, selling the camera on the cheap and banking on selling cartridges.

In 1966, Yashica dipped its toes in the Instamatic market with the EZ Matic. Here, they took a different approach and offered a product that looked like a ‘real’ camera. Furthermore, they added a light meter and automatic shooting option. The result was a camera that was more bark than bite. A second model, the EZ Matic 4, followed, and the EZ Matic Electronic came in 1969. I don’t have the two later models, but from online articles, it seems not to have been a smashing success. I believe this camera style was not a good match for Yashica, as their brand was associated with midmarket up, while the Instamatic style was considered low-end, hence cheap. The EZ prefix was used again in the Kyocera era for a line of point-and-shoot 35mm cameras that had nothing in common with the three #126 format models.

The EZ Matic design was borrowed from the Yashica Half 17, a 35mm half-frame camera. If a camera can be described as cute, it is the EZ Matic. It is a pleasure to look at, well-made and perfectly finished. The unit on my bench seems as fresh as if it came off the line today, though the meter is unresponsive, which is forgivable for a 61-year-old, inexpensive camera.

• The body is graceful, with flowing, soft curves, not a sharp edge in sight. Unlike most #126 format cameras, this model exudes class and quality. The metal top and bottom are exquisitely finished, and the plastic body cover nicely blends in.
• The top offers just the trigger and a cold accessory shoe. Most other models of this format used the Magic Cube, which is limited to short distances. Here, it allows for a proper flash gun. The flash sync port is on the side.
• The winder is at the bottom, which is uncommon, but seen on other makers’ models. It looks as if they hooked it directly to the cartridge base, perhaps to save on costs or body size.
• The viewer is large and bright, with a clear parallax frame.
• The meter scale is viewed within the viewer, showing aperture and shutter speed values and over- and underexposure.
• The back opens via a tab at the bottom right side. The cartridge drops in with no room for error. A large window at the back matches the label on the cartridge back, showing the film information and the frame number.
• A probe on the film path falls into a matching notch on the cartridge, reading the film speed.
• The #126 cartridge is a self-contained, fully enclosed unit, with the unexposed roll at the left and the take-off on the right. Just drop it in and close the back. The film is paper-backed 35mm, 28x28mm frame, with 12, 20 or 24 exposures. I am unaware of any freshly made cartridges; some reloadable cartridges and adaptors are offered on eBay. While Kodak was the first to provide these cartridges, other filmmakers followed suit. If my memory serves me right, some similar, not identical, format was offered in East Germany.
• The front has the lens assembly and a self-timer lever. Surprisingly, the self-timer buzzes as it should, which is not given with cameras of this age.
• On the lens assembly, closest to the body is the aperture value dial, with B and Auto modes. Again, it is uncommon to have shutter and aperture values on the same dial. There is no depth of field scale; it is offered on the last page of the user manual.
• The focusing ring is at the front, marked in meters and feet. It has stops at 1.5m and 3m, perhaps to simulate close, medium and far objects.
• A selenium light meter surrounds the lens. No battery is needed to activate it.
• To shoot, select the aperture value, and the camera will assign a shutter speed. Alternatively, set it to Auto, and the camera will set both. Underexposure is marked with a simulated lightning, meaning flash, and overexposure is so marked.
• Commercially available film speeds were between ASA 64 /DIN 19 and ASA 400 / DIN 27. Slower and faster films were available, but I do not know if all camera models could adapt to them. Early Instamatic cameras matched one film speed, ASA 100.

I asked Copilot for info about #126 cartridges:

  Legacy OEMs (ISO 3029 licensees) • Agfa – Agfa-color and Agfapan B&W emulsions in 126 • Ferrania – Solaris slide and print films in 126 • Kentmere (Ilford) – Kentmere 100 B&W rebrands of Ilford emulsions • Lucky Film – Lucky 100 color negative in 126 • Foma Bohemia – Foma B&W (e.g. Pan 100) in 126 • Rollei (Rollei Nostalgic) – RPX 25, RPX 100 in 126

  Modern boutique/reloadable cartridges • Lomography – LomoChrome Metropolis, Turquoise Push in 126 • Flic Film (SE) – small-batch factory reloads with classic emulsions • black. design and QuickLoad (FR) – precision-machined, reusable 126 shells • Respooled (UK) – custom reload service in genuine Kodak shells

  Adapters & Hybrids • 35 → 126 adapters – let you shoot modern 35 mm stock in your Instamatic body (Plustek/Haking) • “126” shell hacks – DIY kits to load 120/127/35 mm into a 126-style cartridge