The Kodak Motormatic
By Bob Tomaine

It'd be easy to dismiss the Kodak Motormatic 35 after a cursory look, but beneath that late-1950s styling with its satin finish and leatherette lie some solid points in this camera's favor. "Your new Kodak Motormatic 35 camera," the instruction manual explains, "is the most automatic of the automatics. It winds its own film, and sets its own lens opening - not only for daylight but for flash pictures as well." Most important, of course, is what the camera's name implies, the motor drive or as Kodak called it, the "power drive." Its firing rate of almost two frames per second was nothing to sneeze at in an amateur 35 millimeter camera at the Motormatic's 1960 introduction, although the spring motor could only provide enough drive for 10 shots or six seconds of photography per winding.

There's more to the camera than the drive, with automatic exposure its other big feature. The selenium cell reads light through the typical dimpled window and although selenium's low-light capabilities are poor, it works well within its limitations. It can provide exposures for films of ASA 10 to 800 and the system operates in shutter priority. Once you've chosen your speed, the camera picks the lens opening and indicates it via a needle moving on a scale above the lens. At the scale's left is a low-light warning and at right is an indicator to confirm that the camera is set for automatic exposure.

Flash, too, is automatic at distances between five and 25 feet, at least in a mechanical sense. Pushing a knurled release allows the chrome ring around the lens to be switched from its daylight to flash position, where a pointer is aligned with the guide number appropriate to the film and flashbulb combination. Both flash and existing light exposures can be set manually, whether determined by handheld meter, experience, or the small plastic guides Kodak included with the camera. The Kodak Automatic Flash Shutter provides speeds of 1/40, 1/80, 1/125, and 1/250, set by a top-mounted dial that also controls film speeds, while the 44-millimeter Kodak Ektanar f/2.8 lens closes to f/32. The shutter speed, obviously, is selected by turning its dial, but setting an aperture is a bit more complicated. A large switch next to the viewfinder window on the camera's back is slid to the right and then a small thumbwheel is used to pick the desired f/ stop on the scale above the lens. The viewfinder doesn't tell you what aperture you've chosen, but it does provide a projected warning that the camera is set for manual exposure. It also projects parallax correction marks and indicators that the lens has been focused for close shots, groups, or scenes, corresponding to click-stopped positions on the focusing mount.

All of this is packaged in a body measuring about five by four by two and three-quarters inches and weighing about a pound and a half. Unlike some cameras that don't do anywhere near as well as their specifications would suggest, the Motormatic is more than competent when it comes to taking pictures. The meter, if not exactly super sensitive, is fairly accurate and the lens can provide a sharp image. The camera has an oversized and nicely finished pressure plate, which undoubtedly helps to ensure flatness and thus sharpness. Some Motormatic qualities are a little difficult to measure, though, such as its nice fit in the hands and its certain nostalgic appeal. You'll find it a good conversation starter because it looks so different than anything built today. Failed light meters aren't uncommon, but mechanical components are durable, although you'd naturally want to treat a 30-to-40-year-old precision instrument with care. And with a spring-powered drive and a selenium light meter, you'll never spend a penny on batteries.

The Motormatic does have its faults, but none are fatal or even serious. It relies on scale focusing or the "automatic zone minder" rather than a rangefinder, so to use it successfully you'll need to be good at estimating distances and remember to shoot at the smaller f/ stops just in case. Flash photography will probably be a headache as the Motormatic lacks a PC connection, so if you have an early model, you'll need to find a flashgun such as the Kodak Midget or Supermite to fit the post connections. The F has a built-in flash accepting AG1 bulbs and the RF uses flashcubes, but no bulbs are likely to be easy to find.

The camera's controls require some study because of their configuration and the various interlocks, but anyone familiar with adjustable 35 millimeter cameras will have little difficulty in figuring them out. Finally, the motor itself raises some interesting issues. Kodak warns against leaving a completed roll of film in the camera against the drive's tension to prevent the film's being ripped from its spool. It also concedes that noise - and make no mistake, this is anything but a quiet camera - could be a problem in some situations and provides instructions on releasing the motor and advancing the film manually frame by frame.

What does all this cost? The original Motormatic sold for $109.50 in 1960, with the F at $119.50 in 1962 and the R4 at $114.50 in 1965. Today, guidebook prices go up to $50 for the first model, but they can often be found for far less. The camera shown in the photograph here, for example, cost $12 with its working light meter, instruction book, Midget flashgun, original exposure cards, and leather (non-Kodak) bag in good condition.

Kodak cameras often don't get the respect they deserve as collectibles, although non-collectors frequently believe that the most common Kodak box or folder in horrible condition is their ticket to an early retirement. But aside from exceptions such as the Ektra and the Medalist at one end and the simplest cameras built in huge numbers at the other, Kodak has produced enough models of good (or better) quality to keep any enthusiast occupied. The fact that nice examples of the Motormatic and its brethren can be found at reasonable prices means an impressive collection can be developed at a manageable cost.