Kodak Disc film
1982 to 1999
Fifteen tiny 8×10 mm frames on a rotating disc. Kodak hoped it would replace 110, but the frames were too small for good prints.
How it began
In 1982 Kodak launched Disc cameras: thin, automatic cameras with motor wind and built-in flash, loaded with a disc of film. It sold 25 million cameras in the first few years.
How it works
Fifteen frames are arranged around a flat disc that rotates after each shot. Kodak used a fast, high-quality glass aspheric lens and a new fine-grain film to get the most from the tiny frame.
Why it mattered
The cameras were simple and reliable, and Disc pushed the industry towards easy, automatic snapshot cameras. Its new film emulsion technology was later used in other films.
Limits and what replaced it
The 8×10 mm frame was smaller than 110, and prints from photo labs were often grainy and soft. Autofocus 35mm compacts replaced it, and Kodak stopped making the film in 1999.
Today
Gone since 1999; a reminder that convenience could not make up for tiny negatives.