C Daylight (1891-1895)

The Daylight range of Kodak cameras was designed for use with a roll of film in a light tight box. You could load the camera with this box in subdued light. This was an improvement over the rolls that had to be loaded in a dark room. The largest model of the Daylights, model C, had a detacheable film back, that could be replaced with an optional plate back. The camera in the video has such a back. t took pictures of 4 x 5 inch (about 10 x 13 cm) and cost $ 25 in its day.

If a Daylight camera has a plate back, the 'Daylight' name is out of place because the plate holders had to be loaded in a dark room with the glass plates. To make things more complex: the C Daylight was not always sold with a film back but could be bought with a plate back.  If this was the case, the camera was called C Special Glass Plate Kodak. What's in a name! I'm glad I found this rare camera that was made from 1891 until 1895. Only 2475 were produced. 

This Through The Viewfinder photo of Elsum Castle near Birgelen in Germany was made with the C Daylight in September 2015.

Salesman sample photo taken with a C Daylight or C Ordinary camera. Hight Falls, Rochester.

 Page from Buchanan's Complete Illustrated catalogue, photographic supplies, 1893.