Kodak Instamatic 33

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Jumping from one easy to use camera to another. This post will be looking at another camera from Kodak’s long running series. This is the Kodak Instamatic 33.

I already went through Kodak’s history in my Kodak 200 plus color film and the history of the Instamatic camera series can be read about in my other Instamatic posts: Instamatic pocket 10, Instamatic 104 and the Instamatic 50 and X-15F.

So, with that in mind, I will be jumping straight into the camera at hand.

There isn’t much history attached to this camera that makes it stand out like the Beau Brownie, from Kodak’s Brownie series. The camera was just part of the Instamatic range that sought to make photography easier by simplifying the Instamatic camera even further. Even the name of 33 suggests that, with Camera-wiki stating: “…model numbers in this line ended in ‘33’; the higher the number, the more features were offered.”

But none the less, this camera is still pretty interesting and a strong piece of evidence that this camera with the rest of the Instamatic cameras upholds Kodak’s goal to make photography as easy and accessible to everyone.

With that out of the way let’s have a look at the camera itself. The Instamatic 33 came out in 1968-1973 (Peggy 2019) and is mostly constructed from plastic. Its size is 11 x 6 x 13cm (Museums Victoria Collections) and has a weight of 184g (velharias71 2024).

This camera also has two other variations, The Instamatic 133 and 133X. Both are the same as the 33, but the 133 was adapted to take flashcubes (like the Instamatic 104) and the 133X was adapted to take magicubes (see Instamatic pocket 10 post), this according to Photo Thinking (2019).

Kodak Instamatic 133. Image Source:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Z9gAAOSwqGRlSO98/s-l1200.jpg

Kodak Instamatic 133X. Image Source:
https://foticoscollection.com/storage/media/11670/conversions/UWnCa_orig-zoom.jpg

The camera is as simple as it gets. So, let us have a closer look.

Starting with the front-

The lens-

This is a fixed focus lens with a focal length of 43mm and a fixed f/stop of 11. The lens is also plastic (Filmphotography.eu 2025).

The lens is similar to the 104, 50 and X-15F and this means we can assume that the lens is also a Meniscus lens plastic lens (see Pocket 10 for more information).

Around the lens is the shutter speed setting. There are two speeds, each represented by a weather symbol, like the 50. As mentioned, this camera has a fixed f/stop, that is why this setting can’t be labelled as the exposure setting.

 The two shutter speeds are 1/40 and 1/80 second (Peggy 2019). The 1/80 is represented with the full sun symbol. This is used for sunny or in an environment that must have plenty of light. The 1/40 is the sun in a square/lightbulb symbol. This setting is used in low light settings, hence the slower speed, and it is used when a flash is being used.

Then on the far right corner, is the viewfinder. It is larger and much more comfortable then the 104 or 50. But unlike the 104/50, the finder is not aligned with the lens!

Then a bit to the left is the L-shaped shutter button/release.

On top-

Is the shutter button again. The shutter is most likely also a leaf shutter, similar to the 104.

Then behind that is the film advance wheel. Unlike the other Instamatic cameras on this blog/museum, this camera doesn’t have a lever. Instead the user must wind the wheel anti-clockwise (similar to the Sounex Y-9000 and the Solar DX-3).

But this instamatic isn’t the first camera with this feature. That most likely goes to the 150, which is like the 100. And like the 100, which was improved upon by the 104, the 150 was adapted to take flashcubes with the 154.

Kodak Instamatic 150. Image Source:
https://primary.jwwb.nl/public/n/r/a/temp-xmmqfrlttbhrujcdemek/gqtkgn/150.jpg?enable-io=true&enable=upscale&crop=1024%2C768%2Cx0%2Cy35%2Csafe&width=284&height=213

Kodak Instamatic 150. Image Source:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TiEAAOSwRSddathb/s-l1200.jpg

The film advance wheel also cocks the camera, because like the X-15F, the film advance is connected to the cocking mechanism. When the film is advanced a hook pops out and holds the film in place by hooking into one of the film’s sprocket holes. Which is a great why of preventing any double exposures.

Then next to the film advance is the twin contact hot-shoe, which uses a Flash holder or Instamatic Flash gun, just like the Instamatic 50. 

Kodak Instamatic 33 with Flash holder. 
Image Source:
https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/407838

The right side-

Is where the strap goes.

Left side-

On the bottom corner, like the X-15F, is the lever that unlocks the film compartment cover.

Then the back-

Is the film compartment cover and on this cover is the film counter window.

Above that in the left-hand corner is the viewfinder.

Then there is the film compartment. Like the Instamatic 104 and the Instamatic 50 and X-15F, this camera uses 126 film.

And that seems to be it. Nothing really remarkable about this camera. I do think that like the other Instamatic cameras, this camera can be a good starting point for anyone interested in venturing into the world of film photography (that is if you can find a 126-film cartage, of course).

But in my opinion this camera is a bit of a downgraded. By this I mean that it looks bland compared to its predecessors, which had an eye catching and style that reflected the decade it was manufactured. Then there is the film advance wheel, which looks interesting, but isn’t as efficient as the lever from the other three Instamatics.

But still, this camera embodies Kodak goal, for: “It is very robust, and I also like the easy insertion and removal of the film cassette…” (Agrimony 2008). What do you think? Do you prefer this style and look? Do you prefer the wheel over the lever? Let me know in the comments.

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List of sources:

Agrimony. 2008. A Review of the Kodak Instamatic 33. https://www.lomography.com/magazine/5442-a-review-of-the-kodak-instamatic-33

Camera-wiki. Kodak Instamatic 133 Camera. https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Kodak_Instamatic_133_Camera#:~:text=These%20cameras%20were%20made%20by%20Kodak's%20German,separate%20flashgun%20instead%20of%20a%20flashcube%20socket.

Filmphotography.eu. 2025. Kodak Instamatic 33. https://filmphotography.eu/en/kodak-instamatic-33/

Museums Victoria Collections. Camera - Kodak, Instamatic, 33, circa 1960s. https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/407838

Peggy. 2019. Kodak Instamatic 33. https://cameragocamera.com/2019/12/08/kodak-instamatic-33/

Photo Thinking. 2019. Kodak Instamatic 133 – Not really instant or automatic. https://photothinking.com/2019-02-23-kodak-instamatic-133/#:~:text=There%20are%20a%20couple%20of,133%2DX%20which%20uses%20Magicubes.

Velharias. 2024. Kodak Instamatic 33 Camera. https://www.ebay.com/itm/166798278631#:~:text=About%20this%20item,a%20few%20marks%20barely%20visible.