Amazing America: The legacy of George Eastman

Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — Inside the partitions of the George Eastman Museum, you may discover a assortment like no different showcasing the improvements from the person who revolutionized images. First with the dry plate, which eliminated the necessity to develop photographs inside minutes.

“He kind of figured it out,” mentioned Todd Gustavson, curator of the museum’s expertise assortment. “Eventually he would patent a machine that would coat gelatin and then he started selling them through an agency in New York City.”

That paved the way in which for Eastman’s American movie in 1885, which required a roll movie holder. When it did not catch on, he pivoted once more.

“He takes this film and puts it into a small handheld camera and decides to market it to a newly emerging amateur photography market,” Gustavson mentioned. “The ‘Kodak’ comes about, that’s what he names the product and it’s basically a big success.”

Gustavson mentioned Eastman typically performed anagrams and was keen on the letter “K.”

“So that’s basically a name that he invented,” he said.

In 1888, Eastman sold 5,000 “Kodaks.” They came preloaded with 100 pictures.

A Kodak camera that was sold in the 1880s is pictured inside the George Eastman Museum in Rochester Feb. 27, 2026. (Photo by John Washnis/WHAM)

“You raise up on this spring to cock the shutter,” Gustavson said. “There is a bit of V, that is the viewfinder. You maintain it in opposition to your chest, and also you press the button. And by the way in which that is from 1888 and it nonetheless works.”

Consumers would return the camera to Kodak, which would process the photos. It came with a slogan many still remember today: “You press the button, we do the remaining.”

“And it’s the ‘we do the rest’ part that really made it go,” mentioned Gustavson.

12 years later got here the Brownie, retailing for $1 and bringing images to the lots.

A Brownie field digicam created by Eastman Kodak is pictured contained in the George Eastman Museum in Rochester Feb. 27, 2026. (Photo by John Washnis/WHAM)

“From that time on, they would go and add features to make either the film better or the cameras better or the processing better,” Gustavson mentioned. “This would just evolve over many, many years.”

Eastman’s colonial revival mansion was accomplished in 1905. He would reside right here till his demise in 1932. Nearly three many years later, it might grow to be a images museum and a memorial to the person who revolutionized the trade.

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Today, guests can discover Kodak’s cameras all through the years together with different manufacturers, many impressed by Eastman’s work.

Old Eastman Kodak cameras are displayed contained in the George Eastman Museum in Rochester Feb. 27, 2026. (Photo by John Washnis/WHAM)

They may also tour his house studying extra in regards to the man who helped put Rochester on the map.

“He additionally determined to make Rochester a metropolis price residing in, so he may convey different staff right here,” Gustavson said. “Pretty a lot the whole lot that is associated to tradition on this city goes again to George Eastman.”

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