By 1888, photographers had been fixing images on plates for more than six decades, and some of them produced impressive portraits, photojournalism, and landscapes. But no one could do such things easily.
The first prerequisite for effortless picture taking came in 1871, when Richard Maddox invented highly sensitive dry plates—glass coated with gelatin emulsion. That step eliminated the awkward coating-exposure-processing sequence that had to be done on-site when using the wet-plate process.
But an entire suite of improvements still needed to be made, and they came from an unlikely innovator: George Eastman, a bank clerk in Rochester, N.Y. In 1877, Eastman bought a camera and wet-plate gear to use on a trip to Santo Domingo. The trip fell through, but it prompted Eastman to experiment with new emulsion coatings, and in 1879 he patented a coating machine. In 1884 he replaced the glass support with a negative stripping film made of three layers—paper, soluble gelatin, and gelatin emulsion. In 1885 he added a convenient roll holder.
The final step came 130 years ago, on 4 September 1888, when Eastman was awarded U.S. Patent No. 388,850 for a small, handheld, easy-to-use camera. His company had already begun making it three months earlier.
Eastman called the camera a Kodak because he liked the ring of it.
Thanks for the reminder Gary, I have great interest in the early years of photography and have learned a lot from my good friend who recently passed away, this fella was a walking encyclopedia on the history of all cameras.
His collection occupied every room of his house and a description of all the different models he had collected from around the world.
While reading the patent paper and looking at the hand drawn illustrations I was just thinking 1888 is not that far and look at all the technology surrounding us today. It's nuts how fast and far we've moved forward.
Yea Marc, probably to far and to fast. I have given up and treasure my old tradie dinosaur phone and my trusty desk top .
It is all to fast for me mate
130 years ago today - George Eastman patents Kodak camera - 4 Sep 1888
I have given up and treasure my old tradie dinosaur phone and my trusty desk top 
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