Segment from The Film Photography Podcast, Episode 28 – February 15, 2011
Introduced in 1935 (and discontinued in 1985), The 828 film format uses the same basic film stock as 135 film (standard 35mm film), but is on a spool with backing paper (similar to the style of 120 film. The standard image format is 40 × 28 mm which provides a 30% larger image compared to 35mm’s standard 24 × 36 mm.
The Kodak Pony 828 camera was made from 1949 until 1959. It featured a retractable lens mount with a four speed Flash 200 shutter and Anaston 51 mm f/4.5 triplet lens. The body was made of Bakelite, which was a very common camera body material at that time and while the initial version of this camera used 828 film.
Shooting with vintage cameras like the Kodak Pony is fun and will produce amazing images. Today, expired 828 film can be acquired on e-bay and new 35mm film can be rolled onto an 828 spool with backing paper.