Many of the cameras on this website are at the ‘lower end’ of the point and shoot film camera spectrum. I’ve discussed elsewhere the reasons for this. That being the case, many of the cameras reviewed are quite basic in functionality.
Having said that, there are basic cameras and then there are very basic cameras. Although not quite as no-frills as this unknown camera, the Kodak S100 EF is definitely one of the more simple models. The Kodak S100 EF is also apparently known as the Kodak Breeze and some variations are branded as Euro 35, incorporating sub-titles such as ‘Elysees’, ‘Colors’ and ‘Legend’. Although the model reviewed here is black, I have also come across several colour variations, including white, blue, red and various shades of grey or cream, sometimes with different coloured control buttons. The camera was sold from around 1987, into the early 1990s.
Kodak S100 EF
A first glance the Kodak S100 EF is not too dissimilar to the Kodak S300MD however, unlike that camera, it is not in any way automatic. Indeed, film has to be manually loaded and also wound on by hand using a scroll wheel. There are only two possible film ISO settings, one for 100/200 ISO film and another for 400 ISO. The lens has a 35mm angle of coverage.
The Kodak S100 EF can use three different apertures, two of which are set when the manually selected ISO switch, located below the lens, is changed. The third aperture setting, ƒ4.5, kicks in when the flash option is chosen – also a process which is set manually, by using a switch above the lens. What is interesting is that, even when there are no batteries in the camera, the aperture setting of ƒ4.5 will be set when the flash option is selected, even though the flash, obviously, will not fire. All of this being the case, a certain amount of guesswork (or perhaps external metering) may have to be used to get the best results out of this camera. I did say it was basic.
The body of the Kodak S100 EF is on the larger size, but not unwieldy. It is rather square with harsh edges, but the controls are large and easy enough to access, if sometimes a little stiff. When the flash is selected, a light indicates when the flash is charged and ready to fire.
The viewfinder is nice and large and I appreciated the way in which the camera shutter will not engage when the sliding lens cover door is shut, thus helping to avoid accidentally wasting a photo. Rewinding the film is done by pressing a button on the base of the camera and then using the manual film rewind crank.
