The Camera That Documented World War I

Known as the Soldier's Kodak, this tiny folding device was small enough to fit in a vest pocket. It transformed history by allowing troops to capture candid, personal photos of the front lines.

Before this camera arrived, war photography was usually limited to posed, heavy equipment operated by professionals. The VPK changed everything because its 127 film allowed for a compact, portable design that could be easily tucked away. Millions of soldiers carried them into the trenches to document their daily lives. This resulted in a massive, intimate archive of human experiences that would have otherwise been lost to time.