Brownie Box Camera Challenge Registration Thread

Mr Badger

Mr Badger

Didymus
Messages
7,457
Edit My Images
No
This ‘just for fun’ challenge is open to anyone with a pre-1936 Kodak Brownie Box Camera, the aim being to see who can take the nicest looking photo using one of these cheap and simple vintage cameras. The rules are as follows:

  • Entries must have been taken using a genuine, pre-1936, Kodak Brownie Box Cameras (eg a Kodak Brownie Number 2 or earlier). Not sure if your camera qualifies? You should be able to identify the model and its approximate year of manufacture on the following link: http://www.brownie.camera/
  • To register to enter you will need to post a photo of your camera on this thread, together with a few words about how it came into your possession (given by a relative, bought from a car boot sale for 50p, etc.).
  • After registering, you will have until 31st of October 2017 to take a photo with your camera and enter it. Entries can be posted at any time between registering on this thread and the closure of entries at midnight on the 31st of October 2017 (hopefully this will keep this and the entries thread ticking over during the year).
  • After the closing date a poll will be held for 7 days so people can vote for the three photos they like the best. The one with the most votes wins. Depending on the standard of entry, we may also have a separate poll for the most amusing or disappointing failure too, if people want to enter that.

Please use this registration thread to ask any questions, a separate ‘entries thread’ is linked here: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/box-brownie-challenge-entries-thread.654973/

Best of luck everyone! :)

PS You can post any 'practice' shots you've taken on the following thread link, which is also open to people who have any make or model of traditional-type, box camera, regardless of the make, model and year of manufacture https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/the-box-camera-photo-gallery.649939/
 
Last edited:
Here’s what I’ll be using, on the left we have a British made Brownie Junior No 2 dating from 1931-1932, and on the right a Canadian made Brownie No2 Model F dating from 1924 - 1925. Both these cameras were bought from a junk shop in North Wales around 1980 for around £1.50 each. Once they’ve had a bit of a clean they should be ready to go! :)

IMG_0103 by J White, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Mr Badger said:
This ‘just for fun’ challenge is open to anyone with a pre-1936 Kodak Brownie Box Camera, the aim being to see who can take the nicest looking photo using one of these cheap and simple vintage cameras. The rules are as follows:

  • Entries must have been taken using a genuine, pre-1936, Kodak Brownie Box Cameras (eg a Kodak Brownie Number 2 or earlier). Not sure if your camera qualifies? You should be able to identify the model and its approximate year of manufacture on the following link: http://www.brownie.camera/
  • To register to enter you will need to post a photo of your camera on this thread, together with a few words about how it came into your possession (given by a relative, bought from a car boot sale for 50p, etc.).
  • After registering, you will have until 30th of September 2017 to take a photo with your camera and enter it. Entries can be posted at any time between registering on this thread and the closure of entries on midnight 30th of September 2017 (hopefully this will keep this and the entries thread ticking over during the year).
  • After the closing date a poll will be held for 7 days so people can vote for the three photos they like the best. The one with the most votes wins. Depending on the standard of entry, we may also have a separate poll for the most amusing or disappointing failure too, if people want to enter that.

Please use this registration thread to ask any questions, a separate ‘entries thread’ will be started once someone lets me know they have a photo to enter, and will be linked here: .................................

Best of luck everyone! :)
Click to expand...

From what I could see reading the post you linked to, pre 1936 are 620 only. If my sister still has hers, it was 120, so I guess I'm out!

Not sure why the insistence on pre 1936; there were plenty of Box Brownies after that (eg 2A models)...
 
ChrisR said:
From what I could see reading the post you linked to, pre 1936 are 620 only. If my sister still has hers, it was 120, so I guess I'm out!
Click to expand...

No, there are loads of pre-1936 120 models including the No2A (both the ones in my photo take 120), so I think you must be looking at the wrong model? Scroll down on the link and have a look, and let me know if there's still an issue just in case I've linked to the wrong thing!

The idea of an age limit was because the Brownie name was used on a lot of later models, with significantly better lenses than the early ones. If we all use the basic earlier models with meniscus type lens, then it gives a fairly level playing field, and adds to the challenge of getting a good looking photo! Hope that makes sense. (y)
 
Last edited:
Sorry it appears I misread that very confusing site!
 
ChrisR said:
Sorry it appears I misread that very confusing site!
Click to expand...
No problem, until I found that website I'd no idea they'd made so many different versions, it took me a couple of goes to find and identify the two I've got, and they were in front of me! Fair play to the website owner for cataloguing them though. Anyway, glad you're back in the game! (y)
 
Box Brownies you say... It'll have to be one of these two then. The Six-20 needs re-spooling to work, but it was my grandad's post-war purchase so I do like to make sure it's still used. The Model 2 was a local antique shop find after I'd gotten the bug from shooting with the Six-20, it needed a clean-up but yes, that one is still good to go too.

20170316_222328549_iOS
 
The Model 2 on the right is eligible (pre-1936), so welcome to the challenge Lee and best of luck. (y)

Still no sign of the @Andysnap / @Mrs Snap machine yet, or has it gone in for a CLA? ;)
 
Last edited:
Mr Badger said:
The Model 2 on the right is eligible (pre-1936), so welcome to the challenge Lee and best of luck. (y)

Still no sign of the @Andysnap / @Mrs Snap machine yet, or has it gone in for a CLA? ;)
Click to expand...

Arrived yesterday and it is a Model 2 in very nice condition. Just need to figure out how to load the flippin' thing.
 
Thanks for that Mr B, i had worked out how to load the film but the info about aperture and shutter speed is useful as is the fact that the front comes off to enable cleaning.(y)
 
No problem, glad it was useful, but don't blame me if you break it! I shall look forward to seeing a photo of a very clean and shiny camera on here shortly! :D
 
Last edited:
Andysnap said:
the front comes off to enable cleaning.(y)
Click to expand...

Mr Badger said:
, but don't blame me if you break it
Click to expand...

The front came off????.........He's broken it!:runaway::runaway: :D

To think the Box Brownie has one of the most simple designs that a camera could ever have .......There's only Andy who could stuggle with it.:rolleyes::D

Never mind at least @Mrs Snap is there to guide him:p:D
 
Well it came off eventually...... after a bit of hammering and the brief but forceful application of a chisel. :facepalm::LOL:
 
Here's my No2, which is indeed a model F...

Brownie No2 Model F w case + spool.jpg

The glass was all pretty filthy, so I decided now was a good time to give it its scheduled 80-year CLA. The viewfinders were dramatically improved - every surface was caked in crap. The lens wasn't so bad, but was much harder to clean (especially with the front element behind the shutter). Soft, small paintbrushes were used to first apply spectacle lens cleaner, dabbed dry, and then IPA, blown dry, followed by a gentle buff with a microfibre cloth. Oiling didn't seem so necessary because everything worked fine, but I used a cocktail stick and a small brush to lubricate: the pivot for the shutter lever, the pivot of the shutter itself, the sliding bits at the aperture plate where it passes its locating/detent pin, and the sliding bit at the shutter setting bar. Maybe it feels slightly better. I also wiped a little oil on the shutter spring and the rivet at the centre of the shutter plate because they had what looked like some slight surface rust. The oil was 3-in-1, and I probably used about half of the three drops I put into a little plastic bottle cap. The only adjustment was to slightly nip up the screw retaining the shutter setting bar because it was a smidge loose (took very little force to slacken it with the fingers on the screwdriver blade rather than the handle).

While I had it opened up, I measured the diameters of the stops and got 7mm, 5.5mm and 3mm. I'm not sure what the focal length is, but if it's 105mm, that would be apertures of f/15, f/19 and f/35. So, about 2/3rds of a stop between large and medium, and about 1 and 2/3rds from medium to small. For the purposes of this exercise, I think I'll call them f/Large, f/Medium and f/Small (or f/L, f/M and f/S). The shutter speed looks pretty close to the 1/50th on my Yashicamat LM, and I'll go with that.

So, I have a Brownie, a nifty carry bag complete with strap, and a spool of 100asa film. All I need now is some bright sunshine, some subjects, and the elusive dose of talent...

Edit to add a couple more adjustments and some more cleaning. At the take-up spool, one end of the spring that acts as a clutch on the spool was a bit out of position, so I bent it towards the spool to match the other end. One end of the film advance thingy was bent in a bit, so this was eased out to horizontal with a pair of pliers. I also had another look at the lens and noticed some smudging that I wasn't happy with, so I made a little tool to get better access. The tool consisted of a tiny bit of self-adhesive foam rubber tape (about 3mm square) stuck to the end of the handle of one of the small paintbrushes, with a small bit of microfibre cut from a cloth wrapped over that and held to the brush handle with electricians tape. It took a couple of goes to get this thin enough to fit through the large stop. Cleaning was done with the shutter open and looking through the back while gently wiggling the cleaning tool around to buff off the smudging. I also did the back of the lens with this and found it was much easier to reach in. Looking through from the front with a loupe, it all looks pretty clean and clear now. With that, I think I now have a lean, mean, picture-taking machine. :)

I also read the instruction manual and get how to use it - basically do everything at f/L, sometimes f/M, and instantaneous, unless it's dull, in which case it's f/S and guess the time exposure. I raided the Acros stash in the freezer and got another three spools, so spool 1 will be used to test it out.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the registration posts everyone, it's nice to see some tired old relics being brought back from the brink and given a second lease of life (it gives me some hope, if nothing else! :LOL: ). I like that 116 to 120 film gate conversion plate, Paul ( @Nikbud ), it looks neat enough to have been cut by laser! Let us know if it works OK.

I followed a similar path to @Nomad Z when servicing my Brownie No 2 F camera this weekend; the viewfinder glass and mirrors were pretty grotty and some gentle cleaning revealed that the silvering on the mirrors had deteriorated quite noticeably, with the mirrors taking on a yellowy-golden colour and black areas where the silvering had failed altogether. However, once reassembled, I was surprised that I could still see well enough through the viewfinders to frame a shot reasonably well, so I wonder just how bad these have got to get before they become unserviceable?

Let's just hope it's a good, old-fashioned, sunny summer and we have plenty of chance to capture some great photos with these vintage classics, so keep those registrations coming in for the Brownie Box Camera Challenge. (y) I'm looking forward to seeing the entries coming in, and some practice shots being posted in the Box Camera Photo Gallery too (more news on that tomorrow!). :)
 
The silvering on my mirrors looks to be in very good condition - didn't notice any deterioration, and the images are nice and clear.

As for what would make them u/s, I guess what it really needs is to be reasonably light tight, and for the hole in the front to be openable in such a way as to effect an exposure. There are ways to work around just about everything else. Light leaks can be fixed with tape. If the film transport is broken, you could do one frame at a time using printing paper, but need Time to be working or improvise a shutter. Same for other things needing long exposures (missing lens replaced with a pinhole, jammed on f/S, etc). The viewfinders are handy but aren't strictly necessary, so they could fail - could tape bits of bent wire on to make a viewing frame if you really wanted a finder. The stop plate could jam at either f/L or f/M and it would be fine if Instantaneous was still working, and you could probably get away with the larger stops and Time if you taped a reasonably dense filter over the lens, or played with film speeds to get sensible exposures. Aye, almost unstoppable as long as it's still a light tight box with a hole at one end.

I like the photo gallery idea - I was thinking of something similar, but for contact sheets (no hiding the duffers), so could post them in there.
 
I found my Brownie, but I think it's a bit too new for this challenge - it's a Brownie Flash B:
GUbjwC0.jpg

To be honest, it's unlikely I'm going to buy another one, but I might put a roll through this one at some point, just not for the challenge!
 
Yes, the Brownie Flash B is definitely post 1936: http://www.brownie.camera/brownie_flash_b_camera.htm The good news is that if you do decide to put a roll of film through it you'll be able to post the results on the Box Camera Photo Gallery thread, which started tonight. (y) https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/the-box-camera-photo-gallery.649939/

Mind you, with a September 30th closing date, you've got plenty of time left to take part in the Brownie Box Camera Challenge as well, if a cheap pre-36 Brownie should cross your path and tempt you. :)

The Box Camera Photo Gallery is there for any photos taken using a box camera, regardless of make or model year. It's a non-competitive thread (like the 'show us yer film shots then!' thread) and should hopefully run alongside and complement the Box Brownie Challenge, providing a comparison between the different makes of box camera over the years and the quality of images they can still produce.

The Box Camera Photo Gallery is also open to photos taken with pre-36 Kodak Brownies, so the ideal place to post the results of any practice runs or 'also ran' shots taken by those entering the Brownie Box Camera Challenge. :)
 
Nice! I got mine from a good friend - her father passed away and she found it in his house. Knowing my obsession with old cameras, she saved it for me :)
 
Rescued this "Kodak No 2 Hawkeye Model C" yesterday before it was taken to a charity shop. It was Carol's Grandad's which came into her possession when he passed away nearly 15 years ago. It had been hiding in a drawer ever since. It wasn't until she decided to have a clear out that I was even aware she had it.

I've seen some conflicting information on the exact production dates, but I think it will qualify, right?

hawkeye 640.jpg
 
Last edited:
According to this link it was produced between 1926 and 1934 http://www.brownie.camera/hawkeye/no_2_hawkeye_model_c__uk_model_.htm The Hawkeye isn't strictly speaking a Brownie, but I think it's in the spirit of the competition (it's made by Kodak, it's pre1936 and pretty much the same, basic box-camera design as the Brownie) so I'd be happy to let it qualify, as long as no one else takes exception to this? :) Well done for saving it and best of luck getting some good shots with it. (y)
 
Mr Badger said:
According to this link it was produced between 1926 and 1934 http://www.brownie.camera/hawkeye/no_2_hawkeye_model_c__uk_model_.htm The Hawkeye isn't strictly speaking a Brownie, but I think it's in the spirit of the competition (it's made by Kodak, it's pre1936 and pretty much the same, basic box-camera design as the Brownie) so I'd be happy to let it qualify, as long as no one else takes exception to this? :) Well done for saving it and best of luck getting some good shots with it. (y)
Click to expand...

I know next to nothing about these types of camera so I'd be interested to learn what makes a brownie a brownie? The link in the fist post points to a lot of 620 cameras, so I'm wondering if that's what sets them apart and why the Hawkeye isn't?
 
scook94 said:
I know next to nothing about these types of camera so I'd be interested to learn what makes a brownie a brownie? The link in the fist post points to a lot of 620 cameras, so I'm wondering if that's what sets them apart and why the Hawkeye isn't?
Click to expand...
Interesting question. As far as I know, 'Brownie' was one of Kodak's brand names, the film size (120 or 620, etc.) was just one of the options available under that brand name. I think the Hawkeye was perhaps pretty much 'just' another brand name they used, possibly for a more basic (and cheaper/more affordable) option of box camera, but I could well be wrong on this? If anyone else knows different then please feel free to comment. :)
 
Last edited:
Mr Badger said:
Interesting question. As far as I know, 'Brownie' was one of Kodak's brand names, the film size (120 or 620, etc.) was just one of the options available under that brand name. I think the Hawkeye was perhaps pretty much 'just' another brand name they used, possibly for a more basic (and cheaper/more affordable) option of box camera, but I could well be wrong on this? If anyone else knows different then please feel free to comment. :)
Click to expand...

Here you go, had a look through my Kodak book and found this out
"In 1898 Eastman asked his camera designer and manufacturer, Frank Brownell, to design the least expensive camera possible, consistent with its being effective and reliable..... Brownell came up with the Brownie camera, launched in 1900. It was named after the little characters created by the Canadian author and illustrator Palmer Cox" Kodak Cameras The First Hundred Years, Brian Coe

"Hawk-Eye Cameras
The Hawk-Eye trademark was originally owned by the Boston Camera Company, and passed to the Blair Camera Company in 1890. In 1907 Eastman Kodak Company bought Blair.... Some Hawk-EYe cameras were manufactured in England by Kodak Ltd from1927to 1939." Kodak Cameras The First Hundred Years, Brian Coe : Appendix 1

So, yes, Brownie is the name of a range of cameras that share simplicity of operation as their main feature. Minimal user over-rides/settings ensured the best chance of anyone being able to get images out of them. Essentially the equivalent to a default phone camera today! Hawk-Eye were a separate brand before being bought out.
 
I'd read that about Kodak taking over the 'Hawk-Eye' company around 1907, but this happened well before the Hawkeye box camera was manufactured and launched on the market around 1926. I'm not sure why Kodak did this when they already had the Brownie range of box cameras? However, most Brownies seem to have a 'T' setting on the shutter, and many have a sliding aperture option too. The Hawkeye doesn't appear to have a 'T' setting or variable aperture, so I was wondering if this was very much a 'budget' base model and Kodak wanted to keep this separate from their more 'advanced' Brownie models? It could just be they wanted to keep the 'Hawkeye' factory busy, but why not just let them produce the Brownie range instead? On the other hand, perhaps Hawkeye were a manufacturer with something of a loyal brand following, so Kodak wanted to use that to it's commercial advantage? Who knows, I suppose after all these years the reasons may have been lost in the mists of time?
 
Thought I'd give this a bump. Did anyone get any photos to enter? Is it worth extending the entries deadline by a month?
 
I've got a film in mine and I might well bring it out to play next Saturday.
 
Andysnap said:
I've got a film in mine and I might well bring it out to play next Saturday.
Click to expand...
Good idea, I'm sure Ive got some film in mine too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top