Brownies!

Sanders,
Great pics!
Do you know by chance whether that trick would also work with an Agfa Box?

Cheers,
Uwe
 
Uwe, I don't know. If it's a simple meniscus
lens, reversing it will surely do something.
If it's a more complex lens, you might have
problems altering it. For example, I have a
Beau Brownie box camera (a gordeous work
of industrial design by Walter Dorwin Teague)
but it has a doublet lens with the shutter in
between the two elements -- not so easy to
hack. Sanders
 
By the way, there is a Flickr group
dedicated to shooters of cameras
with flipped lenses:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/flippedlens/

I cannot post there because the group
allows only "safe" images to be posted
in it. I have naked people in my Flickr
stream, so Flickr has rated my entire
stream "moderate" which in Flickrspeak
means "unsafe." Alas.
 
Beau Brownie!

Beau Brownie!

I confess that the Brownie bug has bitten me
and now I find myself shepherding a growing
flock of orphaned Brownies rescued from the
clutches of evil eBay sellers.

One of my new arrivals is a nifty Beau Brownie
with a portrait attachment, which focuses at
precisely 3'6" -- I shot it a few nights ago and
was much pleased with the results.

3030070910_6c7ed71a18.jpg


New Eyeglasses

The Beau Brownie was made from 1930 to 1933
-- so it was a contemporary of my Leica II, which
appears to have been built around 1932. It is an
interesting comparison -- the cameras couldn't
be more different. The Beau Brownie makes a
bigger negative but the Leica produces a modern
image in every respect.
 
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cool tread I just restored a brownie my grandmother used to take my baby pics some 44 years ago. Have a few others think I will flip the lens on one as well. Went to local graveyard to take shots today with the restored one. Im all for a forum for brownies since I own 5 and may get the portrait one you speak of. ALso used my holga today as well.
 
Sanders, I have three Hawkeyes, one is completely disabled as I took the lens out and am using it with my Pentax6x7. If that works I'll make a flipped version, too. The Hawkeye is a great camera, has anyone ever figured out how to use the 120 spools in the take up position??????? I would love some help with that. I don't feel like trimming the 120 spools or rewinding the film.

By the way, I have seen your flipped lens photos on Flickr which are great, and were the catalysis for me to make a flipped lens 6x7.
 
Gads, I forgot the question, YES there should be a Brownie Forum. But if not that at least a Plastic lens/camera or Toy camera forum. There is a Holga etc. Forum, but this type of camera is so much more esoteric.
 
I think your only viable option for the
take-up spool is to use 620 spools,
for the Brownie Hawkeyes. At least
the 120 rolls will fit into the film
chamber. I picked up a Six-20 this
week and the 120 roll won't fit without
surgery ... but I might operate all
the same.

There are good sites online for
Brownie collectors but not much in
the way of resources for Brownie
shooters. Alas.
 
I don't quite understand, are there some Hawkeyes that take 120? I'm going to check mine to see about surgery.
 
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Yes, you can squeeze a roll of 120 into
a Brownie Hawkeye without respooling
it. But you still need to use a 620
spool for the take-up reel. Try it.
 
I've now got 2 hawkeyes, one brownie bullet and a brownie super 27.

I've got a film to scan from one of the hawkeyes...several snaps taken with flash bulbs. I've run 35mm film through the super 27 for the fun of it. The brownie bullet is too cute for words and is a real time machine.

These are from a recent scouting event, but could pass for when the brownie was new.

2957431424_39f10210be_o.jpg


2957431518_e58bfff112_o.jpg
 
I've now got 2 hawkeyes, one brownie bullet and a brownie super 27.

I've got a film to scan from one of the hawkeyes...several snaps taken with flash bulbs. I've run 35mm film through the super 27 for the fun of it. The brownie bullet is too cute for words and is a real time machine.

These are from a recent scouting event, but could pass for when the brownie was new.

2957431424_39f10210be_o.jpg


2957431518_e58bfff112_o.jpg

Sure could.
 
I have a model E with cable release socket. I have installed a pinhole in one of the slide out filter drawers so I can pop off the lens and change from lens to pinhole mid roll. I am waiting for the right day to take another old wood and cardboard brownie out for a spin. I never bought a holga because the brownie does the low fi thing nicely for me.
 
I don't mean to go off on a tangent, but Sanders' recent acquisition of a Beau Brownie leads me to a repair question. Does anyone know how to safely remove the front plate so that you can access the viewfinder? Mine is so dusty on the inside that it is almost impossible to see through. I've posted this question on various repair forum to no avail -- any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated.
 
I don't mean to go off on a tangent, but Sanders' recent acquisition of a Beau Brownie leads me to a repair question. Does anyone know how to safely remove the front plate so that you can access the viewfinder? Mine is so dusty on the inside that it is almost impossible to see through. I've posted this question on various repair forum to no avail -- any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated.

Good question -- mine is nearly unusable because of the
finder. The Beau Brownie is pretty obscure as a user
camera -- I've not been able to locate any information
on the camera apart from its association with Walter
Dorwin Teague. No one seems to have seen a manual
for the camera.

I am going to try to take mine apart when time permits.
It appears that the front standard is held in its housing
by six nails -- one on each side, two on top, and two on
bottom. I've pulled one out -- it should be possible but
I've not done it yet.

Sanders
 
heres a scan of one of the more interesting pages. the manual is about 70 pages long (i dont much feel like scanning it all sorry) but covers things that you dont need really, bunch of pages on developing film, using kodak equipment and some other kodak stuff you could buy. all pretty basic instruction throughout really.

i thought this page might be helpfull and interesting though as it shows what you might expect to find inside.

i have a bunch of different ol brownies, with todays film they take surprisingly good pictures...great fun to use. in the past i have given one to each of my kids and visitors loaded with film when out for a day trip. they all have a laugh and enjoy it at the time..and then later are all ooo's and arrr's when they see the pictures turned out :)


scan should be here...i'll try again
 

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I've had the front off of one of the old brownie box cameras. Brownie #2 I think.
It was just the 4 screws on the front of the art deco panel that needed to come off. That gave me access to the two viewfinders. The mirrors had come loose and the thing was very dirty. A few minutes with glue and some lens cleaner had the thing looking and working well.
Not much to go wrong inside of one of those things.
Mine, unfortunately, is so tight around the film areas that it will not accept a 120 roll in the film supply. I'm thinking of taking a dremel to the 120 roll to trim the ends just a bit and see if that works.
 
I am going to try to take mine apart when time permits.
It appears that the front standard is held in its housing
by six nails -- one on each side, two on top, and two on
bottom. I've pulled one out -- it should be possible but
I've not done it yet.

Sanders

I don't think that one has to remove the nails on the sides of the camera -- it appears that you can access everything by removing the front panel. The trick is trying to pull the four nails/pins without scraping up the chrome/enamel on the art deco faceplate. When I have a moment, I'll have to do a little head-scratching and see if I can devise a method of doing this w/o damaging the camera.
 
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