Kodak Brownie - The camera that captured readers' lives

[MV72]

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30744464

and

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30530268

Enjoy!

 

[David Hughes]

Loved the article about the camera, thanks.

And for our younger readers ;-) the price on the advert was 19/6 or nineteen shillings and sixpence. A few pennies - 6 - short of a pound.

Regards, David

PS And I've always loved the Bert Hardy photo: guess which one...

 

[Muggins]

A good box camera is a highly underrated beast!

We plough the fields and scatter by gray1720, on Flickr

Adrian

 

[bsdunek]

Enjoyed the article - thanks! I still have my Brownie Hawkeye 620. This inspires me to run some film through it. I received the camera for my 8th birthday (1947) from my Grandparents. Still looks like new even though I used it a lot.

 

[robert blu]

Interesting and fascinating...now I desire a Brownie...
robert

 

[MV72]

David, it's the two girls in Blackpool by Bert Hardy.

Question for question: Have you any idea what the twisting metal staircase used to be? I can tell you ...

 

[David Hughes]

"David, it's the two girls in Blackpool by Bert Hardy." Now how did you guess that? Are you French by any chance?

"Question for question: Have you any idea what the twisting metal staircase used to be? I can tell you ..." OK, I give up.

This is fun isn't it?

Regards, David

 

[Sparrow]

... each time this thread comes up on the home page I misread it as ... readers' wives ...

 

[Muggins]

I am so glad it isn't just me!

Do beekeepers (or allergy specialists?) have a Reader's Hives section?

Adrian

 

[MV72]

"David, it's the two girls in Blackpool by Bert Hardy." Now how did you guess that? Are you French by any chance?

"Question for question: Have you any idea what the twisting metal staircase used to be? I can tell you ..." OK, I give up.

This is fun isn't it?

Regards, David

It's the remnants of a Léon BOLLEE wind turbine.
I spotted it immediately as there is one in my village (Arnage, of endurance racing fame. 24 heures du Mans).
It was invented by a local engineer in the 1880's and about 350 were built.
There's even one in Britain :St. Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster.

Here's what they look like:
https://www.google.fr/search?q=éoli...ei=PJHHVPTnOcvmUtu1grAE&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

 

[Muggins]

Well there's an intriguing diversion, thank you for sharing that!

I have a portrait attachment for No2 Brownies, with the instructions on a sheet of bible-type paper folded into the tin. Have been meaning to try it out for years... but I'm bad enough at portraiture as it is without fiddling about with a Brownie in front of an impatient model!

I'm just wondering how many Brownies I have, in fact - it's at least 7 or 8 of different sorts, though some of the ones in my Flickr have been moved on since. Without wishing to suggest in any way that I have too many box cameras...

Boxcamerahenge by gray1720, on Flickr

Adrian

 

[David Hughes]

It's the remnants of a Léon BOLLEE wind turbine.
I spotted it immediately as there is one in my village (Arnage, of endurance racing fame. 24 heures du Mans).
It was invented by a local engineer in the 1880's and about 350 were built.
There's even one in Britain :St. Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster.

Here's what they look like:
https://www.google.fr/search?q=éoli...ei=PJHHVPTnOcvmUtu1grAE&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

Hi,

I love it. Thanks so much.

Regards, David

 

[WJJ3]

Brownie Flash IV

Brownie Flash IV

I recently got the Brownie I have been stalking for some time: a Flash IV!
I used a Target 620 before, which was fun, but the lens was just so bad I stopped shooting it. The Flash IV is a really fun camera, with a good enough lens and features that make it really usable: built in yellow filter and close range lens, tripod socket, long exposure capability, and of course syncronised flash contact (which I have yet to use). Here is my camera and some shots from my first roll through it.

brownie by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

Brownie1 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

Brownie2 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

Brownie3 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

 

[lynnb]

I still have my parents' Brownie 620 Model C, and a few years ago I found a Brownie No.2 Model F in a charity store (120 film). This was taken with the Model F, HP5+ in XTOL, cropped:

 

[WJJ3]

Brownie4 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

Brownie5 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

Brownie6 by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr

 

[lynnb]

Marc I forgot to thank you for the links. Both well worth a read. In the second story, reference is made to Dr Michael Pritchard, president of the Royal Photographic Society and the author of The History of Photography in 50 Cameras. I have this book and can recommend it:
bookdepository link
Amazon link

For anyone considering a Brownie, my suggestion is to find a model that takes 120 film.

More info on Brownies here

 

[John E Earley]

One of my Brownies. This one belonged to my mother.


Target Brownie Six-20 by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr

 

[John E Earley]

One more Brownie.

Brownie Hawkeye by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr