Firing up an old Box Brownie.
I've spent a number of years looking at old cameras in antique shops and have always been drawn to the box brownie probably because my Mum tells a story of one of these being her first camera. I alwasys had some interest in buying one but found that they where ether more expensive than I was prepared to pay or cameras within my budget were in poor condition and didn't want anything that wouldn't work.
I've been lucky enough to have had a few old family film cameras passed onto me including three Pentax SP1000s (one as new) in the past, so it was great when this Box Brownie came my way courtesy of Bruce FitzCharles.
This camera (a model D) is in fantastic condition with the original leather case and whats more important was the price was just right :-)
Film
The drama was that the original film type "620 medium format" wasn't available to me, but thanks to the internet and YouTube I found out how to modify a 120 medium format film to fit which mostly involved cutting the outside edge off the film spool using some nail clippers.
After downloading the original instruction manual and learning how to load the film it was quite a relief when the number one appeared in the little red window to show it was in the right position for the first capture.
Considerations
The camera has no adjustable settings so it seems you are stuck with f/11 and about 80th of a second, this first film had a ASA of 400, four times as sensitive as what I believe the original films where and that's why this first film was just about taking photos in different light conditions to see what it would or wouldn't handle.
The tricky part of using this camera was the mechanisms that wind the film and take the photo are in no way connected so unlike the good old SLR that cocked the shutter at the same time you advanced the film you could easily have a mishap by missing a frame (and there areonly eight) or heaving a double exposure if you get it wrong.
Even though I tried to discipline myself to advancing the film after every capture so that it was always ready to go. It was so easy to get distracted and within 10 seconds of taking the photo I was found wondering if I had wound it on (old age maybe) One thing I would like to mention is that taking a photo with this camera is a very underwhelming experience with absolutely no confidence at all that I have just captured any image at all never mind a usable one.
Results
Because I had to modify the film spool it was important that when it was developed I got the take-up spool back as I now consider it as "part of the camera". all in all the results where pleasing and it was great how they looked like old photos.
As well as the 80th of a second shutter speed there is a bulb option for a longer exposure so after using a light meter the last shot below is my best guess at 1.5 seconds.
Conclusion
The four images above are a good representation of the eight . It was good fun and although I have put another film in it I think it will be the last as I have already been inspired to wack a 120 film though the old Yashica Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera I picked up a few years ago in Tasmania.
