Box Cameras

brofkand · Oct 4, 2008

I am more or less "anti-Holga." I think they are overpriced for what they are. But, I still want to get a Holga-esque look, but without spending $30 for something that fogs film and the like.

So, are there any readily available box cameras that use 120 film? I have a Kodak Target Six-20 that I have used a few times, but it's a bit of a pain to re-roll the film to get it to work. I'm considering selling it and buying a box camera that can use 120 film outright. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

removed account4 · Oct 4, 2008

look for an agfa sure shot
they took 120 film ..

you might also look here: http://www.boxcameras.com/
for some ideas as well.

good luck!

john

brofkand · Oct 5, 2008

John:

Thanks. Do you know if anyone still makes box cameras?

elekm · Oct 5, 2008

Also, the Zeiss Ikon Box Tengors also took 120 film. There are prewar and postwar models.

However, the Goerz Frontar lens on the Box Tengor might be too sharp for what you want.

You could always look for an inexpensive Agfa, Zeiss Ikon (Nettar or Ikonta), Balda or Welti folder. The Voigtlander folding cameras currently are unjustifiably expensive.

Rolleiflexible · Oct 5, 2008

I've just started playing with a
Brownie Hawkeye. It needs a
620 take-up spool but you can
load it with 120 film -- the 120
spools will fit in the film chamber.

A number of older Brownies take
120 film. I believe that all of the
No. 2 Brownies, including the Beau
Brownie, use 120 film.

Brofkand asks for a camera that
makes a Holga-like negative. You
can flip a Brownie's meniscus lens
for a very cool look. I'm attaching
a shot I just took using a Brownie
Hawkeye with a flipped lens onto
120 Tri-X roll film.

dried_squid · Oct 5, 2008

It's hard for me to concentrate on the whole picture.

JBrunner · Oct 5, 2008

dried_squid said:
It's hard for me to concentrate on the whole picture.

Yes, well, thats ok, I remember what things were like when I was 14.

Akki14 · Oct 5, 2008

No.2 Brownies won't give you a holga look at all. They were designed to give more or less full, sharp coverage of a 6x9 negative.
Holgas aren't really as bad as you might think. The fogging/lightleaks normally comes from rolls being rolled improperly. Once you learn to very carefully line up the backing paper on the takeup spool (and get a new holga that has the little foam inserts to give you better spool tension), you should get very few light leaks. This set of photos were taken with my old holga that i've glued foam into the, um, full spool end for lack of a better term. I loaded and unloaded it in normal light, sent it through the post to a lab for development etc. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fishies_go_pook/sets/72157607747060754/
These are examples of Brownie No.2 photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/fishies_go_pook/sets/72157607747320758/

jmooney · Oct 5, 2008

I actully just picked up 2 box cameras for eBay. They're LF box cams...I've never heard of them till I stumbled on them the other day. The sellers listed them as 4X5 but I think they're actually plate cameras of some sort. I paid Holga like prices and expect Holga like results so they'll be something fun to mess with.

Antique Pre 1900 Box Camera;

Vintage 4x5 Sears & Roebuck Perfection Camera:

Dead Link Removed

Jim Noel · Oct 5, 2008

Look for box cameras using 120 film at garage sales and swap meets. There were literally hundreds of different makes available.

Jim Noel · Oct 5, 2008

WHy don't you put these beauties up for sale in the classified section of this forum? I am sure many would be interested, but of course you have to set a price rather than auction them.

Nicholas Lindan · Oct 5, 2008

brofkand said:
I am more or less "anti-Holga."

An alternative is a Spiratone Portragon, occasionally pops up on ebay. Turns your Nikon into a Diana, sans light leaks etc..

A cheaper Krappy-Kamera is an Empire Baby, takes 127 film. There are quite a few really bad 127 cameras available, usually too crappy to make it to ebay.

removed account4 · Oct 5, 2008

brofkand said:
John:

Thanks. Do you know if anyone still makes box cameras?

hi

i don't think anyone still makes box cameras, too bad they aren't being
re-introduced as an alternative to the holga. no-focus, point and shoot,
sharp or not so sharp image sounds good to me!

john

removed account4 · Oct 5, 2008

jmooney said:
I actully just picked up 2 box cameras for eBay. They're LF box cams...I've never heard of them till I stumbled on them the other day. The sellers listed them as 4X5 but I think they're actually plate cameras of some sort. I paid Holga like prices and expect Holga like results so they'll be something fun to mess with.

Antique Pre 1900 Box Camera;

Vintage 4x5 Sears & Roebuck Perfection Camera:

Dead Link Removed

i have the same things!
they are just like the delmar ...
and they take a modern film holder
AND polaroid 545 backs
if you need to clean the shutter/s
there are 4 screws on the face plate that can
be removed, and the whole thing pops off.
the shutter is a simple guillotine.
usually after 100 +/- years
there is a little bit of debris and lint / dustbunnies in the shutter, and
it can be cleaned ( pick the lint and stuff out ) and lubed
( drop of sewingmachine oil on a toothpick ) and put back on the box.

demar good

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Nigel · Oct 5, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
There are quite a few really bad 127 cameras available, usually too crappy to make it to ebay.

I find this very difficult to believe.

Nicholas Lindan · Oct 5, 2008

jnanian said:
i don't think anyone still makes box cameras

Sure there are, and as popular as ever, the modern box camera is called a 'disposable' - and it is back to the original concept of the Kodak box camera: you return the whole thing for processing and never have to touch the film.

They seem to be putting 2-element lenses into the things, though. Bummer.

removed account4 · Oct 5, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
Sure there are, and as popular as ever, the modern box camera is called a 'disposable' - and it is back to the original concept of the Kodak box camera: you return the whole thing for processing and never have to touch the film.

They seem to be putting 2-element lenses into the things, though. Bummer.

hi nicholas,

yes, i agree the 35mm disposable is kind of like the original concept,
but there is not a 120 format box camera,
that the user can load and unload the film into.

127 format too crappy to make it to ebay??
my first camera was a box that took 127 film, a flashfun, it was great!

john

Nicholas Lindan · Oct 5, 2008

jnanian said:
there is not a 120 format box camera,
that the user can load and unload the film into.

I don't think 120 is ever going to be a consumer film again. The original Holga [made for the Chinese market and using 120 film because it doesn't require an enlarger to make prints] was probably the last of the breed.

There are some reusable 35mm crappy cameras, I don't know if they are being made new: "Time Magazine", "Benz Gant" ... The Benz Gant advertisements are a scream - see the 'heard the news' section of junk store cameras, below.

Dead Link Removed has reviews and sample shots.

removed account4 · Oct 5, 2008

Nicholas Lindan said:
I don't think 120 is ever going to be a consumer film again. The original Holga [made for the Chinese market and using 120 film because it doesn't require an enlarger to make prints] was probably the last of the breed.

There are some reusable 35mm crappy cameras, I don't know if they are being made new: "Time Magazine", "Benz Gant" ... The Benz Gant advertisements are a scream - see the 'heard the news' section of junk store cameras, below.

Dead Link Removed has reviews and sample shots.

i think you are right
that website is great, thanks !

john

brofkand · Oct 5, 2008

There are simply too many choices in the box camera realm. It's impossible to know which one to look for, and how much is too much to pay. I'll probably just keep using the Brownie. It's not too big of a hassle to re-roll 120 film. I just need to get a changing bag so I can do it while watching TV

cordeliaflyte · Oct 5, 2008

unconstructive comment: that black box of wooden film holders is seriously sexy.

somewhat redundant comment: I find that almost every antique/old-junk store has at LEAST one box camera in it somewhere. Most are not worth more than $5 max, though I find that quite often they're marked all kinds of crazy prices, from $30-$250. Estate sales and estate auctions are also a good place to find old cameras. Sometimes at auctions you can even score crazy lots of cameras or bits of cameras. Fun fun fun!

There are some great pages about box cameras on the web. This one's about Kodak Brownies, this one about box cameras generally.

For that "crappy" holga-esque look, I would tend towards the plastic-lens era of box cameras. You can find things like the Kodak Holiday Flash and Ansco Panda (amongst many others) around and very cheap... even some earlier Kodak bakelite numbers, like the Baby Brownie (all three of those cameras take 127, though).

Brian Bullen · Oct 5, 2008

Go for the brownie hawkeye with the reversed lens, they're great! Easy to find and cheap. I have 2 and both were in the $5.00 range.

aparat · Oct 5, 2008

May I suggest that you look for Druh Synchro or Ami 66. These are Polish plastic cameras, similar to Holga, but unique in their own ways. They take standard 120 film and should be very cheap.

athanasius80 · Oct 5, 2008

There's also the Ansco Shur-Shot, but its a neither-nor. Mine was neither sharp enough to be a typical camera nor fuzzy enough to be Holgaesque.

elekm · Oct 5, 2008

Nigel said:
I find this very difficult to believe.

You're right -- I don't think there is a category "too crappy for eBay."

If it doesn't disintegrate, then people will put it up for sale as "nearly mint."

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