Brownie Hawkeye - any users?

Kimberly Anderson · Jan 5, 2006

Found this old Brownie Hawkeye at Mom's over the Christmas Holiday. Was thinking of trying some images with it.

I have surfed the web and found some neat sites giving suggestions/hints/tips, and have a good idea of what I need to do.

I was wondering if there were any users on APUG?

mfobrien · Jan 5, 2006

Yep. Put some 620 film in it, and you are ready to go. Some of them will take 120, but you need a 620 takeup spool. Any 100 ISO film should be just fine.
here is a sample:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfobrien/71037976/in/set-856978/

BradS · Jan 5, 2006

Had a couple. They're great fun. Both of mine were the later ones that were not happy with 120 spools in the supply side. I got tired of re-spooling 120 and put them aside. Go for it and have fun....oh, and make sure you cover the ruby glass window on the back with something opaque. Black electrical tape or gaffers tape works well.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Jan 5, 2006

I have one too, of the Flash model with a bracket. I got the whole set for 10$ and today I received a pack of Press 25B bulbs.... If you can use bulbs with it, see the answers to my questions about them in this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

sionnac · Jan 6, 2006

I have one which I have yet to use - does the 620 film fit 120 developing reels?

egdinger · Jan 6, 2006

Yes it does. The film is the same size, the only difference is in the spools that the film comes on.

Donald Qualls · Jan 7, 2006

I had one of those when I was in 7th grade. Got a bunch of great pictures from it before it got dropped and the bakelite chipped, then got several more rolls with black tape over the chip. Like many other simple cameras, they produce pictures far better than their cheap construction and simple lense and shutters would suggest. And if you prefer a "Holga" look, the later models (with the plastic advance knob) have a lens that can be reversed in its mount to produce a curved field -- sharp center, but very rapidly falling off focus toward the edges.

athanasius80 · Jan 7, 2006

I haven't used mine for a few years, but you can respool 120 film easily. Hawkeyes are cool, and you'd be amazed how many people (even teenagers) get a kick out of seeing you using one.
Have some fun with yours!

ChristopherCoy · Apr 10, 2012

I'm resurrecting this thread for two reasons. I just bought two of these on eBay, one was $4 and the other was $9. I plan on cleaning them up and using them for more 6x6 fun.

1 - It looks like the earlier models had a nice metal advance knob, instead of the later boring plastic one. Are the advance knobs hard to switch out?

2 - If you end up with a model that doesn't particular care for 120 reels, are the reel modifications difficult? From what I've researched its looks like its just a little filing and clipping. I prefer to modify 120 reels as I'm not to sure that I'd be able to re-spool it properly.

Two23 · Apr 10, 2012

I think there's just a metal tab that gets in the way, and you can bend it. I have a 1959 version. The shutter is 1/40s and the apeture is around f16, maybe f22. I shoot b&w film in it, usually ISO 400. I vary exposure by using filters to eat up 1, 2, 3 stops of light as needed. Usually those filters are a yellow, orange, or red. Sometimes I use ND.

Kent in SD

Richard S. (rich815) · Apr 10, 2012

Randy Smith of Holgamods:

ChristopherCoy · Apr 10, 2012

I've been looking at his site since yesterday. I have three Hawkeye's coming to me. One is the OLD model, before the flash model, and the other two are flash models.

I'm going to flip the lens on one flash model, and leave the other in tact. I would like to put a cable release on one of them, as well as a tripod mount, so maybe I'll send it to Randy.

Matthew Rusbarsky · Apr 10, 2012

Also, start looking for the cheap push-on portrait diopter (#13?). It's well worth the dollar or two they go for these days. Here's one of mine after a flip:

DWThomas · Apr 10, 2012

Nah, the Hawkeye is too modern for me -- I use a Target Six-20.

The PITA of re-spooling 120 pretty well limits my use these days.

DWThomas · Apr 10, 2012

And speaking of network problems -- got strange prompts when I attempted to send this and now there's two? Oy!

BradS · Apr 10, 2012

ChristopherCoy said:
I'm resurrecting this thread for two reasons. I just bought two of these on eBay, one was $4 and the other was $9. I plan on cleaning them up and using them for more 6x6 fun.

1 - It looks like the earlier models had a nice metal advance knob, instead of the later boring plastic one. Are the advance knobs hard to switch out?

2 - If you end up with a model that doesn't particular care for 120 reels, are the reel modifications difficult? From what I've researched its looks like its just a little filing and clipping. I prefer to modify 120 reels as I'm not to sure that I'd be able to re-spool it properly.

IIRC, the one with the metal knob may be happier with 120 spools.

Getting 120 spools to work properly in the newer cameras is a pain in the rump. Especially the spools that have a "cross" shaped hole in the end. What does seem to work (or, at least worked ok for me) was to use a proper 620 spool for the take-up. Not a problem if you develop your own but it can be disastrous if you send film out for processing and do not get your 620 spool back.

Marvin · Apr 10, 2012

I have my Mother's Brownie Hawkeye that was used as the family picture taker back in the 50s but it hasn't been used in many years. We have many sharp B&W pics from this camera. I think my first camera was a Brownie Holiday that used 127 film.
Marvin

wblynch · Apr 11, 2012

My BHF is my BFF !

I have one form 12/51 with the metal knob and glass lens

I had to take it all apart for a good deep cleaning when I got it (Paid 99 cents), It's like new now and I shoot 4 or 5 rolls a year. Mine easily accepts 120 film in the supply side with a 620 spool on the take up. I develop my own B&W and C-41 so as to not risk losing that 620 spool.

Of course there is a Flickr Group dedicated to the Brownie Hawkeye Flash: http://www.flickr.com/groups/browniehawkeyeflash/

Ha! I see you've already found it, Christopher!

ChristopherCoy · Apr 11, 2012

I have Bill! I joined day before yesterday.

I have 4 Hawkeyes on the way to me, only one is the pre-flash model though. I bought them all on eBay or Etsy. The most expensive was $15, but it's whistle clean and has an exposed roll in it.

I know that I want to keep two in original condition, but the other two I want to clean, paint, and flip the lens in.

I'm also going on an antique store run tomorrow to see how many I can find. I can't wait to get my first ones in and start shooting them!!

EASmithV · Apr 11, 2012

You'd think for 70 bucks he's make it take 120 film without issue...

michaelbsc · Apr 11, 2012

To make the 120 spool fit the small metal tabs better cut short pieces of plastic drinking straws for bushings on the 120 spool. About 1/8 inch long to 1/2 depending on the film spool you have. I just poke the straw in and cut it off with scissors.

It doesn't help the fact that the take up side is way too narrow, but it keeps the supply side from slipping into the slot and getting stuck.

wblynch · Apr 11, 2012

ChristopherCoy said:
I know that I want to keep two in original condition, but the other two I want to clean, paint, and flip the lens in.

There is one gal in the Flickr group who has painted up a bunch with metalflake colors. A lot of fun.

I am not one who appreciates the flipped lens thing.

Happily, the Brownie Hawkeye can easily be returned to normal. I hope if you sell them on you put the lens back right or the new owner will wonder what's wrong with it!

Valerie · Apr 11, 2012

I have two... one kept "normal" and one I "flipped". I have several 620 spools that I put in the takeup side. 120 spools fit just fine on the film side.

These are great fun and a great way to start conversations when shooting in public.

ChristopherCoy · Apr 11, 2012

wblynch said:
I hope if you sell them on you put the lens back right or the new owner will wonder what's wrong with it!

Unless I get hooked on them, and start doing what Randy does (which I highly doubt will happen) I don't plan on selling these at all. I've become fond of the collecting part of analog photography. I now have 4 Polaroids, 4 Brownies, 2 Certo Phot's, and a Bencini Koroll II. I also have a Nikon FM, Minolta X700, the Hassy, a Holga, a Mamiya 500 DTL, and a few others.

The thing that I think I am going to like about the Brownies is that they are so simple, and so loved by others that there are TONS of tutorials and photos on how to modify, clean, and restore them. I have found a diagram with detailed pictures for just about anything that I think I'd want to do with one.

wblynch · Apr 11, 2012

Somewhere there's an animation of a Brownie Hawkeye Flash coming apart in pieces and going back together again. Can't remember where but it was a fun, clever, video.

Brownie Hawkeye - any users?

Kimberly Anderson

mfobrien

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sionnac

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