Kodak No. 2 Brownie developing box

I was perusing the 1914 Kodak catalog, and came across the Brownie developing box for No. 2 (aka 120) film. It looks like a clever contraption, allowing a roll of 120 to be loaded in the daylight. A crank apparatus winds the film out for processing once the lid has been snapped on the top.

Has anyone used one of these? If it works as advertised, it would be a convenient way to process single rolls of 120....

Might that be the first rollfilm daylight-developing-tank?


Anyway, if you like something a bit more recent then see here:

Agfa Rondinax-60
http://www.urmonas.net/manuals/rondinax/rondinax-1.jpg

Interesting... Thanks for the lead. I'll have a look for one of those.

I am attracted to the simplicity of the Brownie which seems to eschew any form of reel. It's long and narrow, and looks like it just pulls the roll into a straight tray. Not sure how it deals with the paper backing, or how agitation works.

Here is a photo and some description of that Kodak thing:
http://www.ebay.at/itm/ANTIQUE-BROWNIE-EASTMAN-KODAK-COMPANY-DEVELOPING-BOX-1900s-VINTAGE-PHOTOGRAPHY-/170825889974?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c60438b6

That's the one.

As you already indicated one will have to coper with a quite soaked paper backing (developer + intermediate rinse).

The Agfa day-light tank I refered to above splits the backing paper from the film: the film is cranked onto the reel whilst the backing paper is cranked out of the tank. (This all is not obvious from the parts-photo I linked to.)


At the photos of the Kodak tank one sees two protrusions at the lower sides of the tank. Looking at the old Kodak graphic one might think these are to fix the lid, by means of two lugs protruding from the lid. However that description refers to a stand. Makes me think of a rocker stand with those two protrusionsd forming the shafts.

Wet paper sounds like a terrible mess. I will definitely look closer at the Agfa -- there's even a new-in-box unit on the 'Bay this morning.

As I hinted above at the alternative of using a Agfa Rondinax-60:

I just had a look at a Rondinax-35, out of me old stuff collection. This one resembles in its basic construction the type 60.

-) the plastification of the pull-ribbon has hardened and fractured
(easy to replace by nylon-filament or -ribbon)

-) the rubber O-ring, sealing the reel-axle, has hardened and fractured

-) the stem of the thermometer is stuck at 35°C
(most probably the glass tube has broken due to overheating of the stem with the black tank sitting in the sun in open box)

-) I did not check the thermometer sealing


So, expect problems when acquiring a Rondinax. For 35mm use there is the modern Jobo daylight loading tank, resembling their current tank system.


For travelling, with no means on improvising on a darkened room, I don't see the advantage at all of these tanks, as who is able to take films, tank, beakers etc. with him, should be able to add a changing bag.

I rather see the advantage (if at all) rather in Easy-Loading than in Daylight-Loading. I also have people with manual disabilities in mind.

I think the designations of these tanks are erroneous from a marketing point of view.