Newbie to the group with a camera addiction

pinhole_dreamer

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My husband advises me that my old Brownie is medium format (with a 2.5 x 4.5 negative). I found her (yes, my Brownie is a she) at a junk shop for under $15. I probably spent too much but she is in working condition and all her parts are there. Nothing missing.

So, if I'm in the wrong part of the forum, please tell me...because I've either used a 35mm Pentax (K1000) or my old Minolta X370. Anything other than my point and shoot digital (Sony H7) is pretty much new to me (except for an old Helioflex I found for $5...which I had to take apart and fix).

I did mention I have a camera addiction, right?

I cut down an 8x10 sheet of Ilford multigrade rc paper and used a bit of tape to hold it in the camera (until I can figure out something for a film holder - or figure out how to get 120 film in there as 127 is too small - as I have a couple of rolls of THAT for yet ANOTHER Brownie ).



So, I was having some fun with one of my ball joint dolls, just to see if I knew what I was doing. (Sometimes, I think I do. Other times, I have to stop and ask for directions because I'm completely lost.)



My model as the cats won't sit still long enough...nor will my kids unless I want a photograph of yet another hand. (I've quite the collection of hand photographs.)

I was rather happy with the results.

Anyway...if this is the wrong spot, please let me know where the old Brownie fits in around the forum.

Thanks,

Susan!
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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Thanks!
 

Whiteymorange

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Yep. Welcome to the place where no one ever says you're silly for buying another old (junky) camera. Kinda' fond of them myself. Keep buying, fixing and shooting, Susan. Soon the rest of the family will be wondering if you'll ever get back to the time when your purchases were just $15.
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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pinhole_dreamer said:
Thanks!
Click to expand...

It's 116! ROFL! I've checked everywhere, including Kodak - and asking my uncle who worked for Eastman Kodak up until '90 or so. He verified no 116 film. I'll have to figure out a way to get the 127 or 120 to fit.
 

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pinhole_dreamer said:
It's 116! ROFL! I've checked everywhere, including Kodak - and asking my uncle who worked for Eastman Kodak up until '90 or so. He verified no 116 film. I'll have to figure out a way to get the 127 or 120 to fit.
Click to expand...

Welcome!

And to give you a taste of how good APUG can be:

http://www.makinghappy.com/archive/000179.php

(616 and 116 are the same size - the spools just differ slightly)
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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Junk schmunk. If it will work with a small bit of tinkering, then it's not junk. It's a well-loved baby!

The family wonders why I spend more on the dolls than I do my cameras. I told them to wait...just wait. I'm just wishing I could have talked my husband into letting me have the $200 for the old Eastman Kodak bellows camera I saw at an antique shop. It looked like one of the ones from the 1930s...only big, not able to hold easily in your hand when it was folded. There was a smaller one there, too, fit pretty well in my hand, about the size of a decent paperback...just a bit taller. I was dancing around when I saw both of them. I *really* should have bought the smaller one as it was quite a bit less expensive ($30). I'm still kicking myself over that one.
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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fdfjc

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Welcome Susan, it's nice to know there are other addicts out there. First it's the 6x4.5 neg; then the 6x6; pretty soon you find even 6x9 is not enough and you start looking at the 4x5's -- sounds like you're on the edge......
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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fdfjc said:
Welcome Susan, it's nice to know there are other addicts out there. First it's the 6x4.5 neg; then the 6x6; pretty soon you find even 6x9 is not enough and you start looking at the 4x5's -- sounds like you're on the edge......
Click to expand...

I'll head back out to my favorite antique shop/junk shop and see what they have in the way of large format cameras. I just have no light box or enlarger at the moment...and the enlarger will be a long time coming since I just got a scanner (35mm only and 11 x 14 prints). I'm surfing the net right now to figure out how to make a light box so I can at the very least get contact prints.

To be honest, I'd LOVE to have a camera that accepts 11x14. (My husband really thinks I'm insane. )
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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Hi Jeff! Thanks! I LOVE that old Brownie! Thanks to Matt up there in the comments, he tossed me a great link so that I can mod her to take film more easily. *does happy dance*

Today, I took out my mom's little Brownie Holiday that she let me borrow. Now I just have to order a larger canister to develop the film and I *think* I've figured out a way to scan the negatives since my scanner doesn't accept anything other than 35mm. (I'm thinking light box and then using my digital to take a photo of the negative.)

I think for the larger format stuff will just be a box...a big box.

Oh, I also have a serious addiction to buying old cameras just to see if they work. Right now, I'm trying to find someone willing to fix my 35mm Kowa because it has some totally hot 'n sexy glass on it.
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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I'm drooling Mike. I was checking out some medium format cameras and decided that no matter HOW much I save, it ain't just happening right now. lol! But I have a growing collection. I have my favorites, though. My Pentax, my Helioflex (which I need to fix - AGAIN - stupid panoramic switch came loose!), a Kowa that is in need of repair, and the two Brownies in my possession (old Mode 2a and my mom's Holiday).

I'll figure out a way to rig some film into the Brownie, though. And yeah, that's what I'll end up with myself - if I'm lucky enough.
 

brian d

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elekm said:
Congratulations on catching the camera bug. But be careful.

What happened was I bought this /~/ ... and more.
Click to expand...
And then you start getting carried away

You are in the right place!
Here is a few more directions your hobby (obsession for some of us) can lead
 

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removed account4

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hi susan

i have a brownie that take 116 film as well.
you can easily tape some paper in the camera instead of film
or if you can find a 2nd spool, you can roll paper onto the spools instead.
i am currently doing that with a 3a, and it is easy .. just use masking tape

rate your paper at around 6 or 12 ..
my brownie has 3 "fstops" .. i haven't figured out what they are ( maybe 8. 11, 16? ) but expose your paper at around 1 second wide open for starters to get an idea

have fun!
john
 

Steve Smith

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pinhole_dreamer said:
I found her (yes, my Brownie is a she)
Click to expand...

All cameras are female!

I have one of those Brownie cameras for 116 film too.

jnanian said:
my brownie has 3 "fstops" .. i haven't figured out what they are ( maybe 8. 11, 16? )
Click to expand...

Is that the one with the three holes in a metal strip which you pull out from the top? My rough calculations would suggest that they are probably around f11, f16 and f22.

There is a manual here: http://www.brownie-camera.com/manuals/no2andno2ab/06.shtml

It tells us which stop to use in varying lighting conditions but doesn't say what the actual numbers are!


Steve.
 
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thanks steve .. !

that is the most detailed manual i think i have ever read

john
 

PaulMD

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Susan,

You might want to try a flash. I doubt that camera has sync, and even if it does it'll be for flashbulbs, not electronic flash. Paper is pretty slow, I want to say Ilford RC is ISO 25. You could take advantage of that, stop the camera all the way down (if there's an indoor/outdoor switch, put it to outdoor), lock the shutter open with the T or B setting, and fire the flash by hand.

I read a thread (there was a url link here which no longer exists) that suggests you might be able to increase the speed by preflashing.

I'm not sure what the value of that bellows camera was, but $200 is a bit of change. If you're serious about getting it, make sure the bellows are light, the lens isn't full of fungus and gunk, the shutter still works, and you can get film for it (if you plan on shooting it!). If not, $200 will get you a decent camera of some kind. Check out the Zeiss Super Ikontas, if you are into vintage cameras you will love them. I have a plain Ikonta with a cheap lens, it is great fun, the results are decent, and they're the best-built folder I've seen by a long shot.

I definitely feel your pain on the addiction. I started with a K1000 and it's been downhill since there, I'm starting to put together a 4x5 kit now...
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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brian d said:
And then you start getting carried away

You are in the right place!
Here is a few more directions your hobby (obsession for some of us) can lead
Click to expand...


I *really* am kicking myself for not getting that old '30s bellows Kodak - the smaller one that I saw. *sigh*
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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Hiya John! I've been thinking about that whole issue of using the paper in lieu of film. I asked my husband to take one of our dowel rods (from a Titanic project of one of my son's for school art class) and cut it down to size then just drill holes in the ends so I can use it instead of an extra spool! My husband doubts that the idea will work but I also suffer from extreme clumsiness so I'm not allowed near the power tools or anything sharp. :confused:

My question is (because I KNOW it can be done) is how to keep the paper from curling too badly. I have two small Rubbermaid trays that will fit up to a 5x7.

As for my camera, I found a manual for the Model 2 and Model 2A online. Mine has two metal slides on the top of it which control how much light is let into the camera. I've read it a couple of times...and need to redownload it as we have had some computer issues and lost some information...like the manual. *sigh* I think this was made around 1904-ish, from what I can find online. She's lovely though.
 
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pinhole_dreamer

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I started with a Minolta X370 - and immediately switched over to my husband's K1000. Then I bought a Lensbaby Muse for it. Now I want to get the macro attachments for THAT because I love my Lensbaby. The best 'big money' I've ever spent on a camera or equipment.

That $200 was STEEP and I *wanted* that camera. The smaller one was $30 - but I didn't get it. *sigh* I didn't look at it too closely to see what all worked. I should have bought it anyway.

I found an Ikonta online - $135...but the site says that it's "not for use" as it's too valuble - and should only be displayed on a shelf, but the camera works. Shutter fires, the lens is in good shape, ect...I just hate to buy something like that and then find out, "Whoa. There's something not right!" Which is why I like hitting the resale shops because at least that way, I can do a hands on inspection of it.

And it goes on and on and on. The next thing I want to do is make a pinhole camera out a wooden coffin I have.
 
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