Your latest Toy camera purchase

Sirius Glass · May 2, 2012

Why not? Every other format has a version of this question! This thread should have been started a long time ago.

I just received a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera. The shutter works, it has the 620 spool and most of the original box. No scratches, chips, or cracks. The lens is clean and has no marks. Now I have to figure out how to clean the mold off the outside of the body.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 2, 2012

Agfa Paramat half frame 35mm camera.

Somehow I get a flare in near every frame, in the shape of the square aperture. But it is fun to use! Great for travel snaps.

Sirius Glass · May 2, 2012

Previously I was given a Tessina L single [half] frame camera in working condition. It only needed a CLA.

bsdunek · May 2, 2012

Got a Holga 120S (first model imported, I think) off eBay for .99 (plus 4.50 shipping). It has all the tape, film tensioners, tripod mount, etc. Really fun, but has one overbearing flare I'm trying to fix. Have made a few neat photos with it however.
See the latest three in my gallery: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Mike Wilde · May 2, 2012

Found a Lomographic Society Supersampler AS3.0 in a thrift shop for $3. Had a film in it. I am a sucker for found films, so I bought it.

The camera takes four wide view exposures per 35mm frame, though four separate 20mm lenses. The shutters to them trip sequentially either at a user selectable 1/20th of a second apart, or 1/2 a second apart. I usally turn the camera while depressing the shutter, and save the fast speed for when shooting from a moving vehicle.

Regretably, the original owner fed the thing plus x, and used it mostly inside. Only two good frames on the whole roll.

It has no shutter speed or aperture adjustment , so have fed it it iso 400 HP5 and only shoot on bright sunny days until I get a better foo on what the limitations of the crude exposure system are.
Lomo even suggest 800iso stuff unless it is a sunny day.

It is kind of fun to trip the shutter and toss the camera in the air.
I sort of think that this thing started life as a golf or baseball swing analyser camera before Lomo got thier hands on it to brand it.

Toffle · May 2, 2012

Though technically not a toy camera, I've got a Welti Weltix with some really random light leak issues that makes it really fun to use.

Toy = fun, right?

Kc2edh · May 6, 2012

Last weekend my father and I went to a ham radio flea market and I ended up with two toy camera finds. One man had an original Diana at his table, I started looking at it and was surprised to see it completely intact. He says "That's been in my basement for way too long. You can have it for $1." Looking forward to trying it out!

Another seller had a couple brand new in the box, Nishica 3D four lens cameras. Looks like the Lomography Supersampler, but takes the four half-frame images all at once. Originally the company provided their own processing service to make lenticular prints with this camera. I'm sure they're long gone by now, but its probably possible to make up stereo images too. For the hefty price of $5 I just had to pick up one of these to play with.

Opiatephoto · May 6, 2012

I bought an original Diana recently in a fit of nostalgia. It was my first camera, which I won selling popcorn door to door in grade school. Just as fun as I remember. I also picked up an Anny, which is a Diana clone, for $5.

flatulent1 · May 6, 2012

My latest toy camera purchase is a tossup between a Likea cardboard pinhole camera (which I have yet to assemble) and an EOS 850. I still have the Likea.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 7, 2012

Recesky do-it-yourself TLR. Piece of shit broke during assembly, and was lacking assembly screws.
Don't buy this one.

Silverhead · May 7, 2012

My latest is the Holga 120 Panoramic. It's a bit awkward to handle at times, but it produces great 6x12 images.

Kc2edh · May 9, 2012

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Recesky do-it-yourself TLR. Piece of shit broke during assembly, and was lacking assembly screws.
Don't buy this one.

Thanks for the heads up on that, I've had my eye on those on ebay for a while. Of course the Lomography website has all kinds of flashy pictures people took with that camera, but now as I dig a little deeper there's a few horror stories about construction with them too.

epp · May 19, 2012

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Agfa Paramat half frame 35mm camera.

Somehow I get a flare in near every frame, in the shape of the square aperture. But it is fun to use! Great for travel snaps.

My father had this camera once, a very nice camera indeed.

brianmquinn · May 19, 2012

A Kodak Twin 20. Actually I like it so much I bought a total of three this spring.
That way I can loan one away when someone asks.

As the name implies it takes 620 film and has twin optical finders. One standard eye level and one look down. This is a great feature for shooting small kids and other stuff low to the ground. One shutter speed about 1/40th and three f stops (about 11, 16 and 22) plus three zone focus down to 4-6 ft, 6-12 ft and 12-Inf. The plastic lens is soft and the slow shutter speed does not help. One of these cameras I got on ebay had an adapter to use flashcubes too! This camera it will not work with electronic flash as it has a delay built in for flashbulbs. I tried it with electronic flash and got very underexposed frames as the flash was over before the shutter opened.
Here is a link that shows the camera.
http://westfordcomp.com/classics/brownietwin20/index.htm

Sirius Glass · May 19, 2012

epp, welcome to APUG!

epp · May 20, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
epp, welcome to APUG!

Thank you. Glad to be here.

As to my toy cameras, I currently have three Holgas, the 120, 120TLR and a 135. A fourth is on the way as well as a Wide Angle Adapter Lens. A couple of years back, I purchased the Split Image Lens Set, Color Filter Set and the Soft Surround Filter Set, but never actually used them. Now that the 135 models are available, I want to try these out.

Getting the consumer 120 films developed and printed locally, has been a challenge though. I know Freestyle out in Los Angeles offers mailers for both 120 and 135 B&W films, but I'm not sure what might be left of a film if it's mailed cross-country (heat, light, etc.)

brianmquinn · May 20, 2012

I have mailed film my slide film across the country for decades. Never had a problem, even once. Today if you drop slide film off at your local store it is likely to be shipped to some place like Dwayne’s photo in Kansas and then back to you. For the last few years of Kodachrome film dropped off in Japan or Australia or South Africa was sent all the around the world to Dwayne’s for development.

Silverhead · May 21, 2012

epp said:
Getting the consumer 120 films developed and printed locally, has been a challenge though. I know Freestyle out in Los Angeles offers mailers for both 120 and 135 B&W films, but I'm not sure what might be left of a film if it's mailed cross-country (heat, light, etc.)

If you're in the Boston area, go check out Newtonville Camera. I know they're not in downtown but they've been around forever & are reputable. I remember shopping there when I was in high school, and have picked up stuff there occasionally when my travels bring me back to New England.

epp · May 21, 2012

Silverhead said:
If you're in the Boston area, go check out Newtonville Camera. I know they're not in downtown but they've been around forever & are reputable. I remember shopping there when I was in high school, and have picked up stuff there occasionally when my travels bring me back to New England.

I'm more closer to W.B. Hunt in Melrose, but I'm not sure if they develop/print 120 in-house or send it out.

ChristopherCoy · May 21, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
Why not? Every other format has a version of this question! This thread should have been started a long time ago.

I just received a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera. The shutter works, it has the 620 spool and most of the original box. No scratches, chips, or cracks. The lens is clean and has no marks. Now I have to figure out how to clean the mold off the outside of the body.

I've recently acquired 5 Brownie Hawkeyes! Although two are parts cameras used to refurb the other three.

And I dont know if they are actually considered toys or not but I also received another Certo Phot box camera. This one came with the original box and manual so its extra special. I haven't put a roll through it yet, but plan to soon. My other Certo Phot that I bought here on APUG is awesome though!

Also, do you know how to find out the age of your Brownie? Use the YXXX code on the bottom of the shutter piece.

Sirius Glass · May 21, 2012

ChristopherCoy said:
Also, do you know how to find out the age of your Brownie? Use the YXXX code on the bottom of the shutter piece.

So how do I decode YARR?

ChristopherCoy · May 22, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
So how do I decode YARR?

C A M E R O S I T Y
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

YARR=02/55, so your camera was made in February 1955.

My oldest is 1949 which was one of the first models, with the metal advance knob. If I'm not mistaken, its a Canadian model. There were three versions of the Hawkeye - one made in Rochester NY, one made in Canada, and a third that was made in France I believe.

There is some good information here if you haven't seen this page before: http://www.brownie-camera.com/

brianmquinn · May 22, 2012

See if you can get a copy of Brian Coe's book Kodak Cameras: The First Hundred Years from a library.
I got a copy for my birthday and it is nice to have for a collector like myself.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Cameras-First-Hundred-Years/dp/1874707375

Sirius Glass · May 22, 2012

ChristopherCoy said:
C A M E R O S I T Y
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

YARR=02/55, so your camera was made in February 1955.

My oldest is 1949 which was one of the first models, with the metal advance knob. If I'm not mistaken, its a Canadian model. There were three versions of the Hawkeye - one made in Rochester NY, one made in Canada, and a third that was made in France I believe.

There is some good information here if you haven't seen this page before: http://www.brownie-camera.com/

February 1955 made in Rochester NY

Thanks!

epp · May 25, 2012

I also have a Kodak Baby Brownie Special, takes 127 film.

My grandfather had it in the attic and I was surprised when I shot my first roll of 127 (back when Kodak still made color 127!), the pictures came out quite nice. I do not know what year this one was manufactured, but on top of the inside front half of the camera, it has:

PATENTS U.S.A.
2,234,716 2,245,257 2,249,517
CANADA 1939, 1940, 1942
T.M. REG U.S.PAT.OFF

Although the camera strap is very frayed, the camera itself is in excellent shape.

Your latest Toy camera purchase

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