The Kodak Brownie No. 2c.

[smithdan]

Found this little beat up box at the landfill salvage shed a few months back. From what I could find out, the model c was the plain version with no aperture choice or a T or B setting on the shutter.

Curiously it had only one viewfinder.

...and flimsy cardboard construction that obviously wasn't rust or rodent proof.

A while back, Dany showed us a handsome one of these he acquired in new condition finished in red covering.

I was curious about the single viewfinder wondering if the camera's focus was set to favor portrait distances. The only way around this was to feed it a roll of Acros 100, pull it a stop in honor of the tired 1/40 sec shutter and develop in D76 1:1.

Turned out that it was pretty fuzzy up to 6-8 ft. then soft even for a Brownie at all distances to infinity.

So setting photography back some 85 years, here's what the Brownie and I came up with out in the farmyard.

Old fuel tanks

Chute

Patrick Case's Case

Coral Board Patterns

 

[Dany]

Very nice photos Smithdan !
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Camera reseller's catalogs were often showing advertisements for items dedicated to "beginners" . They were cameras for which the materials, manufacturing and equipment were specially engineered for the cost to be as low as possible.
We may think that it was the case for these cameras that were fitted with only one "portrait" viewfinder.
I got recently a small detective camera, probably manufactured by the French maker Natali, Collo et Cie which is part of this family.
Released circa 1910, this 6.5 x 9 cm format small detective was loaded with 6 plate holders

 

[smithdan]

Thank you Dany. This one was certainly produced with cost in mind. Kodak most likely wanted to make the real money selling film. The one existing viewfinder was too cloudy to be useful. on the positive side it takes 120 film and once one gets used to it holding the camera steady while working the shutter is easier than some box cameras that I have shot.
Interesting design on the Natali with the aperture selection on the outside.

 

[webestang64]

I think those photos look great! The one of the chute is really nice.

 

[smithdan]

Thanks W. Would have put that one in the "best shot" thread but needed it here for volume. Lost the first frame. Must have blinked at the wrong time while winding. Acros doesn't have those dots or circle thingys.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Those are pretty darn good. I like the first one Old Fuel Tanks, and Chute and Board Patterns. Good stuff. Who needs a stinkin' aperture anyway?

 

[star camera company]

Don’t you wonder what ektachrome would give you?