Badger's Box Brownie Challenge

Mr Badger

Mr Badger

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I know there are a few competitions and challenges already running in the F&C section, but as spring finally seems to have sprung, the longer days and sunny (hopefully) weather would probably give us chance to sneak another ‘just for fun’ type challenge in. So does anyone fancy a Box Brownie Challenge? The rules would be simple, probably something like this (unless anyone can spot any glaring errors!):
  1. To keep it a level playing field, you can only use a genuine, pre-1936, Kodak Brownie Box Camera (eg a Kodak Brownie Number 2 or earlier) such as this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Brownie2_overview3.jpg No other cameras with the Brownie name (such as folders, Bakelite TLRs, etc.) would be allowed.

  2. If you already have a qualifying camera so much the better, but if you wanted to buy one so you can take part (they're 'cheap as chips' and a working one in good condition can be had for around £10) then be wary, as some of these cameras use obsolete film sizes such as 620, so unless you want to re-spool your film (which is allowed) make sure it takes 120 roll film before you buy it!

  3. To register to enter (if the challenge goes ahead!) you’d first have to post a photo of your camera on the competition thread (not this thread!), together with a few words about how it came into your possession (given by a relative, bought from a junk shop for £2.50, etc.).

  4. After registration, you would have until 30th of September 2017 to take a photo with your camera and enter it. After the closing date we'd have 7 days to vote for the best photo. We could probably have a separate sympathy vote for the most amusing or disappointing failure too, if people were up for that?

  5. Entries could be taken and posted at any time between registration and the closure of entries on midnight 30th of September 2017 (hopefully this would keep the thread ticking over during the year).
So what do the F&C audience think, are you up for Badger's Box Brownie Challenge? (y) Or is this a really rubbish idea and no one wants to play? (n)
 
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I'll play! I have a box Brownie and a couple of rolls of hateful Fomapan 120 film I'd like to get rid of. Will post photo and info later :)
 
mothdust said:
I'll play! I have a box Brownie and a couple of rolls of hateful Fomapan 120 film I'd like to get rid of. Will post photo and info later :)
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Sounds like a good start, let's see how the others respond first before you post anything, and if it's a goer I'll start a separate 'entries thread' :)
 
You'd have to pay me to use a box brownie o_O:grumpy: any offers to send me the camera and film as well :D
 
excalibur2 said:
You'd have to pay me to use a box brownie o_O:grumpy: any offers to send me the camera and film as well :D
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Well, you could always share one on one of those meet up things you 'F&C regulars' are always going on? :)
 
Mr Badger said:
Well, you could always share one on one of those meet up things you 'F&C regulars' are always going on? :)
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When I was a kid all we had in the family was a box brownie...so its been there done it for me :grumpy: Anyway don't take my jestful comments seriously and hope you all enjoy a challenge.
 
I might be able to play, I'll see if my Brownies are pre 1936 and if they still function.
 
I might be able to join in; my sister has a Box Brownie, not sure if it's pre 1936 since she was born during the war, but it's definitely a box. It had some 120 Tri-X in it, as reported in another thread, and was in pretty dire condition. She may have thrown it out, but maybe not!
 
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Hi Paul, welcome to f and c.


Mr B,

I haven't got a box Brownie but I shall have a look around and pick one up, so count me in.

Andy
 
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Andysnap said:
Hi Paul, welcome to f and c.


Mr B,

I haven't got a box Brownie but I shall have a look around and pick one up, so count me in.

Andy
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Well, once Mr Snap has got hold of one, I might as well take a pic with it and enter too.
 
I also don't have a box brownie, but I'm always after a good excuse to buy a new camera. :D I'll keep my eyes open, and if I manage to get my grubby mitts on one then I'll enter as well :)
 
I've got a few I never got round to throwing out when I moved, I'll dig one out and have a go. Not sure of thier vintage but they're proper cardboard box cameras with menisucs lenses.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone, it seems like we have enough interest to give it a go. Should be fun and with the relaxed end date of Sept 30th there should be enough time for people to (re)find a suitable Kodak Brownie and run some film through it. :) I'll put the registration thread up tomorrow evening.

I'll try to include some info on how to get into one to clean the viewfinders & lens, and lube the shutter, etc. for those that want/need to spruce their cameras up a bit. From what I've seen it's a simple process on the metal bodied ones, as the front panel just pulls off to reveal the works secured to an internal plate. I'll also try to find out what the shutter speed of a typical Model 2 Brownie is, to give us a clue as which of the three apertures to use! :)
 
steveo_mcg said:
You've got a fancy one! All of mine are simple F8 ish 1/30 ish nominal....
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Blimey, Sunny 16 suggests 1/100 at f/16 for ISO 100 film, so f/8 at 1/25 would be 3 stops over-exposed! Does Pan-F come in 120? :)
 
Break out the Velvia 50! :D I imagine one of our typical summers and the exposure latitude of modern print film will accommodate our needs, and we can always hold a polariser or ND filter over the lens if push comes to shove. :)
 
ChrisR said:
Blimey, Sunny 16 suggests 1/100 at f/16 for ISO 100 film, so f/8 at 1/25 would be 3 stops over-exposed! Does Pan-F come in 120? :)
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Odds are the shutter is even slower too! I used to use GP3 in them sometimes I'd stand develop them but generally speaking over exposure wasn't an issue!
 
ChrisR said:
Blimey, Sunny 16 suggests 1/100 at f/16 for ISO 100 film, so f/8 at 1/25 would be 3 stops over-exposed! Does Pan-F come in 120? :)
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We need RJ to post his comparison of overexposed Portra/Fuji 160 now. (Spoiler alert: you could barely tell it was overexposed at 6 stops over)
 
Got one. :banana:
 
:LOL: That's nothing to do with me, despite them apparently liking to frequent pubs!
 
Still hunting for a Brownie near me, but they all seem to be wrecks of cameras that are being sold to hipster cafe owners as decorative items. The search continues!
 
Despite having more cameras than one man could ever need it would appear I don't have a pre-1936 Brownie, I might even have to resort to Rocky :runaway::runaway::runaway:
 
Well a bootie would be better than him :D If it doesn't rain I'm going to a bootie this weekend and box brownies turn up at times.. mind you anything over £3 is expensive to me :D . There was one bootie where the guy had a selection and every week they didn't seem sell..maybe with a small interest in film again he might find buyers (or maybe he was charging to much for them).
 
My sister confirms she still has her Box Brownie (which looks very like many of those on the web site linked to), but says she was given it in the 1950s, unlikely to have been second hand. It was in pretty terrible condition IIRC, so any possible participation from me will have to await a visit to her.
 
Could be interesting, I've a Brownie (need to check model and date) and a 1950's bakelite Conway that I inherited - both of which I need some incentive to clean, test and shoot. I'd be more convinced to join in if I could use both - maybe widen it to all box cameras with pre-1936 and post-1936 classes?
 
I no longer possess a box brownie.

I have a Kenilworth 6x6 box circa 1930 kindly given to me by @medwaygreen

or alternaively a No2 Kodak Bullseye model 1898 box camera which I still posses atm although it is presently advertised for sale

I understand and agree about the level playing ground rules so I'm happy enough to sit on the sidelnes and view the results of those that participate, however should the parimeters be widened, I could be persuaded to shoot a roll through one or both of these boxes and join the challenge.
 
Saw a beautyflex TLR at the bootie and never heard of that either. h'mm I suppose everyone else has :rolleyes:
 
I had a mooch round a local antiques emporium the other day (I was passing and thought I'd see what the going rate was for pre-36 Box Brownies!), and they had half a dozen or so in stock. Leatherette covered cardboard-bodied Brownie Junior No2 versions averaged at around £8 and a metal-bodied Brownie No2 Model F was available for £15 (which I thought was a bit steep).

The upshot being that there still seem to be plenty around for under £10, it's just a case of tracking one down, but as people have got until the 30th of September to enter a photo there should be time to do that, the year is but yet young! :D
 
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