Author Topic: Kodak Brownie Reflex (Read 3908 times)

blackpuddinonnabike · « **on:** 29 December, 2008, 09:09:16 am »

Funny how one thing runs onto another. I'd bought my dad a Hole-On Ex camera for his Christmas, and was considering getting one for myself. Until I remembered being donated a couple of cameras by my mum a year or so back.

I'd intended on trying to sell them, but couldn't find a buyer. The Coronet Twelve-20 is a little battered around the edges, but this just looks great. A Kodak Brownie Reflex, getting on for 60 years old. A simple, easy-to-use pinhole camera that was pretty popular in its day. Top down viewfinder, it was apparently great for street photography.

So now I just need to source some 127 B&W film and work out how to develop it...

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 December, 2008, 09:20:56 am »

It's a whole different way of looking at things. I used a folding Zeiss Ikonta 120 for a while. I felt a bit lost without a TTL or rangefinder focus, but I'd been using Minox 35s for a while, and was used to guessing distances and using depth of field to ensure the picture wasn't lost.

No integrated meter meant I had to take readings when I could, and adjust as I felt the light changed, checking the levels again at the next chance, and comparing. I learned a lot about light levels from doing that.

The cost of film and the inconvenience of having to change after 16 shots (this was a 6x4.5) changed me from being a snapshooter to a more considered photographer, and some of my pictures turned out looking a bit stagey, but I found it was possible to let go the fleeting images I had to miss, and look for a photo that captured something distinctive about the subject/environment.

Hope you enjoy it.

David Martin · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 December, 2008, 09:58:52 am »

Quote from: blackpuddinonnabike on 29 December, 2008, 09:09:16 am

So now I just need to source some 127 B&W film and work out how to develop it...

An interesting problem. The first is much trickier than the latter (I can lend you a dev tank and show you how to use it..)

For the former, try Retro Photographic for some EFKE films.

When you've go some, give me a bell and I'll bring the dev stuff down to Embra.

..d

David Martin · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 December, 2008, 10:20:49 am »

This almost inspires me to dig out the large format camera...

..d

clarion · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 December, 2008, 10:26:42 am »

Oh - I forgot to mention that the TLR style makes a difference to your photography, too.

I had a few TLRs - first a Mamiya C220, which was cool, but big. Later, I had a Rolleicord, and (my favourite) an MPP Microcord.

Holding the camera lower gives a different point of view, and the act of composing a scene on the ground glass screen is an enchanting experience.

To tell the truth, I never really came to terms with the square format, but it can make for very striking images, particularly if you are creative with your use of symmetry & framing. They won't ever be particularly dynamic, but there is something about the square format that draws people in to look more closely. My Mamiya I mainly used for still life and photomontage.

mike · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 December, 2008, 08:08:38 pm »

mm.. I had a lubitel TLR for a bit which was entertaining. Might try and scan in some old negatives, if I can find them..

David Martin · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 December, 2008, 08:21:20 pm »

Quote from: mike on 29 December, 2008, 08:08:38 pm

mm.. I had a lubitel TLR for a bit which was entertaining. Might try and scan in some old negatives, if I can find them..

I still have one but the two lenses are now out of sync after some bodgery.

Pics were fine up to 12" square, then they started to look somewhat less distinct.

..d

blackpuddinonnabike · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 December, 2008, 09:23:05 am »

Quote from: David Martin on 29 December, 2008, 09:58:52 am

Quote from: blackpuddinonnabike on 29 December, 2008, 09:09:16 am

So now I just need to source some 127 B&W film and work out how to develop it...

An interesting problem. The first is much trickier than the latter (I can lend you a dev tank and show you how to use it..)

For the former, try Retro Photographic for some EFKE films.

When you've go some, give me a bell and I'll bring the dev stuff down to Embra.

..d

Excellent! Got a source for the film (might be the same place you've linked to).

clarion · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 December, 2008, 09:44:59 am »

Brilliant!

Actually, IIRC (it's hazy and a long time ago), 127 is the same film width as 120/620, but on a different spool design, so people have wound their own...

Zipperhead · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 December, 2008, 11:07:00 am »

No it's not.

120/220/620 is a little over 6cm wide, 127 is a little over 4cm wide.

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 December, 2008, 11:20:17 am »

OK. Thanks. I'm thinking about summat else. Maybe it was that 620 is a different spool size.

Zipperhead · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 December, 2008, 12:21:21 pm »

Yes, 120 can be respooled onto 620 spools.

blackpuddinonnabike · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 January, 2009, 10:24:12 am »

Got the 127 film in the post yesterday, so today I left the dSLR at home and will be wandering about with the little leather box at lunchtime making me look like I'm carrying a mini gas mask...

clarion · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 January, 2009, 10:25:23 am »

*fetches popcorn & waits excitedly for results*

clarion · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 January, 2009, 10:30:44 am »

*has another think*

Is a 126 cartridge a 127 film? Butterfly has a couple of 126s that we'd like to develop. Of course, they're old & will be degraded, but I couldn't find anywhere that would d&p.

I remembered that the spool for my dev tank (which I no longer have, and with which I only did B&W) could be set for 120 or 136, with one position in between, which I think was for 127...

blackpuddinonnabike · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 January, 2009, 10:34:18 am »

Found a load of places online that would do it, but it's expensive to get developed by a third party. And can be a long wait, it seems to be guys in their sheds that do it...

David has offered the use of a developing tank he has, and if that works (i.e. the camera works) I'll have a think about getting one of my own (so you might be eating popcorn for a while till I get this roll developed). And with one of my own I might grab myself a film SLR that I can use my current lenses with.

n+1 appears to apply to cameras as well...

clarion · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 January, 2009, 10:39:28 am »

Quote from: blackpuddinonnabike on 16 January, 2009, 10:34:18 am

...
n+1 appears to apply to cameras as well...

*thinks of hours spent in Jessops Classic Photographica and Charles Eagles*

You know it does.

Zipperhead · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 January, 2009, 02:26:44 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 16 January, 2009, 10:30:44 am

Is a 126 cartridge a 127 film? Butterfly has a couple of 126s that we'd like to develop. Of course, they're old & will be degraded, but I couldn't find anywhere that would d&p.

It appears not

clarion · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 January, 2009, 02:46:06 pm »

Tee hee - wrong again! I'm really making a habit of this.

But it is the same size as 35mm? Helpful...

David Martin · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 March, 2009, 09:05:36 am »

Well, I met Anth at waverley this morning and handed over a bunch of B&W dev kit. So we should see some results soon...

..d