I am shocked that this photo came out of that tiny camera below. Sure it has some light leaks and the film apparently wasn't tight enough but I have perhaps mentioned one thousand trillion times that character is the thing that I seek so here it is. A tiny camera with character. I love the light leaks!
This is absolutely my favourite photo.
Type: Solid Body Eyelevel Rollfilm
Introduced: July 1934 (1948 In UK)
Discontinued: 1941 (1952 In UK)
Film Size: 127
Picture Size: 1 5/8 X 2 1/2"
Manufactured: US And UK
Lens: Meniscus
Shutter: Rotary
Original Price: $1.00
https://www.brownie-camera.com/1.shtml
The exposure lever down there, below the fixed focus lens, is horrible to use. The 1/50 fixed shutter speed is so slow (it may be even slower because the camera is old) that it's really easy to accidentally shake the camera if the shutter release is a button and far more easier if it's a lever like this one. So every time I could, I tried to support the camera or if hand held, my elbows somewhere.
Furthermore, it's really easy to just photograph your finger if you're not paying attention as the camera is so tiny and the lever is where it is.
The knob above the lens is for longer time exposures when pulled out. Then of course you have to hold the shutter lever too so that the shutter stays open. That's how I took the best photo. Camera on the table and counted seconds in my head. Can't remember how many, as many as the light meter app on my phone said it needs with 400 ISO and 1/16 aperture.
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Cleaning, dusting and film in.
I'm ashamed to admit, it took me a little while to put the film correctly in. This was one of those days that I not only put it to the wrong side so that I would have just winded it back after putting the film in, I managed to put it the wrong way so that the backing paper would have been the thing I would have been exposing. Jeez it was hard! I mean, the camera has two parts and then there's the film that's the third puzzle piece and I had to try all the combinations before I managed to put the film correctly there.
Dumb, dumber, insane.
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But eventually I got it.
Rera Pan ISO 400. The only film that is available for 127 film size cameras. At least in Finland.
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Winding, winding, winding.
Cute! A piece missing but nevertheless cute.
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I thought that missing piece deserved some tape. And the number window of course also. And, as I do learn sometimes from previous mistakes, if the camera has a lever or a knob or anything that turns easily which shouldn't turn at all if you have film inside the camera, like the cap or lid or half of the whole camera that when turned, opens and the film is exposed, I taped the opening lever too.
I managed to dig out some info of the settings of the camera.
http://www.artdecocameras.com/cameras/kodak/baby-brownie
Of course I could have done things like I did with my first old cameras, just ques something and hope for the best, but I wanted to be more sure and also use the light meter app on my phone because I did not want to waste a single frame of this expensive film to over or under exposure.
How expensive? Continue reading or scroll down if you can't wait.
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Ready to go!
As usual I've done nothing to the photos. Few of them might be better if post-processed but as I want to show you what kind of results does this camera and this film give in different conditions, I've left them as they are and I'll show you the photos with all of mine and the cameras flaws in the pictures.
Camera not hand held but on the table.
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Comparison photos taken with my phone. 😄
If I remember correctly, this was the first photo I took with my Baby Brownie. I tucked my other elbow to my side and the other one to the wall on my right. But still couldn't keep the camera steady. A very tricky shutter lever.
Again same problem, even though I'm squatting and my elbows are firmly on my knees.
Now this is better! As you can see I am capable of taking street photos without trams. Hurts my soul but possible.
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"Yes, yes, yes. I can hold the camera steady in my hands and take an indoor photo that has to be exposed a second or two."
Yeah, sure.
What did all this cost me?
The Baby Brownie was one of the three cameras I bought from a second hand shop a while ago. The three cameras were 30 euros altogether so I guess it's 10 euros for the Baby Brownie.
The 127 size film is the most expensive film I have ever bought. I waited for a while if the only 127 size film would be in discount some day because that's how I've bought most of my films, but no luck there and I just couldn't wait anymore.
Baby Brownie: 10€
Rera Pan 400: 19,90€
Film developing: 17,90€
Film scanning to TIFF: 20€
That's that! Paying that amount didn't hurt as much as I though and fortunately I no longer have any other money consuming addictions.
I found Zenit and Nikon cameras few weeks or moths ago but have had no luck in finding lenses to the cameras. So I went to my trusted film provider and asked if they had cheap old lenses, in any condition, and what do yo know, they did. Of course I had to buy those because I can't wait to try out the Zenit and Nikon cameras. I also got extension tubes and a PORST reflex. The tubes fit to the Zenit and as the lens that fits to the Zenit was attached to the PROST camera, I got those for free. The PROST has couple of flaws but that didn't prevent me from jumping up and down from joy. (At home where there was nobody but cats watching.)
Ooooooo! A new old crappy camera!
Film cameras
Balda-Bünde Baldixette 1
Bilora Bella 66 1
Bilora Bella 66 Standard 1
Closter C63 1
Cosina Flash 35E 1, 2, 3, 4
Dacora Daci 1
Felica 1, 2, 3, 4
Halina Paulette EE II 1
Kodak Box 620 1, 2
Kodak Brownie Six-20 Model C 1
Lubitel 2 1
Voigtländer Bessa 66 1
Yashica 44 LM 1
ZIAG Colora F 1, 2
Films (b&w)
Adox CMS 20 II Pro 1, Adox HR-50 1, Adox CHS 100 II 1, Fomapan 100 1, Fomapan 400 1, 2, Ilford PanF Plus 50 1, Ilford Delta 100 1, Ilford Delta 400 1, Ilford XP2 Super 400 1, Ilford Delta 3200 1, Lomography Fantôme 8 1, Retropan soft 320 1, Rollei Retro 400S 1, Rollei RPX 400 1
Films (color)
Fujifilm 200 1, Kodak Gold 200 color 1, 2, 3
Digital cameras
Sony A6400, 16-50mm 1
Sony A6400, Laowa 25mm f2.8 1
Comparison: Sony A6400, Canon EOS 550D, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P32, Canon PowerShot A550 1, 2