Introduction to the Kodak Brownie No. 3 (Model B) Box Camera

[@DavidHancock]

Will do. That's on the schedule for as soon as I'm settled in my new apartment. If you're subscribed, watch your feed in early September. I'll do a video on respooling various film sizes to 124 as my first new video this month.

[@DannyM1126]

This is exactly the vid i needed! Thank you! And the pics look nice 👌🏾👌🏾

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@kbstabs5982]

Many thanks. I wanted to know much more about my old No.3 Brownie and found your vidoe. I had no idea mine was so old. My father gave it to me, I'm guessing, around 1957. Based on your dating analysis, I put mine at 1911 to 1914. This, then must have been my grandfather's camera. I think I'm going to get some film!!!

[@DavidHancock]

Fantastic! That's an awesome heirloom to have had all this time.

[@funeography]

Thank you very informative. Shooting with it again this weekend.

[@DavidHancock]

+Priscilla Etienne Excellent! These old cameras are a lot of fun to use.

[@seasondyes1990]

nice video david! Looking forward to more videos of analogue cameras~

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you, and more are coming. Next in the queue are the Pentax Spotmatic F, Nikon F3, and probably the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash and Pony 828.

[@MyDiesel101]

Wonderful video David! Thank You.These box cameras have a simple elegance about them.One can create wonderful images with them, especially with B&W film.Also these box cameras were unsurpassed is holding the film flat.

[@DavidHancock]

Eugene Kosinski I agree. I was amazed at how well these handle a piece of sheet film.

[@Larpy1933]

That was well-done and very informative. Agreed: your idea of re-using the proper backing paper to allow correct film advance and frame spacing is wise. Your affection and appreciation of this excellent device is a delight to tap into. Thanks for such great work.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@DavidHancock]

What kind of Bownie No. 3 videos would you suggest? Also, I used 4X5 sheet film in the one from this video for the first time last month. That worked really, really well but the camera only had one exposure before I had to go back to the dark room and develop the film.

[@-DEng]

Отличное и полезное видео!!!

[@DavidHancock]

Спасибо!

[@neilpiper9889]

I have Box Brownie number 2 model F Made in England. Made of aluminium. It has 3 apertures, a single speed shutter plus B. I have put a black and white 120 film through it the other day, developed it myself. I printed the negatives in my bathroom /darkroom on my 1950 Gnome Alpha Rangefinder condenser enlarger using a 100mm Schneider Componon S lens. Great pictures.

[@DavidHancock]

Interesting that it's aluminum! I didn't know that they came that way. Thank you!

[@comfortablyblind6853]

I thrifted a six-20 Brownie. The art deco line. I figure, it was made between 1933 and 1941. It is in amazing shape anf cleaned up very well. Hope to shoot it soon. Great video.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you and nice find!

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

Super excited now mate and I hate saying super. thanks so much channel it’s a vital resource for anyone even slightly keen on cameras 📷❤️📷❤️📷

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@SuperVpower]

Very nice video! Good point about the backing paper having the same numbering as the camera "expects." Subscribed!

[@DavidHancock]

+SuperVpower Thank you!

[@TheStockwell]

Hello, Mr. Hancock! I just got one of these (and a "lost on Mt.Everest" Vest Pocket Kodak Autographic). I'm looking forward to putting it to work. Here's something interesting: my No.3 Brownie arrived with its original case. The thing is, the case is solid metal with an sturdy military strap. I've never heard of ANY Kodak cameras coming in metal "crinkle" black painted cases. Research is required! Keep up the great work - your "knuckles and know-how" channel is getting me through these COVID-19 days!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! And I haven't heard of those, cases, either! Also, I'll try to get the next videos uploaded in the next day. This week has been a bit hectic.

[@TheStockwell]

@@DavidHancock Don't hurry - it's not like you get big money for sharing your exploits and f-stops with us. Also, this COVID-19 thing is depressing. I've been working on a showing of my cyanotypes - for an exhibition that's now been cancelled. Well, better safe than hospitalized!

[@joeking4389]

This video was helpful, I pickup a No. 2-A and No. 2-C. The No. 2-C is a hugh camera 130 film, I'm going to have to come up with a way to shoot 120 film out of it. I'm very interested in seeing how this goes. Thanks for the video.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you and I'd love to know how that turns out!

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

Definitely my go to channel for gear reviews. I just bought a Houghton and butcher duo-ensign it looks it pretty good nick cannot wait to have a go at it. But first to your video I know they’re different models but from what I understand they’re all pretty much alike we shall see. Cheers in advance David📷❤️

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you, Paul!

[@comfortablyblind6853]

Just picked one up. It has the spool end retainer clips and no shutter guard, witch puts it at 1917. But the cover is a fairly smooth. Smoother than yours which is kind of odd. Anyway, I'm going to pick up some adapters and see what happens. Great video. Thanks.

[@DavidHancock]

Nice and thank you!

[@justinng6096]

Hey David, great video! I'm about to get a Kodak Brownie No.3 Model B, and was wondering if I could use 120/220 film with it? Thanks alot!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! You could but you'd need to make an adapter to cover the difference in spool width. It would be a similar process to adapting a 35mm cassette for a 120 camera and if you have access to either a 3-D printer or a wood lathe it should be pretty straightforward.

[@danierinash7952]

I wouldn't worry about finding out the shutter speeds, a rotary shutter relies on a single spring and at this age it will have lost tension, whatever the shutter speed was when it was new will now be slower. These were not precision made cameras, shutter speed would be different from camera to camera. Just use 100-400 ISO(ASA) B&W film and shoot in daylight, film is pretty forgiving, you'll get pictures and they'll have an awesome vintage look. Cool video with some great history info. I love shooting old 120/620 cameras :)

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you. So, since filming this I picked up a shutter speed tester. All my box cameras come in at around 1/30th of a second. They're about the most reliable and stable cameras I've tested in terms of consistent shutter speed, too.

[@discojelly]

Great Vid David!!! I just was given one these by a friend.. I thought it took 220 which is hard to find but I found out before the video here that looking at it..it takes 120. Being a big 120 myself I was excited and then checked out your video here on it. I was wondering will the numbers in the back show well when advancing the film? I know my Yashica med formats are set up for film advancement..but how well is it to tell if you are at the next frame on this camera. Thanks!

[@DavidHancock]

Courts Griner The numbers do show in the red window. They're for 6X9 format and the negatives are HUGE. If you were to use 220 film, it would all be fogged red since it has no backing paper.

[@DavidHancock]

David Hancock Actually, the Model 3 takes 124 film, which is large format territory and unavailable any more. If you have a Model 3, you'll need to use 4X5 film unless you modify it.

[@discojelly]

Thanks David...yes mine is a Model 2. :o)

[@ShellyMak06]

What do you suggest I use to clean mine? My brownie was definitely made before 1906 and is extremely dirty.

[@DavidHancock]

For the lens, lens cleaning fluid and lens tissue work, but with very light pressure. Optical glass is very soft. For the body, there's a shoe product that's like an emergency shoe polishers. I for get what they're called, but they're sponges in plastic cases that you can use to clean dirt and scuffs off shoes. That ought to work. I've used a very damp cloth before to wipe away dirt and that's worked okay. Coloration can be restored with shoe polish, the excess needs to be cleaned off thoroughly, though.

[@ShellyMak06]

Thank you very much for your timely response!!

[@amberjane6050]

Hey, enjoyed your video. I have several of these cameras. Have you ever heard of the Rescued Film Project? They take old film and develop it to preserve the images. Think about sending them any exposed film you find. You never know what piece of history may be on there. :)

[@DavidHancock]

AmberJane I have heard of the project, yes. I develop my own found film at home and share it on my Google+ album. Developing and sharing found film is really fun and rewarding.

[@johnbiggs102]

I'm writing a book that involves photography between 1900 and 1910. I'm looking for information about cameras and film that might have been used during this period by professional portrait photographers and amateur snap shooters.

[@DavidHancock]

+John Biggs That sounds like a great undertaking. There are a number of good resources out there. I believe there's a Brownies enthusiast club that would have info. 1900 to 1910 was an interesting period with a LOT of film format, looking back it's as though almost every camera has its own format, and a lot of different ways of presenting film -- sheets, packs, rolls, and so forth.

[@CNDCarManiac]

What film does this camera take? Also where could I buy some?

[@DavidHancock]

122 or 124 and it went out of production in the 1980s, I think. So you have a few options 1- You can re-spool a different format onto an old paper backing (actually not great because so much of the image is lost) 2- Make it a one-shot camera by putting a piece of 4X5 film in the back. You need to cover the red window before you do that. As a 4X5 camera, I've found I really like these guys' results. Here's what an image looks like on 4X5: picasaweb.google.com/102333270936007447976/62613BrownieB#5895914815960637778 The white dot is where my red window covering peeled back momentarily.

[@983113049]

I have Box. camera but could not rounded latches , also no guard near shutter release. Film Tension spring were adjusted on spool end rather in center. can u help me the tentative year of its age, i am thinking its 1917 Model between August

[@DavidHancock]

I need more information than that. If you can take some photos and share them that would help. If you need a place to share them, upload them to an Imgur gallery (free) and share that link as a comment. KZbin will hold that comment with the link until I approve it, but I will and I'll see what I can tell you about your camera.

[@983113049]

@@DavidHancock did u receive my link?

[@DavidHancock]

Nope

[@983113049]

@@DavidHancock okay I posted the link from imgur, probably its removed by KZbin before approve

[@DavidHancock]

It did not post to my held comments yet. Once there, comments hang out for 30 days before KZbin removes them.

[@viktor57200]

Ser! I will be very grateful that you show such small details to the device as glass. I will be very grateful. I have a glass but I do not understand from what device. I am the grandson of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov

[@DavidHancock]

I don't have this camera any more, so I can't make additional videos. Didn't Duchess Romanov die at 17? She much have had kids when she was very young.

[@viktor57200]

I am the grandson of Grand Duchess Anastasia and it worries Me. I know her and lived and was brought up by Anastia. How can I say that she was shot. I have the honor of sir.жжж

[@jonathansherrill5594]

anyway you could send me some of the photos you shot using this camera....???

[@jonathansherrill5594]

the link in the bio no longer works....

[@DavidHancock]

photos.google.com/album/AF1QipOz2Fz4BOKH1hbOoYP06a39GaL-byZD_01zEzxr There you go! Thank you for letting me know about the dead link.

[@huntercompton9650]

Actually Kodak had been making roll film cameras for 12 years before the introduction of the brownie, its what the empire was built on since the original Kodak of 1888. I would assumer around 50 camera Kodak marketed used roll film before the introduction of the brownie.

[@DavidHancock]

+Hunter Compton I did not know that. Thank you!

[@ganzonomy]

If you're looking for Kodak monsters, get a monitor six-20 with an anastigmat special or a medalist. Both demonstrate Kodak lenses at their best.

[@DavidHancock]

Nice! I haven't had a chance to try either of those yet.

[@ZweerinkGraphic]

How can i clean my view finders i can not see through them.

[@DavidHancock]

You've got to take the front of the camera apart, See how there's a seam around the camera face's perimeter? Remove the screws from the front of the camera and the front pulls off. From there you can access the ground glass. I think the mirrors can be cleaned because I don't think they're surface-coated, but you'll want to double-check for sure when you have it apart. The ground glass can be cleaned with lens cleaner. When you re-assemble it, just remember to put the ground side of the glass toward the mirrors.

[@winthrop1177]

Did it use electricity???? Or a spark

[@DavidHancock]

+mike jones Does the camera use electricity, do you mean? It does not take a battery.

[@bertswillen4911]

Dear Sir Iam looking for Kodak camera pre 1900 Can u help? Thank u Bert

[@DavidHancock]

+Bert Swillen Nope.

[@MauroGuerreiro]

I think it's No. 3 Brownie and not No. 3 (Model B) Brownie.

[@LeendertCordemans]

Hi David, you find a lot of info on this website. www.brownie-camera.com/index.shtml . I hopes it will helps you a lot. Greetz.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@krisb8781]

You and I gotta get some beers one day and talk cameras. Nice videos - you make good camera porn movies. Check out Photo.net classic camera section I post there quite often

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you. And I'm always down for a beer. I like Photo.net. I read posts there sometimes but don't post myself. Manual Focus Forums, Pentax Forums, and APUG eat a lot of my free time.

[@gregfarley5737]

Practice before you make a video.

[@DavidHancock]

Check the date to see if a video is old before you make a comment.