Tony Warren
Well-Known Member
My time with my cameras has been limited for the past three months as my wife gets back on her feet after a stroke. Happily she has responded well and makes good progress. I did find a little time for things photographic, however, and delved into new fields. One was the link between the Box Brownie and 120 film. In the process I accumulated three of the model 2, which was introduced in 1901 alongside 120 film, made specifically for this camera. Ironically, the camera went out of production in 1934 while the film went on to be the mainstay of much professional work and is still available.
The one on the left is the 1920s 2F, with the 116 2A in the centre and the 2 Special on the right.
The 2F needed some TLC but is a simple device so tiny drips of oil and a reconnected spring had it working again. A film/developer problem spoiled these results but I will run another different film through I know is compatible with RO9/Rodinal.
The 116 gave me problems. Some 3D print 116 to 120 adapters I bought just won't fit and I had to make my own. The comparison shows how thick they are compared to my concoction and the original 116 spool. My other problem with the 2A was the red window which had faded to a pale orange fogging the film. The stripes are from the winding on pauses as I turned the winder and the side fogging is through the small gap along the side of the 120 film. I now have a mask made which I hope cures these things when I get a chance to try another film and tape over the red window.
The third one, the Special, must have been one of the shortest production runs ever, just 3 or 4 months. It was a stop gap when they introduced the 620 and was so popular in the US that export numbers suffered. The Special went mostly to Australia, just across the Tasman Sea from me. I still have to shoot with this one.
Information comes from The Brownie Page online and McKeowns.
The one on the left is the 1920s 2F, with the 116 2A in the centre and the 2 Special on the right.
The 2F needed some TLC but is a simple device so tiny drips of oil and a reconnected spring had it working again. A film/developer problem spoiled these results but I will run another different film through I know is compatible with RO9/Rodinal.
The 116 gave me problems. Some 3D print 116 to 120 adapters I bought just won't fit and I had to make my own. The comparison shows how thick they are compared to my concoction and the original 116 spool. My other problem with the 2A was the red window which had faded to a pale orange fogging the film. The stripes are from the winding on pauses as I turned the winder and the side fogging is through the small gap along the side of the 120 film. I now have a mask made which I hope cures these things when I get a chance to try another film and tape over the red window.
The third one, the Special, must have been one of the shortest production runs ever, just 3 or 4 months. It was a stop gap when they introduced the 620 and was so popular in the US that export numbers suffered. The Special went mostly to Australia, just across the Tasman Sea from me. I still have to shoot with this one.
Information comes from The Brownie Page online and McKeowns.
