Things (my box camera)

The beginning of the (last) century was the beginning of mass production.

The most known example is, of course, the "Ford T". But a very good example, also, is the "Kodak Brownie" the first "box camera" and the first camera build to be build for the masses. With minor improvements this camera has been produced until the '70s.

I cannot afford a "Ford T", but I have this nice "Brownie", shown in the pictures. I found this camera, in the attic, when I was perhaps 14 years old. At that time it worked faultless. Unfortunately it uses a kind of film that is not available anymore (some adaptation is possible to use other kind of film, though) so I cannot assess its present condition.

This particular camera build, perhaps, in the '40 or in the '50, has, as the most curious characteristic, the lateral blade we can pull out to insert an extra lens to decrease the focal distance. Working as a sort of macro lens it was build to be use in portrait photos (i.e. at medium-close range).

Note also the 2 identical "half a periscope" visors. Each one is linked to one of the two identical small lens in the from that give this camera an anthropomorphic aspect. The camera can be used in 2 positions and each visor has been build to use in each of the positions.