Photography for the masses... we've come a long way!
This is the camera that started it all - the first camera that the man in the street could use - the Eastman Box Brownie went on sale in 1900 for 1$ and for a dollar more, Eastman threw in a film and processing. You bought the camera charged with film and when you had exposed all 6 images, you sent it back to Eastman who returned it recharged with a new film... and your prints - B&W of course. It was sold with the marketing strap line - "You press the button, we do the rest."
This particular model is the Brownie No.2 and dates from 1920 or 1921: it was an unexpected gift for my 70th birthday yesterday, from my son and daughter-in-law. Many thanks Matt and Jo, it was a lovely surprise and will be much treasured.
I thought it would be interesting to feature it with three photography magazines for the month of December. All three feature a round-up of the year's new offerings and in particular the Canon 7D Mk. II and the Nikon D750 (which I'm lusting after!)... we've come a long way in just over a hundred years!
Neat gift! I remember seeing something like this but I was not around in the 20's so may be it was a newer version. Or perhaps my uncle had one he was a photography buff.
Very cool comp, love it and love your POV. We have come a long way. I am so grateful to be living in the digital age. I spent a ton of money on film way back when and it was such a long drawn out process. I even had a dark room and did my own black and white processing! That was fun, but I have way more fun these days. Great photo, Richard!
@maggiemae All the controls seem to function Maggiemae but with the wear and tear of the years, it will no longer be light tight... it's essentially made of strengthened cardboard so it's not that robust especially 90+ years after it was made.
What a fabulous gift. And double wonderful because it means your children pay attention to who you are. I know lots of people who complain their children don't see them for who they are.
What a treasure of a gift! You created a super photo with it and the magazines. We've definitely come a long ways in photography, and thankfully can now take a mass of pictures for less than a $1. (Once you own equipment, of course.) Is that D750 on your Christmas Wish List?
@lyndemc No - I think that would definitely be a 'wish too far' Denise... I am hoping that Santa will bring me a Sony RX100 iii pocket camera but they don't exactly give those away with cornflakes either!
What a great birthday present. A Box Brownie set me on the road, a 1937 model that belonged to my mother. She gave it to me when I was 12. Dad had a Zeiss Ikon and I got much better pictures than he did! You seem to do a pretty good job with the cameras you've got - why go for another?
thanks for sharing
Ian