Kodak No.2 Folding Autographic Brownie

[jessica_gaerlan]

I have just acquired one of these cameras with film in it. You could see number

5 thru the red window at the back. I would like to finish up the film but I

think the lens is missing. I have found pictures of the same camera in the net

and it looks like some of them have lenses. I don't know , help!!! I really

would like to use and play with this toy. Mine have the kodak ball bearing

shutter.

[colin carron]

Jessica, some of these cameras had the lens behind the shutter so you can't normally see it. Your camera is probably fully functioning though the only way to know is to try it. The No 2 model took 120 film so you should be able to get film for it. You may want to advance the film to the end then remove it and put in new film.

 

There is no telling how old your current film is but old film can be developed successfully with a bit of specialised knowledge. Gene M is the PN old film expert.

[bcostin]

I recently found an Autographic just like that and had the same question. Particularly since my camera was in a junk box with a lot of other equipment that did have missing parts!

 

I don't think anything is missing. Chances are your Autographic, like mine, has a single-element meniscus lens mounted just behind the shutter. Other models of the same camera used different lenses which did have a front element, which is why you'll find pictures of both.

 

I haven't run film through mine yet. Looking forward to it, though. The shutter sounds fine and the bellows look good.

[mendel_leisk]

I like the whimsical descriptions (for focus and shutter speed?), kind of like blender speed descriptions. And the whole thing looks like the front of some locomotive.

[patrick j dempsey]

Note that vague descriptions are probably for 50 or 25 ASA film... so you might have to do some minor adjustment for 100 speed film. You should be able to look up the apertures online, or just measure them. Measure the length from the back of the camera to about where you think the lens is, then divide it by the diameter of the apertures, that will give you the f-stops for each one (round up to nearest f-stop should be good enough). In the early days, the f-stop system hadnt been standardized yet, so often manufaturers used different competing systems, or as in the case of this camera just use random numbers. From what Ive read, those ball bearing shutters last forever! If you want to shoot the rest of the film, try increasing the exposure times... I've heard Gene M. use that trick to get extra milage out of old film. Look up his posts for detailed accounts of using old cameras, and old films and processing of old films.

[colin carron]

When you are using it with modern film you will need to make sure the red window and the autographic door are not exposed to direct sunlight. The idea of the autographic feature was that you opened the little door on the back then wrote the subject / date / what have you on the film with your little metal stylus (missing?). Autographic film was sensitive to pressure like a carbon paper and the writing came out on the edge of the print. However as many people had borderless prints the autographic feature as not a massive success. It will of course not work with modern film!

 

I think the max aperture of these meniscus lenses is about f8 or f11.

[john_shriver]

Yeah, definitely a meniscus lens back there. Expose the rest of the roll at 1/25 at stop number 3 in bright sun. That will do if the film proves to be Verichrome Pan (the PAN being important), which will show through the window as you wind. If it's anything else, I'd say 1/25 at stop number 2.

 

The f-stops are 1=11, 2=16, 3=22, 4=32. I have a much earlier #2 Brownie with similar lens, it's quite soft at stops 1 and 2.

 

Real f-stops were definitely in use when this camera was made, Kodak's more expensive cameras used them. The simpler cheaper cameras for simpler consumers used the 1-4 numbering, generally the ones with meniscus lenses.

 

There was an interval when mid-priced Kodak cameras used the US (Unified System) scale. Same as f-stops at 16, but they go powers of 2, so US8 is f/11, and US32 is f/22.

 

Going forward, load it up with T-MAX 100, Plus-X, or FP4+, Portra 160, or Fuji 160. There's not enough exposure flexibility to use anything faster.

[jessica_gaerlan]

Thank you all very much for your time!!!!

[mark_satola1]

Late suggestion -- Ilford Pan-F is still available, ISO 50.

[kyle_harr]

I have a Kodak No. 2 Folding Brownie that I'm interested in using. However, I'm not sure

which model I have. It lists apertures of 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. I believe the shutter is the

earlier model, as I see no Kodex markings.

 

As for shooting with it, the original poster's comments about the red window indicate that

it would be used to align the film and indicate picture number. As the old autographic film

isn't available, I assume I'll have to cover the window with a piece of electrical tape. But I'm

not sure how I would determine the proper alignment when advancing the film. Is this

going to be a guessing game? Thanks.