alex_tamasi

Give a man a Brownie camera and he's interested for the day, give him $100 and he's got a collection LOL. I've doubled my collection of old Kodaks by buying from Ebay and got some great deals in the process. Although I am not ready to challenge Walker Mangum yet, I have really loved getting into collecting the cameras and I've even re-rolled some 120 film on 620 spools and shot a roll with a Kodak 6-20 from 1930's. Half the pics didn't come out but that was my fault because I was ignorant about F-stops. The next roll went into my Kodak Tourist, and all of them are flash photos. yes I actually got some old flashbulbs to use. Anyhow, you know what really bites? The fact that there isn't a newsgroup that is just for Kodak Collectors. Perhaps we should get something started?

I'd be interested in any information on developing and printing old rollfilms. Especially what equipment I would need. I know I need a developing tank capable of taking the larger sized films, do I need a projector for printing? Any advice cheerfully accepted.

You got me as to the Kewpie camera, but the lack of info on the net may suggest that you have a rare camera. I wonder if it is related to the Kewpie dolls that you used to be able to win at carnivals? As for rolling your own 620 film, I really don't know how much you'll save over Film For Classics prices, and if you roll it yourself, you pretty well have to develop it yourself.

Earlier this year I was at a yard sale and I bought this box Camera for $5. It said Brownie No.3 on the handle but other than that I knew nothing about this camera. When I got home I surfed the net and soon came up with Chuck Baker's page which was of immense help. Later on when I joined Ebay.com I saw so many cameras for sale I was hit with the bug. I'd never have thought I'd be a camera collector (I have an extensive Nazi militaria collection), but I am now the proud owner of a Brownie Target 6-16, Kodak folding 6-20, Folding pocket brownie 1.A, Hawkeye flash and a really sweet kodak vigilant Junior 6-16 with box and a slew of instruction books. Anyhow, I'd like to thank Chris Eve and Chuck Baker for their immeasureable help in adding to my knowlege about old cameras.

I just purchased a really good Hawkeye flash from ebay.com an online auction house. This kit had the camera, flashgun, book, and original box and I only paid $10 for it. The best thing is it came with 8 Sylvania Blue Flashbulbs. The Flashgun takes 2 standard C size batteries. When It arrived yesterday I put it all together and wasted a flashbulb just to see if it all worked right... Boy did it ever! It took me back how much light those old flashbulbs generate compared to a modern rechargeable flash. Anyhow, if you aren't in a hurry to collect flashbulbs, then join ebay.com (it's free). Enter in Flashbulbs for your search. There are usually about 11 auctions going on at one time for just flashbulbs, and you'll pay a fraction of what Bill Cress charges. Subsequently the Hawkeye takes GE 5 or 5B bulbs, Sylvania Press 25 or Press 25B, and the older SM type bulbs. The only other advice I can give you is use the clear bulbs for black and white pictures, and the blue bulbs for color pictures. Hope this helps you.