Kodak Brownie 127
The Brownie 127 was, in the UK, an extremely popular plastic snapshot viewfinder model made in England by Kodak Ltd. From introduction in 1952, over a million had been made by August 1954, and the series continued to sell many more millions. A few (~263,000) of the first model were exported to the US in 1953-4, where they were badged Brownie Starlet - and should not be confused with the more common Brownie Starlet.
The first version of the camera had a rounded shape, where the film carrier mechanism and viewfinder were attached to the top of the camera, which lifted out the base. The base carried the lens and shutter. There were many small changes of faceplate and detailing. The third version of the camera was completely reshaped to have flat sides and angled corners, and square images. The shutter speed and lens aperture were fixed; the only controls were wind-on and shutter release.
Specification
- Manufacturer: Kodak Ltd., UK
| First model | Second model | Third model | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description: | rounded, stepped sides | rounded, sloping sides, vertical lines; larger viewfinder |
angled corners flash synch |
| In production: | 1952-1959 | April 1959-1963 | November 1965-November 1967 |
| Lens: | Meniscus f/14 64mm | Dakon f/11, plastic | f/14 51mm, plastic |
| Shutter: | Rotary, 1/50s | Rotary | Rotary, 1/40s |
| Frame size: | 6x4cm | 6x4cm | 4x4cm |
- Film: 127 film
The Brownie Cresta II was a similar camera, but larger and with some angles introduced, was made for 620 film.
Sources
- Coe, Brian, Kodak Cameras, the First Hundred Years, Hove Foto Books, 1987
- Chuck Baker's Camera site - including instruction books
Links
- Brownie 127 on OneTwoSeven.com
- 1956 model on Brownie-Camera.com by Chuck Baker
- Third, 1965 model on Brownie-Camera.com by Chuck Baker
- Second model Instruction Manual on Chuck Baker's site.
