Cameras/old camcorder
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Question
hi david
i recently found what appears to b an old kodak brownie camcorder with a tan leather case and 2 additional lenses in exc. shape and i was wondering if u could tell me alittle more about it and its value please. it has a square peice of plastic on top, i geuss is used 4 focus and some winding device on the side.
thank you 4 ur time
Tony
Hi Tony,
Not a "camcorder", but a simple 8mm movie camera made for the typical point-and-shoot amateur photographer. Eastman Kodak made several million Brownie 8mm movie cameras in the 1950's and early 1960's, both with single lens and multiple lenses. The crank on the side winds up a spring motor, and then you can shoot about 20 seconds of film at a time. I'm afraid these cameras have no historical significance at all, they remain common as dust today, they are virtually unusable, so they rarely sell for much more than $20.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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