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home - list of brownie cameras - no.2a brownie

No.2A Brownie

Introduced: April 1907
Discontinued: 1936
Film size: 116
Picture size: 2 1/2 X 4 1/4"
Manufactured: US, Canada, UK from 1930-1936
Lens: Meniscus
Shutter: Rotary
Numbers made: over 2,100,000 before 1921
Original price: $3.00
Aluminum model US: $3.75
Color models US: $4.00 - UK: ?

Variations:
Aug 1909: Eyelets were fitted to lens and finder windows.
Oct 1911: The Model B was introduced with internal changes to lens board.
June 1917: Film tension springs were moved from the center to the spool ends.
Oct 1917: The case latches were improved with rounded ends and milled edges.
Jan 1918: A metal nameplate was added to the back.
Mar 1920: A trigger guard was fitted.
Apr 1924: The Model C was introduced with an aluminum body, tripod sockets, hinged back with spring latch and a finer grain leatherette covering.
Apr 1920-1933: US models were available in five colors: red, grey, green brown or blue as well as black.
1930-1936: UK models were available in four colors: brown, blue, claret and green as well as black. The black model was discontinued in 1935 and the blue model was discontinued in 1936.
From 1932: The winding key was replaced by a knob.

Description:
No.2A Brownies were made with a leatherette covering the card contructed camera until 1924 when the card was replaced by metal. It uses a metal film carrier and features two reflecting finders. It is opened by releasing two pivoted catches and pulling out winding key.

Fun Facts:
This extremely popular Brownie, which used #116 film, produced a large "postcard" size negative perfect for contact printing. Cameras like the No.2A Brownie helped put the "Postcard Photographers" of early-day resorts, like Coney Island and Atlantic City, out of business. As time went on, the size of the camera became a drawback as contact printing gave way to enlarging negatives from smaller cameras for prints.

A special thanks to Keith Wood for information about the Canadian-made model!

Click here to see the manual for this camera right now.

Click here to download a free copy of the manual for this camera.

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