Who Wants a Brownie?

So, a couple posts ago, I mentioned acquiring a couple old cameras. Well, yesterday I discovered that you can still purchase film that is functional for them, and so I went and bought two rolls of black and white 120 film for my Brownie Hawkeye camera. There are two big photography shops in Edmonton (they are actually Canada-wide, but larger cities probably have other specialty shops--I have yet to discover any in Edmonton): Black's Photography and McBain Camera. Black's doesn't sell 120 film--they have to order it in. McBain just has black and white; not colour. But that's a step. At least I don't have to order film online (except maybe if I want colour). And with either store, I have to send it one province east, to Saskatchewan (Sara, that's pronounced suh-SKA-chew-in, or suh-SKA-chwin, depending on where you're from), to have it developed. There is apparently not high enough demand in Alberta for 120 film developing. I, personally, think Alberta has way more photographic potential than SK (no mountains there, that's for sure), but that's just me. I've never actually been to SK. Whatever. It will be worth it.

I've taken all of three photos--the roll has 12 exposures on it. It's weird, cuz you have to hold the camera at roughly belly-button level, and you look down onto this piece of glass that gives you a flipped mirror image of what the shot will be, and you press the shutter from there. The exposures will be square when developed--not your standard 4x6. I have one exposure level--roughly 1/30 sec., which on a modern camera is about as slow as you can get and still hold the camera steady enough to get a crisp shot (although most people don't go below 1/40 without a tripod). It's meant to be used on bright sunny days, because there are only two ISO options--100 and 125. On the plus side, my photos will not be grainy, which can happen with the higher ISOs.

HOWEVER--if you remember from two posts back, in addition to the antique cameras, I also acquired the uber-lamp. I still have no idea what the wattage is, but when I plug it in, the sun gets jealous, it's that bright. So I had that on for my three photos this afternoon (cuz it was too grey outside to take photos outdoors), and we'll see how they turn out. Once I've finished and developed the roll, I will scan any good pics and put them up here. But that will be at least a month, because I need to a) take the photos, and b) get them developed over in suh-SKA-chwin, which'll take a couple weeks above that. But I'm definitely excited!