Brownie Hawkeye Flash

[Uranus]

Lightning can apparently strike twice.

After the stupendous ?5.- Agfa Isolette (more challenging than I thought -one has to think more), a colleague brought me a brownie hawkeye (French manufacture, from what i could dig up on the intertubes), complete with faux-leather casing (actually cardboard), that they found while rummaging in their attic. FREE because they figured i’d enjoy it!! How right there were…..

2 questions:
Film – inside the casing it specifically states not to use 120 film, although the fittings seem right for it (and I have 4 rolls of fuji 400 in the cooler) . No mention of what should be used. Any help would be appreciated.

Secondly, this thing hasn’t been used for nigh on 40 years, and i fully intend to go and play! Problem is that while the mechanics are perfect (aside from some superficial rust), there’s what appears to be a fine rime of white mould or oxidation on the inner fixing ring of the lens. Any suggestions for a good cleaning solution? The casing’s bakelite, so that should be no problem, but I’m not too sure if the ring and inner lens might get chewed up by stronger types of solvent…

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

/Once the film fever has abated a little, I might have something to submit to contests again.

[sleeping]

It was probably made for 620 instead of 120 – it’s basically the same thing but on slightly smaller spools. You might need a proper 620 roll as a take up spool, but if it fits in the compartment (they don’t always) you can generally get away with a 120 roll as the feed spool. I believe 620 exists because 120 was a non-proprietary format, and Kodak took out a patent or something on the 620 spools.

[soosh]

I think you can put nickels in as a spacer on the outside of a 120 spool to make it fit in 620 cameras.

[sleeping]

That probably works the other way, 620 spools are the smaller ones:

[soosh]

I had to go back and look it up, because i knew I’d used coins and 120 film, but it was in a kodak camera designed for six-16 film, not 620.

[Uranus]

thanks, guys….turns out the thing is so agricultural, cleaning it turned out to be no problem. Took it apart, unscrewed the lenses and mechanism, cleaned with dishwashing liquid and some soft cloths…et voila!

Film is annoying: couldn’t find 620 anywhere, so I’m testing with 120, and using the 620 pickup spool, seeing that a 120 spool didn’t fit ( kept jamming).

I’ll keep you posted on the results.

[Elsinore]

You have two options on shooting with 620 film. You can respool 120 onto 620 reels, which can be tedious, or you can file and clip down 120 spools so they fit without jamming. Here’s a link:
http://www.zianet.com/connealy/vintagecameras/120in620/

You’ll want to see if you can find a few spare old 620 spools so you have at least one on hand to compare against when you trim 120 spools.

[Author]

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