Kodak No.1 Pocket Folding 120 Camera Video Review

(If you can't see the video please click here.)

 

This is a type of camera that I've been searching for at the local car boot sales for a long time. I have been fascinated by these really old bellows type cameras and the type of photographs they might take. Sure, I've seen these a few times, but usually the buyer wants too much, it's in too poor a condition, or it doesn't take 120 film (which is readily available today).

This No.1 Pocket Kodak however ticked all the boxes. It was cheap, in reasonable condition, and said right on the back "Use Kodak Film A120".

The A stands for Autographic. There's a sliding cover on the back of the camera that can be rolled back so that with a stylus (missing from my example) you could have written on the negative if you had loaded Kodaks special version of A120 - it was EXIF data for the early 20th Century. Unfortunately Kodak stopped making this film in the '30s, but normal 120 roll film works fine instead.

 The No.1 Pocket Kodak creates beautiful large negatives - 6cm x 9cm, which means you only get 8 shots from a roll of 120. My model has a small light leak, or maybe some sort of lens flare, because you can see the strange white colouration in the photos. 

Focussing is done by extending the bellows according to a distance guide on the base plate, and exposure is set by choosing a shutter speed - 1/25th or 1/50th, and from an aperture scale of 1,2,3 or 4. These values equate to f/8, f/16, f/32 and f/64 - meaning that quite fast film can be used even outside, and a large depth-of-field achieved to aid in focussing.

 Probably made between 1926 and 1932, I marvel that this vintage antique camera still works. I am even more amazed that it produces such sharp vibrant photographs. Once I've figured out where that fogging / flare is coming from, this camera will produce stunning images, all from something 90 years old. Absolutely astounding!

So keep your eyes open for these 120 film Kodak Folders. One will teach you so much about the basics of photography, and it will truly delight you with the images you make.

Here's to Mr. Eastman!

Thanks, Rob.

Comments

[Victor]

Hi Rob,

Long time no see. Good to see you still up to tricks and collecting junk, oops sorry, 'classic' cameras, (Ha! My wife is still annoyed at all my 'classic' cameras filling up house space and 'junk' is just what she calls them).

How lucky to find an old 120 model and still hard to believe that after a 100 years or more you can still get 120 film where others fell into decline.

Looks like you have typical light leaks in the bellows, (the classic white spots and streaks), but can be easy or hard to fix depending on how you go about it.
Building replacement bellows is something I suggest people have at least one go at. You probably wouldn't be successful first time but boy does it give you an appreciation of the skill involved. There's many 'fixes' that people have tried over the years and black sealant seems to be a popular modern incarnation.
The one tried and tested method, (at least for small pinholes), I have used regularly is to simply 'paint' the light leaks with black acrylic paint you get from a typical art suppliers. A pocket torch and darkened room can be useful in locating such holes but I personally find firing a flash into the bellows whilst observing the corners of the bellows from the outside is far less strenuous on the eyes. Works for me :-)

Good to see you enjoying all aspects that photography can bring, including developing your own film amongst other things as well as hunting around those car boots for little gems like this!

All the best,

Victor

[Rob_Nunn]

Hi Victor,

Great advice, thanks very much, I'll give your ideas a try.

You're right, i've got a big pile of old cameras now, but it's so much fun trying out these old pieces of kit and finding out they work (or not!).

Keep in touch dude, I'm going to be printing soon!

Cheers, Rob.