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The Agfa Tronix
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The Agfa Tronix

by Kent Staubus

Gallery: POP PhotosPosted July 5, 2013281 views5 comments
For most of this year I've been on a box camera kick. I have bought about a dozen of them of all different sorts. They are fun to play with! Box cameras (such as the Brownie) were mainly used by women to take photos of family members etc., and sometimes vacation photos. Men usually bought a camera with more knobs and dials on them. Some things haven't changed. :biggrin: I've been using these cameras for things they weren't really designed for and finding that with a little planning I can get them to do what I want. Here's a shot I took of a train parked in a siding near Sioux Center, Iowa. I liked the strong lines. The sky was gray, the ground was dark brown, and the train was a Norfolk Southern and is actually black & white to begin with. I like the softer focus of the box cameras. The Tronix was made of an early Bakelite type plastic in Germany around 1935. It's very nicely styled, and easy to use. It makes x8 6x9cm images on a 120 roll.


Kent in SD

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on July 7, 2013 at 6:08 PM
Hey Kent, this is really cool. I read your comment here on the box camera usage and find it a great story with keeping things alive from previous photographic history more or less.
I think the subject really fits the all around usage of this style of camera, film, soft-focus, and the 6x9 configuration too. Can't say I've ever heard of the Tronix per se, but Bakelite type of shell I full grasp. How neat. Thanks for sharing the story and the image here also. :cool:
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments
Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on July 8, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Great shot, love that you are pushing the boundaries and experimenting with the older cameras. Mine all sit collecting dust !! :biggrin:
Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments
Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 8, 2013 at 11:08 AM
A great comp here. I really enjoy your experimentation with these old cameras and film.
Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 13, 2013 at 1:15 PM
I agree, the 'strong' lines created by your great POV make this comp work very well.
Interesting notes on box camera use, I learned something new:toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on November 29, 2013 at 9:40 AM
Kent: Went snooping around your gallery in search of train photos and was delighted to see this. Now if you could catch some UP steam with this rig :smile:. >=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments