Brownie Movie Camera Manual 1957
Brownie movie camera model 2 manual from 1957. This was a popular home camera for families and individuals in the 1950s created by Kodak. Kodak had been credited with bringing photography to the masses beginning as early as 1900 (Fineman 2004).
Unfortunately, no designer was credited with the manual.
The brownie movie camera was a popular choice for families looking to begin recording their home memories. This is really the first wave of amateur and home video making. The brownie camera was heavily marketed towards the middle class family looking to document family life post war. It was a very affordable camera for the time and was introduced for the everyday person. Kodak was among the first companies to try and make picture taking a more accessible and everyday hobby. They were successful in the endeavor and Kodak sold over 10 million cameras were sold between 1957 and 1962 (Kodak 2024).
The manual is a short and easy read that is intended to instill confidence in the new user. It is filled with example photos and features both men and women using it with ease.
As for the camera itself the style was heavily influenced by the 1920s art deco look (King 2020). It was also made out of bakelite which we associate with the 1950s to this day.
The manual is done in a typical mid century style. It uses only one burnt orange color throughout the pamphlet as an accent against the cream paper. It features photographs and a couple of illustrations. It feels fun, modern, and forward for its time.
In the 1950’s we know that Futura was very popular. Some other fonts that were in their hey day were Karnak and Caledonia (Coles 2013). Both of which were most likely the identifiable fonts in this manual. Typefaces like Memphis and Microgramma were heavily used during the 1950s as well. This Kodak manual was employing other 1950s trends like minimalism and the use of photography mixed with bold typography and illustrations (“Graphic Design in the 50s: A Complete Guide” 2024).
Fineman, Mia. 2004. “Kodak and the Rise of Amateur Photography.” Metmuseum.org. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 2004. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kodk/hd_kodk.htm.
Kodak. 2024. “Milestones.” Kodak. 2024. https://www.kodak.com/en/company/page/milestones/.
King, Wesley. 2020. “Rediscovering Home Movies: A Brownie Camera, and the FPP.” Beyond the Aperture. December 8, 2020. https://beyondtheaperture.com/2020/12/rediscovering-home-movies-a-brownie-camera-and-the-fpp/.
Coles, Stephen, 2013. Kodak Graphic Arts Handbook, 1st Edition. https://fontsinuse.com/uses/4132/kodak-graphic-arts-handbook-1st-edition
“Graphic Design in the 50s: A Complete Guide.” 2024. Playbook.com | Organize Your Creative Files | Sign up for Free Storage. 2024. https://www.playbook.com/blog/blog-graphic-design-in-the-50s/.
