The Brownie was a series of camera models made by Eastman Kodak, first released in 1900. It revolutionised photography by making snapshots accessible to the masses, addressing the cost barrier that had previously kept amateur photography out of reach for many people.
The Brownie was a basic cardboard box camera equipped with a simple convex-concave lens, capturing 2.25-inch square pictures on No. 117 roll film. It was designed and marketed to boost sales of Kodak roll films. Its simple controls and initial price of just $1, along with the low cost of Kodak roll film and processing, made it incredibly popular. A total of 245,000 units of the original Brownie was sold.
The Kodak Brownie No. 2 camera was introduced in 1901 with a price tag of $2. It produced larger 3.25-inch by 2.25-inch rectangular pictures on No. 120 roll film. Over its lifespan, it is estimated that 2.5 million units of the Brownie No. 2 were sold.
