Kodak Brownie Starflash (1957–1965)

A solid-body eyelevel rollfilm camera with built-in flash, designed for simple indoor and outdoor snapshots.

Overview

The Kodak Brownie Starflash is a classic box camera introduced in March 1957 and produced until June 1965 in the United States and France. It was part of the Kodak Star range of affordable, easy-to-use cameras aimed at amateur photographers and families. The model is distinguished by its large built-in flashgun, allowing users to take flash snapshots with ease—just pop in an M-2 lamp, aim, and shoot. It used Kodak 127 roll film, producing 12 square negatives of 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 inches, with standard prints enlarged to 3½ x 3½ inches. The camera was marketed at $8.50 at launch, with a promotional tie-in to Coca-Cola.

Specifications

Type	Solid body eyelevel rollfilm
Film Format	127 film (12 exposures, 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 in)
Print Size	3½ x 3½ inches
Lens	Kodak Dakon
Dimensions	134 x 89 x 57mm
Weight	204g
Flash System	Built-in flashgun using M-2 lamp
Country of Manufacture	United States and France

Design

The Brownie Starflash features a solid-body construction typical of mid-century box cameras, with an eyelevel viewfinder and a fixed-focus design. Its most notable feature is the large built-in flashgun, integrated directly into the camera body, eliminating the need for external flash units. The camera was made in black, with some sources noting a distinctive blue variant, and was designed for straightforward operation—load film, insert an M-2 lamp for indoor shots, aim, and shoot.

Context

The Brownie Starflash was one of the Kodak Brownie Star series, positioned as a popular snapshot camera that combined simplicity with the convenience of built-in flash. The camera supported color slide film indoors using Kodak Ektachrome Film Type F, reflecting the growing consumer interest in color photography during the late 1950s and 1960s.

Market

Listings on eBay show untested Brownie Starflash cameras selling between $9.28 and $15.00, often including the original box or instruction manual. The instruction manual is also available as a PDF from archival sources, indicating ongoing collector interest despite the camera’s basic functionality.