The Kodak Brownie Starflash camera was a popular snapshot camera that was part of the Kodak Star range of cheap, easy to use cameras. It had a moulded plastic body, fixed focus Dakon lens and used 127 roll film. It had a built-in flash with a parabolic reflector and used a single, small M-2 flash lamp.

The Kodak Brownie Star series products were the first low-priced cameras "designed to take color slides, as well as color and black-and-white snapshots". They were portable and easy to use, and were extremely popular. Ten million of the three models of Star series cameras were sold around the world in five years.

The Brownie Star series was the second range of Kodak cameras to be assembled in Australia, after the Kodak Brownie Flash II. From 1958 an increasing range of components was made locally, and the Star cameras were assembled from more than 95% Australian parts. Cameras were first made at Kodak Australasia's Abbotsford factory.

The Brownie Starflash was the third Star camera in the range to be produced in Australia. It was the first Kodak camera with a built-in flash holder. It was preceded by the Brownie Starlet and the Brownie Starmite.

Museums Victoria has two Kodak Brownie Starlet cameras in its collection, including one in its original box. It also holds a range of marketing material including 16mm motion film television commercials, point of sale price tickets, and brochures.

References

Kodakery, No. 82, September 1977, p.3.

Kodakery, No. 168, March, 1985, p.5.

More Information