box camera

American  

noun

1. a simple, boxlike camera, without bellows, sometimes allowing for adjustment of lens opening but usually not of shutter speed.

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box camera British  

noun

1. a simple box-shaped camera having an elementary lens, shutter, and viewfinder

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Etymology

Origin of box camera

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

box camera

He likely used optical devices, including a camera obscura, a precursor to the box camera.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Christina Broom only began to experiment with photography in her forties, using a box camera.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2024

Habibzadeh still has his old box camera, a relic of the last century passed down to him by his photographer father.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 21, 2023

Lucas’s arrogance is exemplified by his insistence on transporting a big box camera and its gear, as well as a large cross meant for the new church.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 13, 2023

My present is a Brownie box camera, black and oblong, with a handle on top and a round hole at the back to look through.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood