box camera

noun

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

box camera

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of box camera¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

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

From BBC

Striped shirts with open cuffs, reminiscent of this era, fused the delicate and free-spirited vibe against the hard, resolute feel of a box camera styled as a necklace.

From Seattle Times

He also was fascinated by what was then a common sight: urban street photographers who made their living snapping cheap portraits, mostly for identity documents, using old-style wooden box cameras.

From Seattle Times

From foot soldiers to high-ranking officials, many Taliban were happy to pose for box camera portraits.

From Seattle Times

Positioning his bulky box camera at Charing Cross, a conjunction of six thoroughfares just south of today’s Trafalgar Square, he exposed a silver-coated copper plate for several minutes.

From Seattle Times