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The Collection

The V.C. Browne and Son NZ Aerial Photograph Collection consists of approximately 35,000 photographs, spanning a period of over 50 years – commencing in the early 1930s through to the late 1970s. To date approximately 90% of the negatives have been scanned and are available on-line through this site.

The collection provides a unique perspective from which to view the evolution of society in New Zealand across this period.

Libraries

The collection is organised as five separate libraries. The library structure reflects both changes in film technologies and indexing methods that occurred as the collection grew. The following list describes the libraries:

  • Plates:Currently consists of approximately 7,000 black & white images within 22 directories (Plate01 - Plate22).The images span the period 1932 - 1954. (approximately 85% have been scanned)
  • Black & White Roll Film (tagged): Currently consists of approximately 4,700 black & white images within 6 directories (Volume 1 – Volume 6) organised by tag (location) rather than chronologically. The images span the period 1947 – 1959. (approximately 98% have been scanned)
  • Black & White Roll Film (sequenced): Currently consists of approximately 16,000 black & white images within 18 directories (0000 – 17000) organised in the sequence they were taken. The images span the period 1950 – 1989. (approximately 97% have been scanned)
  • North Island: Currently consists of approximately 1000 black & white images within a single directory organised by tagged location. The images span the period 1947-1948. (100% have been scanned, however there is a significant percentage of North Island images contained within the other libraries)
  • Slides and small format images: Currently consists of approximately 1,300 black & white and colour images within a 5 directories. Apart from a few trips taken by VC Browne, the images are randomly sequenced. The images are generally more recent than 1970. (approximately 70% have been scanned)

Library Structure detail . . .

Cameras and Formats

Cameras and film formats used to produce the collection include:

  • Glass Plates: Formats used include 3"x4", 4"x4.625", 6.5"x4.75"
  • B&W Roll Film: K20 - 4"x5" Folmer Graflex Aerial Camera (Fairchild)
  • B&W Roll Film: F24 - 5"x5" WWII F24 Aerial Camera (Williamson)
  • Medium format films and plates:
    • 6mmx6mm - Mamiya 6x6
    • Zeiss Ikon Nettar (120 film and plates)
    • Voightlander Besa II (120)
  • Colour Transparencies: Various 35mm cameras