Tag Archives: camera

Louis who? Movies before Edison?

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Thanks to my good friend George Dunbar who emailed me when he found this insightful article. Back in August 29, 2013, the British National Science+Media Museum website in Bradford, UK posted the article by Kieron Casey. Casey suggested that … Continue reading →

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surprise!

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Robert

Toronto.  You do remember actress Mamie Van Doren don’t you? No? What about photographer Ralph Crane? No, again? Then you are either too young or never saw a movie last century in a theatre or on TV! Crane worked for … Continue reading →

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the next generation?

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Trekkies everywhere will recognize this famous inter-galactic spaceship. When the art of photography was announced in January, 1839, it too was revolutionary: Two different processes were announced – one in France; one in England. Both were monochromatic,  dead slow, … Continue reading →

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fresh eggs

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. A few decades ago at Bell I had a boss who suggested I run with my suggestion. “After all”, he said, “it’s your fresh egg”. Have you ever noticed that be it cars, cameras, microscopes, sewing machines, radios, televisions, or … Continue reading →

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a kludge of clones

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the late 1930s, a Chicago man embarked on a program to create inexpensive cameras and the Spartus Camera Corporation was born. One of the many cameras to emerge was a bakelite wonder that sold under a variety of … Continue reading →

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my my mamyia

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In its hey-day Mamiya made high end cameras – subminiature 16mm, 35mm, TLRs and medium format press cameras. At a recent PHSC auction the Mamiya Press Universal camera was in one lot. This version is a rangefinder model, with … Continue reading →

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a material thing

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Have you ever wondered why the older view, box and folder cameras were made of wood with a leather, paper, or varnish coating? Or that the new 35 mm minicams were mostly metal. That some cameras were bakelite and … Continue reading →

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Photo News Summer 2019

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. As I opened Tuesday’s Globe and Mail for a quick read, out came Norm Rosen’s latest opus on all things photographic. As usual, the magazine was an exciting read with lots of photos illustrating what the writers said in … Continue reading →

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Voigtlander, my Voigtlander

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. 1956 was a land mark year for many. In the case of the oldest photography company in the world, It was its 200th anniversary – born years before photography itself! One of its remarkable offerings was the Vito B … Continue reading →

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nailed it!

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1970s while living in Montreal, I saw a newspaper ad and went off one weekend to the English enclave of Montreal West to look at a Kodak 3A autographic folder. The camera complete with case cost $25. … Continue reading →

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