Monthly Archives: September 2017

a horse of a different colour…

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. Photographic paper companies often had samples of their products to help you chose a particular style. Once you chose a paper style, there was the physical size, weight, and the dynamic range (contrast) to consider. Of course nowadays you … Continue reading →

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getting to the end of the day…

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. As a line from the TV series New Tricks says, this is the last of the Leitz enlarging and copying lenses offered as the film era quietly disappeared. This is the famous FOCOTAR series (FOCOTAR, FOCOTAR 1, FOCOTAR 2, … Continue reading →

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not your father’s Elmar…

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. Post war, the Elmar went to the DOOGS. The little camera mounted collapsible Elmar was redesigned as a reproduction and enlarging lens in a much more practical lens mount and the elements were coated to reduce the internal reflections. … Continue reading →

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give me a ring…

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. I mentioned in the previous post that Leitz made a special ring so the fiddly little aperture adjustment on the 5cm Elmar could be seen and moved by a ring that went around the accessory. This avoided the risk … Continue reading →

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Early Leitz enlarging lens VAROB

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. In the fall of 1983 I had a call from Sam Schlifer. Sam wanted to know if I had a spare camera Elmar lens I could swap for an old enlarger lens by Leitz called a VAROB. I did … Continue reading →

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Peter Turner 1934 – 2017

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. My thanks to George Dunbar who emailed the sad news that Pete Turner died recently. His passing was noted with this insightful article in the New York Times. A New Yorker, Mr Turner was famous for his saturated colour … Continue reading →

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A tale of two cameras…

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. Apologies to Mr Dickens again – he must be on my mind. My friend George Dunbar dropped me a note last Tuesday. George spotted an old Kodak Retina I on the internet and it reminded him of his first … Continue reading →

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Toronto then and now…

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. Then and now photos of the same part of a city have been appealing for many years. My good friend George Dunbar used various techniques over the years to allow this great city to be compared. I first saw … Continue reading →

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it was the season of Darkness

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. A few days ago I suggested the smartphone camera is revolutionizing photography compared with what we grew up with in the days of film and 35mm cameras. This view was confirmed, emphasized and detailed by Matthew Panzarino’s definitive review … Continue reading →

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Daguerreian Society Auction Oct 28th

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. On the 15th last week the Daguerreian Society sent me a notice that its annual auction was nearly ready online and a preview could be had. Check it out to see what images and ephemera you could add to … Continue reading →

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