Monthly Archives: February 2022

a penny for your thoughts …

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. We have all tossed a quarter into those  clever ‘slot’ machines in arcades or other amusement areas to see a series of stills. In this article from the April 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics is a suggestion to use … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on a penny for your thoughts …

carousel anyone?

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. For many years the Kodak Carousel series of slide projectors with round horizontal trays were the top of the line in North America. One series was sold for home use and a second series as industrial machines. This short … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on carousel anyone?

no tanks

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Popular Mechanics often ran short ‘filler’ articles which were interesting and seemed to be practical to the frugal but of  little value. Typical is this darkroom article from the April, 1941 issue on a way to increase productivity when … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on no tanks

about that land in Florida

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. An article in the May 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics suggests a coating can double the lens speed (if only this were so …). We used to suggest to gullible people that if they believed something improbable, we have … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on about that land in Florida

Polarization is good for photography

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … but not so good politically. In the days of film, one of the tools available to the photographer was a polarizing filter. Judicious use of the filter could improve contrast and colour saturation by removing reflections from smooth … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Polarization is good for photography

Wilhelm Willi Eduard Nassau 1922 2022

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. I was sorry to hear that a good friend and member of the PHSC passed away a few days ago. Willi was a charter member of our society, having joined in its first year. I learned about his passing … Continue reading →

Posted in people | Tagged , | Comments Off on Wilhelm Willi Eduard Nassau 1922 2022

PHSC News newsletter for February 2022

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The Kiev 88 shown here is from the right top of page 1 in this month’s PHSC News newsletter. This rather poor copy of a Hasselblad was favoured byHelena Mayans who is featured on page 1. Well, here we … Continue reading →

Posted in newsletter | Tagged , , | Comments Off on PHSC News newsletter for February 2022

photographic ideas that fizzled

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In 1939, some people disliked photographic darkrooms because they were ummm – dark. So somebody came up with contact print paper with a built-in orange filter and a special ‘flexible frame’. As a filler, Popular Mechanics published a small … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on photographic ideas that fizzled

February 16, 2022 Presentation via ZOOM

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Robert

Join us at 8pm on the 16th of February via ZOOM to see and hear Dr Slobogin on “Percy Hennell’s Surgical and Nationalist Colour Photography, 1940-1948”. The poster below was designed for our February PHSC News. It states, “Dr Slobogin … Continue reading →

Posted in program | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on February 16, 2022 Presentation via ZOOM

more than skin-deep

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember when you had an annual chest x-ray to detect TB? No? You must be a lot younger than me! This Popular Mechanics article from the January, 1939 issue shows how Westinghouse made an ‘electronic flash’ gizmo … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on more than skin-deep