Author Archives: Robert

fans in a flashbulb

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Fans of the late war photographer Robert Capa remember this great man, but what about his companion, a woman war photographer called Gerda Taro? Like Capa, Gerda Taro changed her name back in 1936. Sadly Taro died the following … Continue reading →

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Leica M10-P

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Nearly 50 years ago I bought my first Leica. It was an M4 with a 50mm Summicron (f/2) lens. After the 40th anniversary of the original M-series (M3 prototype in 1952, marketed in 1954) in late 1994, I did … Continue reading →

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B&L BALTAR f/2.3 50mm

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. The Leica was marketed in 1925, catching Zeiss off guard. It responded in 1932 with the Zeiss-Ikon Contax. It had to better the Leica in every way possible: faster lenses, vertical shutter (faster curtains), metal shutter, longer rangefinder base, … Continue reading →

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rapid rectilinear lens redux

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Turns out the choice of glass plus the lens design makes a rapid rectilinear! Both the two wide angles lenses mentioned the other day predate the release of the Rapid Rectilinear (or Aplanat in Germany). R & J Beck … Continue reading →

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need more cameras in your collection?

Posted on August 19, 2018 by Robert

Toronto.  Like they say, “you can never have too many …”. If you ignore the “orange tornado” in DC, the folks in Ohio have two adjacent shows for your consideration. The OCCS (Ohio Camera Collectors Society) show, and Igor’s “Cleveland … Continue reading →

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rapid rectilinear lens design

Posted on August 18, 2018 by Robert

Toronto.After the announcement of photography early in 1839, there was a flurry of competing lens designs across Europe, each design trying to better the resolution and error correction qualities of the other. In 1866, two Germans, one an immigrant to … Continue reading →

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Empire State View Camera c1910

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Around 1960, I would drive down to Toronto on a Saturday and browse down Yonge Street above and below Wellesley. One one such trip, I discovered and bought an old view camera called an Empire State. It was in … Continue reading →

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sprocket rocket

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. A century ago the panorama print was popular. Cameras like the Cirkut models could turn about the lens nodal point while affixed to a tripod by using gears and a spring wound motor. This format is common place today. … Continue reading →

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brush and comb

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Christmas, 1980 was rapidly approaching with its usual challenges as to suitable gifts. I said to my wife that I had a great suggestion: a 20 inch lens for my Leica. Sure enough that Christmas I was the proud … Continue reading →

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April 17, 1996

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. The late 1980s were a busy time. Film was still king. Personal computers and bulletin boards were all the rage with techies. A telephone call to another country was very expensive. Few had heard of the internet or emails, or … Continue reading →

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