Author Archives: Robert

did ja ever …

Posted on January 30, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … see any of deez? When photography began some enterprising folk opened studios to make and sell a ‘likeness’. People wore their Sunday best clothes and flocked to the local studio for a family portrait which was pricy but … Continue reading →

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studio daze

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. When it took some skill to capture an image for a special event, many folk chose to visit a studio. This image was shot in just such a studio in Southern England around 1917 – over a century ago. … Continue reading →

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mon dieu! une autre Sept!

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Like the Ansco Memo, the French camera called the Sept, uses 35mm cine film. A 1920’s camera, it is spring-wound and uses a 5m length of cine film in a unique cartridge. Originally an Italian design, it was made … Continue reading →

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one grand

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. A few days ago, Wendy Elliott wrote the article “Continuing the health-care work“. Her article is on Saltwire in the Opinion section of its Atlantic Canada file. To read the article you will need to sign in with your … Continue reading →

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up, up, and away

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. After minicams became common, time and effort was spent to create developers that would reduce film grain and provided finer detail so negatives could be enlarged more without resulting in so called ’empty magnification’. A similar situation in digital … Continue reading →

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pushing all buttons

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. The invention of the dry plate in 1871 opened the door to sub-second exposures in sunlight through a normal photographic lens. And with sub-second performance came a need for shutters. And with shutters came a need for shutter buttons. … Continue reading →

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cute as a button

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Professionals in the 19th and early 20th century chose a camera size such that the final print was a contact print, and generally not an enlargement from the negative.  As movies grew in popularity, some manufacturers realized that a … Continue reading →

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Lazarus

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. The famous little Leica and 35mm film have a long and storied history. The evolution of the current Leica Camera group from the old E Leitz organization is nicely covered by Dennis Laney in his 1992 “Leica Collectors Guide“. … Continue reading →

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mr roboto

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. After the 1807s when the faster ‘off the shelf’ dry plates became available, camera makers looked at ways to speed up the photograph taking process. It became evident that the way to speed things up was to find a … Continue reading →

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will that be cash or …

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … ChargeX (later VISA)! The digital era in photography brought many things – both good and bad. For much of the glass plate/silver plate/film era, cameras were all mechanical and relatively easy for an experienced camera repairman to clean … Continue reading →

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