Category Archives: history

something else we no longer need …

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Photographs taken with any metal/glass/film based positive process have to be retaken or duplicated to make an added copies. Those of us who embraced the digital era have no need for such things – the digital process creates a … Continue reading →

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through the wet-plate camera

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Being a photographer – and a good one – in the mid 1800s took exceptional skill and a fine, artistic eye. Author Lewis Carroll (A.K.A. the reverend Chas. Dodgson) was one such person. In Bruce Downes’s column (Let’s Talk … Continue reading →

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introducing a photographer to minicams in 1938

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. When Leitz announced the Leica mid 1920s, most photographers used larger cameras and rarely needed to enlarge their negatives. In 1926, the German government arranged for Zeiss to form the mighty Zeiss-Ikon conglomerate in Dresden to rationalize the German … Continue reading →

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vive la France!

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. The title of this post is a French patriotic expression. When Charlie De Gaulle visited Quebec in 1967, He used a similar expression on the Montreal City Hall balcony (the slogan of the Quebec independence movement) irritating the hell … Continue reading →

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the buzz on filters

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. We have it so easy today! The digital camera or smart phone sets the white balance; black and white is a ‘special effect’ etc. In the days of film, especially orthochromatic, filters were essential accessories. Dr Hans Clauss and … Continue reading →

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tweet, tweet

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. This camera was ‘for the birds’, or was it?  This advertisement by Direct Products Corp. in NYC appeared on page 125 in the June, 1950 issue of Popular Photography (about the only year the camera was around over here, … Continue reading →

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revisit to an ERA

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Everett Roseborough became our journal editor back in 1987 and continued the task through 1997 when Bob Lansdale took over. Ev passed away at 98 in London, Ontario. Ev was a commercial photographer for many years and had studios at … Continue reading →

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a shot in the dark

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. In Chicago of 1949, execution of notorious, James ‘Mad-Dog’ Morelli, made newspaper head lines because contrary to American law, the man’s execution was captured on film. This was about two decades after a similar incident in New York State’s … Continue reading →

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doing it better (sometimes)

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. On page 31 of the March 1950 edition of Popular Photography, an advertisement touts the Zeiss-Ikon Contax-S camera at whopping price of $475USD with the coated Zeiss Biotar lens. The model S was briefly sold while later models were … Continue reading →

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fine art photos at heritage auction house

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. As we sit out this pandemic and browse around the internet, we may discover a means to augment boredom and complement our image collection. For example, PHSC member Ian Archer discovered this interesting auction of historical photos online. Heritage … Continue reading →

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