Category Archives: history

things go better …

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. … with Coke, or so they say. In 1964 Coke used a B&W copy of this advertisement to inform the general public that both Coke and Coca-Cola are the trademarks of the same big company. A camera signified just … Continue reading →

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it’s in the cards

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Over a century ago, before movies, radio, television, computers, and smart phones, a key source of education and entertainment was the stereo card.  These slightly curved bits of cardboard held two photos (usually taken at slightly different angles, although … Continue reading →

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up close and personal

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. I took this shot in October 2014 with a century old Zeiss licensed, Krauss made Tessar 35mm f/3.5 at f/22 after looking at the soil sample under a Leitz stereo microscope using 12.5x, 50x, and 100x magnification. The Tessar … Continue reading →

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if only it was this easy …

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Robert

Toronto.By 1964, a new kind of exposure meter finally made it possible to record low light settings. The CdS or Cadmium Sulfide cell resistance varied with the amount of light it was exposed to. A battery with a stable voltage … Continue reading →

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the way we were …

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. A popular camera chain, Henry’s, began here in Toronto over a century ago. This May, the chain announced it would be closing a number of stores as it restructured. Then Henry’s head, Andy Stein, spoke with us back in … Continue reading →

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gizmos and gadgets

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Robert

Toronto, In the 1960s, camera makers fought to gain market share. A fresh idea might be swept up by the competition – or left to linger and die an orphan. Ricoh cameras were made by Riken Optical in Japan. According … Continue reading →

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Rokkin’ lenses

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. By 1963, the Japanese Optical industry was a tsunami roaring across the Western world. No longer viewed as copy cats of German technology, Japan was rightfully recognized as a serious contender for high quality optical products. A December 6, … Continue reading →

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we usually eat our peppers …

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Edward Weston (1886 – 1958) was a famous American photographer. in 1973 I bought a coffee table sized book celebrating 50 years of his work including a biography written by Ben Maddow and published by Aperture Books. The 285 page … Continue reading →

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if you can read …

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. … you can learn! Or so the American “Famous”schools touted last century.  Famous Artists School and Famous Writers School operated by correspondence on the premise that reading could make you an artist or writer.  In the same spirit, Famous … Continue reading →

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bakelite beauties

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Leo Baekeland was born in 1863 in the Belgian city of Ghent. As a professor of physics and chemistry, he and his wife visited American universities in 1889 and he joined the photographic firm of E and H T … Continue reading →

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