Category Archives: history

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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holy mouse-traps, Batman!

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Sitting comfortably on vacation on the shores of Lake Como, Henry painted the lush Italian landscape. 1834 was a wonderful year. As he idly dreamed, he thought about ways to capture the scene without recourse to his brushes. Back … Continue reading →

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have camera, will travel

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. The dirty ’30s! What a terrible time. What a wonderful time. Itinerant photographers, known since the beginning of the art, roamed the streets searching for a buck. Many had just a camera plus a pony and assistant for a … Continue reading →

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village people

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Ever hear of the Chautauqua movement? I didn’t either! It was an American organization that expanded into Ontario at Niagara-on-the-Lake. George Dunbar wrote, “A friend sent me this link to the history of Chautauqua, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Some interesting old photographs here. To … Continue reading →

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