Category Archives: history

exciting to now and future viewers

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Past president Les Jones recently dropped me an email showing this link on Bored Panda titled, “50 Interesting Historical Photos That Might Change Your Perspective On The Past“. The photos are accompanied with a text commentary and date. Take … Continue reading →

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snap shot or tech shot?

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In the early days of transistors, the tiny marvels couldn’t operate very far beyond audio frequencies. In the late 1950s, Philco managed to create a transistor usable at radio freqencies. The SB100 transistor, as it was named, was offered … Continue reading →

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fond memories

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. George Dunbar recently sent me an email regarding this Kodak ad in the April, 1956 issue of Popular Mechanics. It brought back many memories. I used all the films noted at one time or another. As far as I … Continue reading →

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modern day macro photography

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film and film cameras, lenses rarely focussed on subjects closer than a metre. Newer lenses would focus down to a half metre or some times a few inches closer. Macro shots were initially taken with … Continue reading →

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remembering DuPont photo products

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. We all remember Kodak products and most will recall Ansco and Ilford photo products. But do you remember the other products like those made by DuPont – both film and paper? I did a post on Dupont the summer … Continue reading →

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fantastic machine

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. At 90, my good friend George Dunbar still manages to scour the web for interesting photographic items. Recently George discovered a preview of the Swedish/Danish film  called “fantastic machine” on the Strand Releasing site. George writes, ‘”Fantastic Machine” from … Continue reading →

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a rare wet plate camera in good condition

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In June of 1998 this rare wet plate camera (sans lens) resided with member Bill Kantymir. Bill Belier in his “treasure” column traces it from its manufacture in England to an Ontario collection with stops a long the way … Continue reading →

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a treasure from my collection

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. At some point when the late Bill Belier became editor of Photographic Canadian, he started this column. In issue 30-3 dated November/December 2004, under editor the late Bob Lansdale, Bill has written, “A Short Survey of Some Earlier Medium … Continue reading →

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carbon without the tax

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Robert

Toronto.  Image collectors browsing the fairs and shows noticed many mid to late 1800s carded photos were faded and had poor contrast while the odd one was bright and crisp, seemingly printed just recently, belying its century plus age. Our … Continue reading →

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room with a view

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of Daguerreotype portraits, photographers opened studios illuminated by daylight. Given the slowness of the media and equipment of the day, many studios chose northern lighting. Sunlight from the north had softer shadows and a more pleasing … Continue reading →

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