Category Archives: history

transparent history

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. We think of history as the distant past. Not necessarily so. Slides, or colour transparencies taken by amateurs can sometimes be an historic record beyond the intended audience of the immediate family. The slide here shows a hilly street … Continue reading →

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high resolution

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. One thing a daguerreotype had going for it from the ‘get go’ was resolution. The terribly slow process was (depending on lens quality, plate, focussing, movement, etc.) always capable of very high resolution. Even today,  the existing mid 1850s … Continue reading →

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made to measure

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film, darkroom work was all wet and gooey either in full darkness or with dim reddish or brownish illumination. Strange powders were measured out and added to water and mixed to create magical solutions. Some … Continue reading →

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something’ to chew on …

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the late 1950s, I bought a Minox IIIs, tank, enlarger, etc. After the camera  was lost in the mail, I bought a new Minox IIIB. The IIIs and older cameras were about the size of a package of … Continue reading →

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fishing’ for fotos

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Okay, not all of you collect photos and only a few of you who do can pay a business like PhotoCentral for them. At left is just small example of the photographs they offer. In this case, it is … Continue reading →

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back to the future

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. As we have said many times, archives and libraries are a great source of photographs depicting local history. A few photo enthusiasts take an old street scene and re-photograph it today from about the same location and with a … Continue reading →

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… and the ugly

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. George Dunbar sent me a brief note the other day along with the image shown at left. George noted, “Occasionally, the browsing of a photo-archive will produce an eye-stopper based solely on the very poor condition of the preserved image”. … Continue reading →

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the why and wherefore

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Hands down, Leitz had a winner on its hands when they launched the Leica M series with the flagship M3 model in 1954.  The M series covered the issues professionals had with the screw mount Leicas. Design of the … Continue reading →

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Swifties

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. As a youth, I had a neighbour who had a collection of the old Tom Swift books (original series) which he offered to let me read. I was only allowed one book at a time and had to return … Continue reading →

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transition

Posted on June 18, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Digital photographers – pro or amateur – use a camera with a digital sensor to capture images and a computer to save, adjust (develop), and print the images. In ‘film’ days, a ‘film’ camera used metal plates, glass plates, … Continue reading →

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