Ensign Silver Midget (Model S/55) 1935; Kodak 828 or 35mm roll film – courtesy of Bob Bolton
Toronto. Those of us who know only digital photography, likely never used film. For our 25th Anniversary, editor Lansdale prodded exchange member editors to offer one article each for our anniversary edition of Photographic Canadiana.
The boys from ‘Down Under’ came up with this reprint from their Newsletter. It is titled “FILM FORMATS – a retrospective (1930 – 1960)” authored by Bob Guiffre with photos by Bob Bolton. The 828 film noted at left was 35mm film without the sprocket holes and protected by a paper roll.
Mr Guiffre begins his article, “The Leica was the first camera made to accept 35mm film in the format originally decided by Oskar Barnack in 1913, the double ‘Academy’ cine frame of 24x36mm.
“There had been cameras like the Tourist Multiple of 1912 –an expensive camera taking up to 500 frames of the 18x24mm format. Three versions of the Barnack camera, the original now known as the “UR Leica”, were made; this first one is preserved at the Leitz Museum and is possibly the most valuable camera in existence.
“After World War I (1914-18) Ernst Leitz senior, the chief of Ernst Leitz Wetzlar which up until that time had made microscopes [and a few other optical devices], decided in the early twenties that “Barnack’s camera will be made”.
“It was probably the most significant decision in photography’s history, and in 1923 a pilot series of cameras were made to test the market – numbers 100 to 130, the ‘Null’ or ‘0’ series. A number of these thirty-one cameras are still in existance.
“This facet of photography’s history is already well documented but it is a milestone and the key to the most important format in modern photography and should be reiterated.
“In 1925 at the Leipzig Fair, Leitz introduced the Leica camera – the Leica I with 50mm f:3.5 anastigmat lens.
“The rest is history…” …
Members can read the rest of Mr Guiffre’s article and see the photos in the issue 25-3 pdf on the free members-only DVD/Memory Stick. See MEMBERSHIP above or Membership at right to join. If you have any member related questions, drop Lilianne a note at member@phsc.ca.
Some camera collectors also collect various films and film containers. While both 2025 and our 2025 Events are nearly over, next month’s Estate Auction may have films and containers offered along with various cameras, lenses, books, etc.
Closer to the Auction date (November 9), we will pin a poster on this site and show photos of the various lots as we have done in the past.
