3D anyone?

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Robert

A June, 1939 article on making 3D photos with a regular 35mm camera

Toronto. An article in the June, 1939 issue of Popular Mechanics shows a clever device for shooting live 3D with a normal 35mm camera. A mirror device affixed to the lens takes two images in a single frame – one for each eye. A special 1/2 frame  viewer allows the shutter bug to frame his/her shot.

Inexpensive gadgets used two mirrors and a solid septum. A more expensive idea used front silvered mirrors (prone to damage from over-enthusiastic cleaning). High end makers like Leitz used a prism instead of two mirrors to protect the reflecting surfaces and eliminate any ghost images.

Not mentioned is that the gadgets all made shots as if the camera was turned 90 degrees – ie portrait not landscape. Nevertheless, the gizmos worked great – I have a Leitz STEREOLY prism, arm, and viewer which was made in the 1930s. The few shots I made with it in both B&W and colour came out in beautiful 3D. My setup was intended for an earlier screw mount Leica, but worked fine on a IIIf.

A thank you to my good friend and fellow camera historian, George Dunbar, for taking the time to share this little article with us from the days when 3D was in vogue.

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watcha doin’?

Posted on July 20, 2022 by Robert

a couple of pocket watches on auction August 9, 2022

Toronto. You may wonder why we are posting information on an  auction of, “Clocks, Watches & Scientific Instruments” by an outside auction house (Bonhams). Well it may surprise many of you but some PHSC members collect more than cameras and images. Over the years, I have known members who also collected telephones, radios, watches, clocks, tools, microscopes, etc and were often very skilled and knowledgeable about the contents of these collections (and even how to repair these unusual items).

So for those few, here is the latest catalogue from Bonhams-Skinner  for their “Live Auction August 9 | 10AM | Marlborough” which if you can’t quite place it, is a bit west of Boston down in Massachusetts.

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head west, young collector

Posted on July 19, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Our good friend Tonchi Martinic out on the lower mainland in BC sent me a message the other day about the Vancouver Camera Show on September 25th this year.

Tonchi writes, “Hi Bob and club members,

“I apologize for not writing you earlier. Our last camera show was on April 10th of this year. We expanded the size of our show, moving to a bigger room with more tables. I am happy to see our show gain more recognition. We had 5 new vendors from the States (California, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, and Maryland). I am also thrilled to see that the majority of attendees are younger people.

“I’ve noticed that many of those who are new to the hobby are understandably more familiar and interested in name brands and flashy high-speed lenses. I would like to encourage those people to expand their knowledge on cameras and photography in general. I think that our show is a wonderful opportunity not only to buy but to learn and gain new experiences.

“Our vendors are knowledgeable and passionate people who would be happy to share their knowledge with others. We’ve booked our next show for September 25th, 2022.

“Till next time my best regards.”

Since the poster below is a jpg, the links are not live. You can contact Tonchi at this live link dalmatia@shaw.ca. What a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Vancouver in the fall and add to your collection!

Vancouver Camera Show this fall

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who needs bells and whistles?

Posted on July 18, 2022 by Robert

1939 ad for a $15 UniveX movie camera

Toronto. 1939 – what a year! The great depression of the dirty ’30s was a decade old and rapidly becoming part of the landscape. One of the worst wars ever (WW2) was about to erupt in Europe inspite of Hitler’s platitudes and the optimism of others.

Universal Camera Corp (UniveX) of the Big Apple, like many Kodak wannabe’s in America was busy flogging its special fifteen dollar home movie camera that used 69 cent film and had, “sensational high-priced features“.

This particular ad from the April 1939 issue of  Popular Mechanics shows a UniveX movie camera with a “faster f/4.5 lens” and a “built-in view-finder“. It was touted as having, “the simplicity of operation – the dependable performance – the thrilling life-like results you’d expect only from high-priced cameras“. While $15 dollars looks dirt cheap today, in 1939 it was easily a week’s wage for those in the target audience.

According to the ad the camera was as easy to use as taking snapshots – and cheaper!

A big thank you goes to my good friend George Dunbar for findings and sharing this advertisement with us. While we mostly collect still cameras and images in the PHSC, everyone seems to have an odd 8mm or 16mm movie camera in their collection too.

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where the girls are

Posted on July 17, 2022 by Robert

Hannah Maynard’s studio in Victoria, 1888.

Toronto. Many photographers over the years were female, in spite of the majority being male. Some members have researched the history of women in photography, and occasionally given a presentation on the topic. Any discussion of women in photography brings to mind PHSC member Laura Jones who established the Baldwin Street gallery many years ago.

George Dunbar writes, “The latest issue of Canada’s History magazine (Aug/Sept, 2022) features the works of some of Canada’s earliest women photographers. Included are Alvira Lockwood, Mrs. Chauncey Miller, Elise L’Heureux Livernois and Hannah Maynard. Some great insights here for PHSC members.”

I can recall only Hannah Maynard, who was in business in BC with her husband and was the subject of a Photographic Canadiana article, and Elise L’Heureux Livernois of Quebec. I have a Livernois cabinet card and came across Elise while searching out information on the famous Quebec studio.

Thanks to my good friend for sharing this find with us.

Note: The title of this post is a riff on a song by Connie Francis called,”Where the Boys Are“. The song is from a movie of the same name, based on a book also of the same name.

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#28 – A Corner Gas Rerun

Posted on July 16, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Amazing! Our twenty-eighth  executive meeting via ZOOM was the first  Wednesday evening in July – the 6th. And as the song says, “… nothin’ much going’ on …”. Of course behind the scenes there is a lot going on. Next meeting is September 7, 2022 and most likely via ZOOM too unless otherwise noted.

Our TRUNK SALE is today, JULY 16th. The fall fair is at the Trident centre on October 1st this year.  Our speaker program will start up again in September as will our executive meetings and newsletters.

Have a great summer everyone and lets hope the seventh wave of COVID-19 and the restrictions it may bring are very modest at best.

Clint and a small group meet for the July Executive meeting – next meeting will be September 7, 2022

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seeing double

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Robert

print viewer offered in the June Port Colborne auction

Toronto. “It’s deja vu all over again“, as Yogi Berra was thought to have said. This wonderful old tabletop viewer (stereo, I believe) was offered at the recent auction down in Port Colborne – our first auction outside Toronto and our first two-day auction.

In January of 1992 at a monthly Toronto meeting, the late Bob Wilson brought along his Taxiphote. The story of his Taxiphote and one displayed by our January, 1992 speaker, Peg Forbes, was written up in the next issue of Photographic Canadiana,  Volume 17-5. I have attached a copy of that issue in pdf format for your entertainment and enlightenment.

Our ancestors made and sold many remarkable photography related things to entertain and amaze one and all. As a matter of interest, Bob Wilson and Stan White formed the nucleus of a stereo group within our society. Stan went to great lengths to collect and donate our stereo collection (CSC or Canadian Stereo Collection) first to Sheridan College and years later to the AGO before it was ‘decollected’.

Perhaps the CSC will become of interest once again when the inevitable peaking of interest in ‘3D’ resurfaces.

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far out, man!

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Robert

star forming region of Carina Nircam courtesy of NASA (and CSA and ESA)

Toronto. Shades of Cheech and Chong! NASA has posted the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope shot up in space. The name of the Space Telescope remains controversial.  It was carried by a space vehicle shot up in space in December, 2021. The pictures were taken by the telescope now 1 million miles above the earth!

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) The Canadian agency is located in St Hubert, QC, just south of Montreal.

Once again we can see the tremendous impact photography has, not only on earth, but in the far reaches of space. Photography has many uses today in helping mankind to understand its role in the universe. Browse the photos on the above links and you too will be amazed at the way our art helps everyone better understand our world and the great universe!

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street walker

Posted on July 13, 2022 by Robert

snapping a strolling couple, 1934 style

Toronto. Not that kind! Some cities have a street photographer who snaps folks walking the streets just like him/her. For example, Vancouver had its Foncie – his fame spred well beyond Vancouver.

This November, 1934 article from Popular Mechanics tells how some photographers use a shoulder held movie camera to get a trio of fast shots.

Like most street photographers, the subject is given a card to retrieve the photos (card plus coin).  A good percentage of cards were submitted for photos last century when photography took special talent.  The card identified the correct prints (hopefully) while the coin paid for the prints and postage (in the days when stamps were inexpensive).

My thanks to good friend and photo history bug, George Dunbar,  for sharing this odd article about ways a movie camera can take photos of people as they stroll along the city streets.

 

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smartphone, anyone?

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Robert

Pictures by Phone back then

Toronto. This November, 1934 article from Popular Mechanics brought back memories. Mid last century, the telephone was still voice-only in spite of this article decades earlier. As a young employee of “Ma Bell’, I remember Bell Labs in New Jersey tinkering with a gadget to send tiny B&W images over the telephone line to another person with similar gear.

Today, such conversations are common place – but not via the lowly ‘land line’ telephone. Computers, be they desktop, laptop, or smartphone, routinely allow conversations and videos between people. The old telephone? Nah, still just voice (although clearer than in yesteryear).

Today, we can even hold conferences and online teaching with people viewing people and notes or photos – all by the above media. My thanks to good friend, George Dunbar, for suggesting this article and the memories it brought back of the days when we felt (well, me anyway) that the Bell System would produce the ‘video phone’. We had no idea of the bandwidth we would need for such a venture to become reality. At the time, a quality telephone line ran about 100 cycles to 5,000 cycles – not even close to the bandwidth necessary for colour video.

To multiply the number of calls that a line could carry, we used ‘carrier systems’. For example the ‘N carrier’ offered 12 lines at a heavy penalty. Repeater stations had to be located every seven miles or so with every third station large enough to house huge Ni Cad batteries to power the repeaters at the station and either side of it.

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