hurry up and slow down

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Robert

1946 ad for Kodak High-Speed [Movie] Camera, Type III.

Toronto. Most of you know how slow motion video/movie works, but for the few who do not, the idea is simple. Movies are shown at 24 frames per second, up from the slower frame rate for older films.

Video uess a slightly faster 30 frames per second. Persistence in the human brain is the secret to thinking you see smooth motion. For slow motion, the images are recorded at a faster frame rate and projected at the ‘normal frame rate’.

A November, 1946 advertisement by Kodak in the American Cinematographer announced the use of its high speed camera (High-Speed Camera, Type III) to create slow motion movies of extremely fast events – ‘too fast for the human eye to register’. This camera can take 1,000 to “3,000 pictures[frames] in one second”. This means anything photographed is shown slowed down ‘nearly 200- fold’.

Thanks to my good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for sharing this advertisement with us.

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what ever happened to Pellex Film?

Posted on February 28, 2022 by Robert

Ad for Pellex amateur (16mm) fine grain ‘ortho’ movie film

Toronto. An advertisement in the October, 1933 issue of American Cinematographer by the Pellex  Film Company extolled the virtues of its 16mm fine grain and economy films for “all 16mm cameras”.  The films were B&W orthochromatic media in the days before panchromatic films became popular and two years before Kodachrome (first viable colour film for amateur movie cameras) burst on the scene changing amateur films for ever.

A couple of decades later, a Billboard survey lists Pellex as one of the National companies advertising on TV when major motion pictures were shown on that media. Today (or even when I was a youth) nothing was heard about the Pellex Film Company or their products.  Lost to history as but a foot note?

Thanks again to my good friend and PHSC member, George Dunbar, for sharing this unique find with us from the days when fine grain and “ortho” film were a big deal to the amateur movie maker.

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photographer Cassio Vasconcellos (Brazil)

Posted on February 27, 2022 by Robert

Dryads & Fauns by Cassio Vasconcellos

Toronto. I received an email the other day from Galerie GADcollection in Paris, announcing an exhibition of works by the Brazilian photographer Cassio Vascocellos. Check out this fine gallery and see what they have that will complement your photo collection. Visit on line or in Paris at, Galerie GADCOLLECTION, 4 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004 Paris, France.

The gallery says in part, “Cássio VASCONCELLOS (1965-) is a Brazilian photographer from São Paulo. He studied photography at Imagem-Ação school in São Paulo before starting a photojournalist career. In parallel with reports and advertising orders, he conducts personal work.

“Recognized by both his peers and critics, his photographs explore the themes of travel and displacement. Thus, his series of nocturnal photographs are like intriguing urban strolls, punctuated by multi-colored lighting.

“Cássio VASCONCELLOS also immerses us in the lush vegetation of the Amazon in his series A picturesque voyage through Brazil.

“Displacement can also be illustrated through the modes of locomotion: roads, planes, cars… that Vasconcellos photographs from the sky. Their repetition gives them the appearance of very simple patterns, nested in a logic that goes beyond them.”

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a weighty solution

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Robert

ad for 1933 DeVry movie sound system

Toronto. This advertisement in the May 1933 issue of American Cinematographer touted an amazing sound system by DeVry – less than 150 pounds of camera, film, and sound equipment! All available just five years after the ‘talkies’ burst on the scene.

The digital and smart camera fan of today would boggle at such a weighty solution to talking videos. They can be recorded today with simple hand held devices weighing less than a pound. How times have changed!

The 1933 movie gear was made and sold by DeVry of Chicago, later known for educational films before disappearing into the mists of time. This ad, like so many, is courtesy of my good friend, George Dunbar, who generously shares his finds with us.

 

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wow – home colour movies c 1936

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Robert

ad introducing 8mmm Kodachrome in 1936

Toronto. A June 1936 ad in the American Cinematographer encouraged all amateur movie makers to buy the then revolutionary 8mm Kodachrome. For the wary, Kodak assured them no filters or special cameras or projectors were necessary – Just your regular Kodak 8mm gear.

This remarkable 8mm film was preceded just months earlier by the 16mm versions for daylight, and for tungsten (indoor or incandescent lighting). Kodak carefully avoided mention of the glacially slow speed of this amazing (and it was truly amazing) film. My first venture with 35mm Kodachrome transparencies some two decades later were mixed. The film by then was rated at ASA 10!

Thanks to that eagle-eyed photo historian and good friend, George Dunbar, for sharing this timely find with us. As you know, Kodachrome, so revolutionary in its day, was put to sleep at 75 years of age.

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a name that pre-dates photography

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Robert

1933 ad for the Voigtlander Prominent camera

Toronto. Voigtlander was an optical house in Vienna before the invention of any photographic process. While in Vienna, the Voigtlander firm manufactured the famous Petzval portrait lens designed c1840.

Nearly a century later, this June, 1933 advertisement appeared in the American Cinematographer for an equally famous Voigtlander  trade mark – the Prominent 120 roll film camera.

Once again this historical ad was discovered by my good friend, George Dunbar, in his diligent pursuit of photographic history as recorded in the advertisements and articles of the past century.

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a winter photo fair

Posted on February 23, 2022 by Robert

Arthur Rockery snaps one of the ‘Clinton 12’ and her “brave” companions at the Clinton TN Civil Rights protest c1956

Toronto. The Daguerreian Society is hosting a winter photo fair online this February 26 and 27 – free to all (members can get in a day earlier on the 25th).

Here is a great way to augment your collection  – historic or semi modern. Drop in and check it out. Who knows, you may just find a print you must have!

While I have chosen a relatively modern print here, much older dagerreotypes, cabinet cards, etc will also be offered.

The society mailing list says in part, “The Daguerreian Society’s Winter Photography Fair will open its virtual doors to the public starting next Saturday, February 26th at noon ET. Admission will be free!

“This online-only event will include a wide range of 19th- and 20th-century photography and phot0graphy-related items from dozens of top galleries and private dealers. See below for a sneak peak at more of the items that will be for sale.”

 

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dance with me, Henry

Posted on February 22, 2022 by Robert

run, run, run – caught by electronic flash over 80 years ago

Toronto. By 1940, newspapers and newshounds alike were busy trying to find new cheery ideas as WW2 rumbled on with its sorrowful gloom and destruction.

Electronic flash suggested not only enough light for the slow film media of the day, but a way to have “shutter” speeds far faster than the physical shutter could possibly do. A new way to show how bright things were in spite of the war.

An example is this clever electronic flash news photo from the May 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics. The trio of track runners are frozen in time with every grimace and step captured forever! This amazing shot was taken at 30x the physical speed of the shutter – (even faster than that if it was a focal plane shutter)!

A big nod to good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for sending me this historic article in Popular Mechanics – ‘permanently’ captured via digital technology of today.

Note: this post name was inspired by the old Georgia Gibbs song of the same name from back when I was a teen-ager.

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eye of the beholder

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Robert

Ad for the 1936 model Foth Flex

Toronto. In the May, 1936 issue of American Cinematographer, the Home Camera Co. in NYC advertised the Foth Flex TLR camera. To the innocent eye, the camera seems to be made by the “Home Camera Co.” Since you could buy it from your dealer or Home Camera.

In fact, Home Camera Co. was an importer and distributor of the Foth Flex. The camera was manufactured by C. F. Foth and Co., Berlin, Germany.  Kind of a bad choice in 1936 since Foth also sold to Japan and both Japan and Germany were at war with most of Europe and the British Commonwealth in late 1939 and with America about two years later.

My thanks to good friend and retired photographer, George Dunbar, for sharing this advertisement with us.

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fade to black

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Robert

1940 article on a Polaroid fader for 8/16mm movie cameras

Toronto. Professional movies shot on 35mm film or larger used a variety of techniques to switch the film – and audience – from one scene to the next. In one method, the scene ending was slowly faded out while the scene beginning was slowly faded fully open.

A May 1940 filler article  in Popular Mechanics announced a Polaroid accessory for any amateur  8/16mm movie lens to create fades. As many people know, placing two Polaroid filters together and rotating one will vary light throughput from zero (dark) to maximum brightness (light). A clever fader design that works for both B&W film and colour film.

My thanks to a good friend and fellow photographic historian, George Dunbar, for sharing this tasty little article with us. I have a number of Polaroid filters to dampen reflections but no dual filter faders.

The title of this post is a popular song title. I chose Mark Knopfler and the Dire Straits rendition of, “Fade to Black” since I like them and have this CD. Even if you don’t especially care for the band, the black and white images and the use of the fade are worth watching!

 

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