variations on a theme

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Robert

Article on a French camera that takes nine shot on one plate or piece of film

Toronto. In the early 1900s, Butcher in London, England sold a “Royal Mail Camera” that used multiple lenses to create as many as 15 postage stamp size images on one small  plate.

The July, 1934 issue of Popular Mechanics has an article about a French camera which is like Butcher’s but with a twist. Nine different photographs can be taken on one plate or film. The single lens is moved to each of nine spots and used. Unused spots are covered so the shutter exposes only through the lens.  Have read …

Once again, we must thank our intrepid researcher, George Dunbar, for sharing his delicious find with us.

 

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stills from movies

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Robert

A 1929 enlarger to print stills from movie frames

Toronto. A few years ago, at our PHSC monthly meetings (when we met in person – ie pre-COVID) my good friend Ed Warner took videos of each presentation and could easily snap stills without affecting the digital video he was creating.

This article, however, describes a time when special cameras recorded movies on film, After processing and reversing  them, a film projector showed the tiny transparencies enlarged a 100 fold or more to be seen in a darkened room full of people.

Years before the iconic Leica sparked the minicam revolution and enlarging switched from optional to mandatory, Bell and Howell offered a gadget that would enlarge and print any frame from a movie – running on a B&H projector of course.

This article in the April, 1929 edition of American Cinematographer describes the B&H gadget in some detail. Thanks are owing to my good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for sending me this article which he found as he pursued magazines for ads and articles about (now) historic photographica.

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do you remember these two characters?

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Robert

A famous duo that made movies into the 1950s. Shown here in 1929

Toronto. Movies used lots of stills taken by various professional photographers. In the fall of 1929, a photograph of Stan and Ollie graced the cover of the magazine, “American Cinematographer”.

Taken months before the fall and published just before the market crash that ushered in the world’s greatest depression.  This sorry state of the world wide economy lasted until ww2 activated our North American economy. In North America, the post war boom continued throughout my youth outlasting even the antics of Stan and Ollie.

My thanks to my good friend and fellow photo enthusiast, George Dunbar, for sharing this find and bringing back memories of a by-gone era known colloquially as the “dirty thirties”, a hot bed for many famous photographers and photographs, especially in America.

 

 

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greasing the game

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Robert

one of the photos under the hammer – Greece by Henri Cartier-Bresson

Toronto. Our friends at the Daguerreian Society are hosting an on line fair on the 14th and 15th of this month. Here is another chance to augment your collection.

Daguerreian Society members can see the lot items before the auction.

 

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bridging the gap

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Robert

Capilano Suspension Bridge in BC – Vintage Photograph

Toronto.  The site, , shows these photos of the Capilano Suspension Bridge around 1900. The site heading says, “These vintage photographs capture people crossing the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, 1890-1910”. 

These photographs are both vintage and Canadian in content. Take a look at the site. Perhaps you can find other photographs that show your homeland too!

We owe George Dunbar a debt of gratitude for sharing his discovery on this site with us. Thanks, George, from the bottom of our heart!

 

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checking shutter sync a half century plus ago

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Robert

getting things in sync …

Toronto. In the dying days of WW2, an article was printed in Popular Mechanics showing an impromptu way to ‘test’ a shutter – flash synchronization. The February, 1945 issue suggests photographing a flash bulb with caution and slow film to check the shutter sync for a particular camera/shutter/lens combination…

A clever idea by the look of it. The aricle surfaced through the diligent searches of my good friend, George Dunbar. George generously shared the article with me to pass it along. George and I were both kids back in 1945, but years later shutter (and lens)  testing was a big deal for serious amateurs. Testing the accuracy of my Exakta shutter brought to light its potential failure.

One of the brass shutter stops was almost cut off. Ironically, when I visited a friend back home (another George) who also had an Exakta of the same vintage, I learnt his shutter had actually failed and had had to be repaired by him as the ribbon on one curtain was broken in two.

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keeping an eye out

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Robert

October 1925 ad for Eyemo movie cameras by Bell & Howell

Toronto. Ahhh! The roaring twenties. What a great time to be alive (according to the movies). Radio was invented a few years earlier, automobiles had been around for a couple of decades, aircraft were experimental, movies were silent, TV not around (thank god!), and practical photography was nearly 90 years old.

All photography at the time was film based and used sensitive material needing a tripod (especially at night and indoors) for the what is now excruciatingly slow media (about ISO 100 tops).

In 1925, Bell & Howell promoted their new line of Eyemo Movie cameras with ads like this one in the October issue of American Cinematographer magazine.

I am indebted to my good friend and fellow photographic enthusiast, George Dunbar, for unearthing and sharing this bit of history about cameras made so long ago.

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sky high amusement 1930s style

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Robert

passengers while away the time when flying high above the ocean

Toronto. This pictorial courtesy of the Illustrated London News in 1930 shows the inside of a transcontinental aircraft – very cramped unlike today’s wide bodied aircraft – and the use of an amateur projector to show movies while flying over the Atlantic. In this photo, a curtain obscures all but a slice of the bottom of the screen.

In the 1930s, one had to be rather wealthy to fly, not like today where the aircraft are more in line with bus service.

My thanks to our good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for suggesting this photo and the history it displays to passengers of aircraft.

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swan song – PHSC News newsletter for April 2022

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Robert

something’s wrong with this picture …

Toronto. The Canon EOS 7D L shown here is from the right top of page 1 in this month’s PHSC News newsletter. What is odd, is that like the Exakta, this camera is for the 15% who are left handed!

Guess what? It’s April, 2022 already. We are anxiously waiting for COVID and all its baggage to disappear.

On a somber note, our editor, Sonja Pushchak, signed off with this issue. We wish her all the best in the coming months and years. Her sharp wit and talented way with words will be missed by most of us. She and her team have produced this great  issue of PHSC News for you.  PHSC News (21-10) has the usual bunch of articles – short, crisp, and ripe for argument. Take a few moments and read them and feel inspired (or somewhat irritated) once again. This issue is slightly abbreviated at eight pages.

ENDNOTE on page 1 is Ms Pushchak’s last write-up. Page 2 in “PHSC PRESENTS (LIVE)” is the poster for our auction in early May. Page 3,  under PHOTOBOOK 101, suggests “Slightly More Truthful Books on Photography“ with different words implied on the front cover of four popular books. STRONG WOMEN  on page 4, in, “A Slicker Picker-Upper and the Mother of the Striptease” reviews the collection of photos featuring female weight lifters.

In David’s EQUIPMENT REVIEW on page 5 (with upbeat and cheeky wording) shows how old SCSI negative scanners can be reused with free drivers (thanks to the likes of VueScan). John Morden’s trio of WEB LINKS on page 6 are all worth a visit  (the links are live, no need to ‘cut and paste’).

Page 7 is our poster for the special late April speaker event via ZOOM. The seminar, in collaboration with ESHPh and Dr Hanin Hannouch, is on three colour photography c1900. Sadly, our friends Ivy & Izzy, have disappeared with Sonja. We wrap up this issue on page 8 with John’s compilation of shows, want ads, books, and exhibitions of interest to collectors & photographers everywhere.

P.S. As usual, every link shown in the newsletter is a hot link just waiting for your click!

P.P.S. You can visit this issue by clicking here, or by g0ing to the menu item NEWSLETTER at the top of the page. There is a drop down menu that takes you to older issues dating back a couple of decades to the very beginning.

Note: The ‘swan song’ in the title also refers to the late Donald Swann who wrote the music for all ‘Flanders and Swann’ performances and recordings (At the Drop of a Hat). Here is a sample – the Hippopotamus Song.

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spring auction May 7, 2022

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Robert

Spring and our estate auction is here!

Toronto.  Spring is in the air and we are holding our FIRST INDOOR AUCTION since COVID raised its ugly head! Remember, its a SURE sign of spring when we host our (PHSC) spring auction! This year we will be holding it on SATURDAY, May 7, 2022 down in the Long Branch area of Toronto at the usual venue – free parking and free admission.

This Estate Auction will be simply terrific – rare items and  user items for both film and digital folk – photographs, cameras, lenses, accessories, books, and more. Come out and enjoy this event while adding to your collection or user gear! Click on the icon at left for details and directions.

Everybody is welcome. Sorry, no consignment lots at the door.  All lots are ESTATE Lots – really good items, many very rare. First come first serve.

Our first, second, and third sample lot photos (190+ items) are shown below. This completes the slide show. We owe a big thanks to Clint for photographing this incredible series of examples. Click on the photo below, then on the beautiful APO SIGMA ZOOM lens, and then on any lot icon to see it larger. Your left/right arrows will work to move from one enlarged photo to another. Enjoy!

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