the gang’s all here

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Robert

Family Photos

Toronto. When Kodak invented their first camera and began marketing it in 1888, for the first time amateurs could take snaps on a roll film and send them elsewhere for processing. In this case sending the exposed film still in the camera and the camera back to Kodak where the roll of film was replaced, the previous roll developed and printed, and prints and camera returned.

By making picture taking easier, the audience for photographic products was expanded and the snapshot phenomenon took hold. Brian Coe wrote a book called “The Snapshot Photograph – The rise of popular photography 1888-1939”. Over time the snaps became more than just a recording of family events and history, but a means to illustrate the evolution of technology, fashion, and even humanity. Today, Facebook considers the most commonly used camera of all is that in the ubiquitous smart phone.

This photograph, thanks to a note from my good friend George Dunbar, is from a 2012 article on the Canada’s History website by Paul Jones titled, “Roots: Understanding Family Photos“. Click on the article link and read what Mr Jones has to say about the family snapshot.

The title of this post is from a 1940s movie of the same name.

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on the gang’s all here

All About Enlargers – Part A

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Robert

All About Enlargers – Part A

Toronto. What do you do when a photograph negative is too small? Enlarge it! You may be surprised to learn that enlarging apparatus came along well before the minicam revolution of the 1930s. In this special members-only supplement (vol 1-6) Part A shows the various devices available to enlarge the existing sensitive materials.

Vol 1-6 was sent out last Friday afternoon to all current members with an email address. If you did NOT get a copy, please email me at info@phsc.ca and I will send you a copy after verification of your membership. Not YET a member? well, for heaven’s sake! Grab your plastic and register via PayPal on the upper right of this page!

Stated in the supplement, “The advertisements and illustrations in this supplement originally appeared in the The Photographist numbers 109 and 110, the journal of the Western Photographic Collectors Association (WPCA) in 1996. The WPCA was affiliated with the University of California Museum of Photography and stopped publishing circa 1996, going into dissolution in 2001. For the story of the history of the WPCA, see the article in Special Supplement Vol. 1 No. 1.

“In an effort to make this material available to collectors, historians and those interested in the history of photography, this content was digitized by the Photographic Historical Society of Canada (PHSC) and Milan Zahorcak from the U.S. in 2019 and 2020 for distribution to PHSC members as a seven part series. The first instalments were about magic lanterns, posing chairs, flash lamps and the last will finish a two-part presentation on early enlargers. If you have any questions or would like higher resolution scans of any of the images, please contact the PHSC at info@phsc.ca.”

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on All About Enlargers – Part A

THINK … small

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Robert

micro-ipso without the cable release or 10x eye piece

Toronto. Decades ago, people said that to get ahead, one had to think big! IBM even had a catch phrase – THINK. Years later when I worked in  a data centre,  IBM folk could get these IBM signs in capital white sans-serif letters on a blue background.

One of the earliest applications of photography was in the scientific laboratory. Scientists used the art to capture the powerfully magnified images they saw in the eye piece of the microscope. Jabez Hogg who wrote a massive primer on microscopy (15 editions from about 1850 – 1900) eulogized its virtues – until he learned a fee was charged to use daguerreotype technology in England (Daguerreotypes had the best resolution available at the time).

Later, microscope makers sold small field cameras and supports to record these amazing highly magnified images. Decades later when minicams became popular, camera makers made accessories to connect their products to microscopes. Leitz brought out a line of accessories called “micro-ipso”. This series of adaptors used a funnel-shaped tube to adjust the camera type and distance. A leaf shutter was included to avoid the motion effect of focal plane shutters on highly magnified images. A tiny telescope ensured both camera and microscope were in sharp focus simultaneously. A double cable release moved the focussing prism out of the way before the shutter operated.

The adaptors connected still and small movie cameras to a microscope. Leitz included a 10X periplan (flat field) eye piece to fit the microscope. Nowadays video cameras and monitors replace all this gadgetry. Scientists and audiences can view the monitor and focus, move, or even change the 1×3 inch glass slides holding thin layers or complete specimens.

 

 

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on THINK … small

niner, niner, this is ZOOM

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. We held our nineth COVID-19 inspired exec meeting via ZOOM (This is beginning to feel like normal). Thank you Celio for arranging the meeting once again. Key changes are shown below. Toronto is in RED (Lockdown) at present as we see the second wave of COVID-19. ALL live events are cancelled at least until 2021. Our monthly meeting venue (North York Memorial Hall) is closed to events by the city until at least December 31, 2020. We now hope to do meetings beginning December 16 via video. Stayed tuned.

PHSC News goes out shortly for December. Sign up at news@phsc.ca for a free pdf copy. Members get specials plus the journal via pdf. Contact me if you are a member and HAVE NOT seen the pdfs. Some members have unsubscribed to MailChimp; some emails are invalid; and others have no email on file with the society. Any questions? Just drop me a note at info@phsc.ca

Posted in activities | Comments Off on niner, niner, this is ZOOM

and who might you be?

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Robert

Who is She?

Toronto, … asked my wife’s 90+ year old aunt many years ago.  The image at left was recently developed. It was from an exposed roll of film (from a bulk roll) exposed in the 1930s Leica IIIa. The film was in a Leitz brass cassette that was likely purchased some years ago, possibly with the IIIa.

As the BBC recently stated, “Camera collector William Fagan obtained a number of film cassettes some years ago, when he bought a Leica IIIa.” Assuming the photo was taken in Europe before WW2, the lady would be over 100 years old today. Perhaps she became a mother and grandmother, then her children or grandchildren may recognize her.

Visit the BBC site for the story and more photos of the trip to Switzerland and Italy. Let us know at info@phsc.ca if you do recognize the photo – no reward, just the satisfaction of helping solve a mystery.

My thanks to two friends and PHSC members – George Dunbar and Russ Forfar. They both took the time to alert me about this story.

 

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on and who might you be?

amping it up

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Robert

1930 article on an Ampro projector

Toronto. When I was a school kid in grades 7 and 8 a few years after WW2, I was also an occasional  projectionist for junior classes. We showed 16mm educational movies on (to me) a massive Ampro 20 sound projector.

To my delight, I received a note from my good friend George Dunbar that included an article from the August 1930 Science and Industry magazine on an Ampro projector.

Reading it, I was thrilled to recall my experiences as a kid showing junior classes the B&W sound educational movies of the day. I remember once turning the projector’s lens out so far it dropped into my hand and from there to the concrete floor, cracking one element.

A few weeks later, a rather annoyed school principal (he was also my grade 8 teacher) showed me the repair bill for the lens – $10. While a pittance today, it was a sum representing a few days pay in those post war years.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on amping it up

quite a mouthful

Posted on November 30, 2020 by Robert

Stubner mouth operated cable release. MQUOO – 14084 Leitz cable code

Toronto. In the 1950s, the German company Stubner (or Stuber – did he work for Leitz?) made these cable releases. When sold by Leitz for the Leica, they were signed Leitz on the raised button and a 10 inch cable release for screw mount cameras was included. The Leitz cable code for this mouth release and the associated shutter release cable was MQUOO and later 14084. The tiny accessory allows one to snap a shot off by mouth, freeing up a hand. It was intended to stabilize exposures but proved helpful to the handicapped as well.

In April of 1982, Alex Thomas gave me the piece shown, as a gift. “The Leica version is marked as Leitz”, he said. “This one has no markings but appears identical to the marked version”. Actually, the earlier ones were signed Leitz and had rounded/pointed ends instead of flat ends. At the time I knew Alex, he was both a PHSC member and a fair attendee. He had a store in nearby Orchard Park, NY.

According to Hove, the MQUOO was made in 1954. Jim Lager also states it was made in 1954. Both my 1960 catalogue and my 1955-58 catalogue reprint by Hove list it while my 1933 and 1936 catalogue reprints do not. It is mentioned as for the screw mount cameras yet it was sold when the M3 arrived. Morgan and Lester’s Leica Manual (13th edition, 1955) mentions it as for all but the M3 (page 33 photo) but it isn’t in the index. Stuber/Stubner seems to have disappeared as far as the internet is concerned.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on quite a mouthful

silver and glass

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Robert

Silver and Glass – click on photo to see article

Toronto. George Dunbar came across this article on Kodak’s work on films and lenses. It appeared as the article “Brains of Sliver — Eyes of Glass” in the April 1930 edition of Science and Invention magazine.

The article covers Kodak’s research into film and lenses and its contribution to Kodak’s famous little VP cameras. The film is the now notorious Nitrate (nitro-cellulose) based film while the huge lens is said to be the largest ever ground in the USA. The lens, for the Army Air service, was likely for use on  an aerial camera, perhaps used to map enemy terrain just over a decade later in WW2.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on silver and glass

Photographic Canadiana Vol 46-4

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Robert

Gundlach Shutter in PC Vol 46-4 pdf version

Toronto.I hope you have enjoyed the coolish evenings this fall (November was mixed cold and windy to spring-like). Yesterday, members WITH an email address received another delightful magazine via pdf. It  is  the Photographic Canadiana 46-4 dated December 2020 – January 2021.

This is another 26 page delight in full colour as  envisioned by editor Bob Lansdale to help create the excitement we all feel as we await an end to the rotten  pandemic which has dragged its heels all year. As this is definitely a weird year we are doing more than 4 issues. Editor Lansdale is working with our printers to print and package the entire Vol 46 for those few members sans an email on record or wishing to have a hard copy.

Drop me a line at info@phsc.ca if you are a member and haven’t received this special pdf edition. Not a member? Easy-peasy, just break out your plastic (VISA, MasterCard, etc.), follow the rules at the upper right of this page and sign up via PayPal (no PayPal account needed – we will pay the modest fee). Membership is an incredible bargain. Period!

Posted in journal | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Photographic Canadiana Vol 46-4

every one should have one …

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Robert

Leitz CEYOO (left) and CTOOM in original Leitz boxes

Toronto. … said the late Ted Shepherd. So I agreed to buy his flash gun (CEYOO) with its folding plastic base (CTOOM) at our November 21, 1978 meeting in the NorthYork Public Library. A few days later, I sent a cheque for $7.50 off in the mail. At the time of the sale, Ted was president of the Toronto chapter of the PHSC.

Later on, I bought other flash guns and brackets, including the boxes and test light shown here. The CTOOM held the flash to the side of a Leica. The CEYOO flash took #5 bulbs (or smaller with an adaptor). A folding metal “fan” reflector was removable to make the flash more compact when not in use. The CEYOO was sold before inexpensive electronic flash became common-place. The synchronized shutter speed was slow with regular bulbs. Special FP (focal plane shutter) bulbs had a longer burn period and allowed a faster speed to be used.

Both flash and bracket are well made and solid – typical Leitz. The CEYOO used a 22.5v battery (modern batteries are a bit too thick apparently) and a capacitor  (replacement was once available from Leitz) allowing shots even with a nearly exhausted battery. In later years the CTOOM was metal, not plastic. The CEYOO flash was sold throughout the 1950s while the bracket was sold a few years later and lasted to about 1963 in the retail shops. Without a bracket, the flash was mounted on top of the Leica in its accessory shoe.

The photo (and those of many earlier posts) was taken with an Apple iPod Touch (8 mp) equivalent to a 35mm lens under a wide spectrum LED light.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on every one should have one …