stick a cabinet in your pocket

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Robert

A Cabinet card c1883

Toronto. With the advent of wet plate technology, the number of photographers increased once again. Albumen paper for positive prints became very popular in spite of the need to glue down the curl-prone medium to stiff cardboard. The so called Carte-de-Visite (CdV) format of oversize “business” or “visiting” cards with photos became the rage. People collected prints of the famous as well as family and added them to fancy albums.

By the mid 1860s, the fad had run its course and photographers looked for new ways to earn money. One idea was to increase the size of the photograph and card to a bit over 4×6 inches – the Cabinet card, intended to be placed on top of a cabinet or table for display to visitors. Cabinet cards were invented in Britain in 1866 and became popular the following year (1867) (which coincidentally, was the year our country was established in reaction to the American civil war).

The example here comes from Pinterest. The photographer, Károly Koller, took it in Budapest in 1883. It is one of a number collected by Kathy Moore and considered by Ms Moore as the best of the genre.

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a bit of Americana

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Robert

August 8, 2020 online Americana auction

Toronto. For all you image collectors out there – if you collect or want some Americana, there is an auction next month (August 8th) online managed by American Heritage Auctions. Their catalogue for the August 8th auction is now online.

Three companies are available for online bidding – I chose the second one (Live Auctioneers) to display the catalogue.

Here is a great way to add to your collection a bit of Americana via online in this time of COVID-19 and its stringent rules and cautions.

Scroll down the first catalogue page for the terms, fees, bid increments, etc. before you make an offer!

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Richmond BC Camera Show POSTPONED

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Robert

August 1, 2020 show in Richmond British Columbia CANCELLED

Toronto. We were sorry to hear that Big Dave and our other friends in Richmond BC had to postpone the August 1st Richmond Camera Show and Swap Meet.

Big Dave writes, “I hope that all of you are safe and well. During these unfortunate times, COVID-19 has changed our world immensely . We have been in communications with local authorities and have been watching all the press releases for the possibility of return to pre-COVID-19 conditions. As such we have held off this email for as long as we could. However, we must face the fact that at this current point in time, the Richmond Camera Show and Swap Meet must be postponed until 2021 for the safety and wellbeing of all.

“Once things settle, we will be emailing with the updated date for the show. I hope that you and all your loved ones remain safe and healthy during these times.

“Until we meet again,

“Big Dave and the Richmond Camera Show & Swap Meet team.”

Dave’s news release reads, “Richmond Camera Show & Swap Meet Aug 1st 2020, South Arm United Church – POSTPONED Richmond Camera Show & Swap Meet, has been actively monitoring the COVID-19 developments. We have been following the directives of the BCCDC, HealthlinkBC and Public Health Agency of Canada. As the BC’s Restart Plan in Phase 3, large gathering are prohibited. As the show date approaches, and Phase 4 is nowhere in sight, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our annual Richmond Camera Show & Swap Meet to the spring of 2021. Both the organizers and facilities are working together to secure a potential date for the next show. We must consider the direction of the BC Government and their authorities to be the final word on this issue. The safety and well-being of our guests and partners are of paramount importance and we will ensure our actions are congruent to that. We will announce the new date as soon as it becomes available. If you have reserved a table for the 2020 show, you are automatically registered for the 2021 show. Please check out our website here or follow us on Facebook & Instagram for the latest update. We hope you stay healthy and we look forward to seeing you in the spring.”

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i am so EXCITED …

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Robert

35mm Summicron set to f8 and hyperfocal distance

Toronto. … as Martin Short‘s character, Ed Grimsley, used to shout on SCTV skits. To do the character justice, Short was down right hyper. And speaking of hyper, hyperfocal distance was important in 35mm film photography, especially daytime street photography.

The camera lens was set to f/8 (or f/11). On the depth of field scale, focus was set so the infinity mark aligned with the furthest f/8 mark. The scene was then in focus from infinity to the distance aligned with the nearest f/8 mark. The camera was then basically a fixed focus camera with the light adjustment made by lowering or raising the shutter speed as needed.

I used this technique for years, moving the shutter speed on my M4 to compensate for the lighting variation as recorded by my light meter. This allowed me to keep ready for any split second scene without recourse to my meter and camera settings. Modern day digital cameras with a “programmed” setting, and both digital cameras and smart phones with auto ISO, auto focus, etc make such techniques unnecessary.

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make a date with f/8

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Robert

a great coffee for us all

Toronto. Those of us who used 2-1/4 or 35mm cameras and film are familiar with the aperture setting f/8. It is a great mid range setting offering a nice balance of speed and depth of field for outdoors.

The delightful head of PhotoEd magazine, Rita Godlevskis, has collaborated with a local coffee supplier, Sparkplug, to make a special blend for photographers. After all, there is nothing better than a hot coffee and a great magazine!

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shady stuff

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Robert

some of the many hoods for 35mm camera lenses

Toronto. Don’t you wish your photos were crisp and contrasty like those of an accomplished professional?

One issue last century was soft contrast caused by reflections from individual lens elements. Post war, element coating became common and with it a much crisper contrast. An alternative was avoiding light that did not come over the photographer’s shoulder (often Kodak’s advice to amateurs using inexpensive cameras).

Another option was a lens hood to block any light rays not contributing directly to recording the scene on film. Many professionals avoided the hoods and lighting guaranteed to cause a problem with contrast. Manufacturers sold hoods as accessories, or built them into a lens, or sold them with a lens.

Modern smart phones have no built in hood but your hand can be carefully placed to block extraneous light and materially improve contrast. If that maneuver fails, software editing can correct the contrast to a remarkable degree that was simply impossible using film and chemicals.

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and to cap it off …

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Robert

a kludge of caps

Toronto. Dust and dirt everywhere! How can you keep it out of camera bodies and lenses? Easy, cap the openings! Since the early days of photography, caps have been used to keep out dust and dirt when the camera or lens is not in use.

Caps have been made of many materials – leather, paper, metal, plastic, etc. Most are signed by the lens maker but others are  generic and unsigned (or signed inside and hidden from casual view). Most caps just push on, but some screw on and others actually lock in place.

These caps are often lost. Or are left behind. Or fall off. Most makers offer replacements as accessories for a few dollars. But caps change over time, They may have the same diameter and depth to fit a lens,  but a different shape (shoulders, cupped, etc.) or material may be used. After the M series of cameras were released by Leitz, the company offered a conversion ring to allow old lenses to be used on the new M mount cameras. The rear lens cap for M mount lenses had three tabs added to the outer edge allowing the cap to be a wrench to remove the 1mm adapter ring from the Leica M body. These tabs were dropped years later after the old lenses were rarely used on M mount cameras and the adapters were no longer sold new.

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hardly ever

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Robert

Case for screw-mount Leica with 5cm lens and an accessory viewer attached c1935

Toronto. In the late 1950s, I bought my Exakta VX IIa complete with an “ever-ready” case. Like many youths of the day, we called these “never-ready”cases since the camera couldn’t be used until the case was opened. When the box of cameras and lenses arrived in Labrador, I was disappointed that the camera case half covering the lens was a light brown plastic cup affair, not brown leather like the Leica used. On the other hand, the snap at the back of the camera allowed the two case halves to be separated. The knob attaching the case to the camera was threaded so the case (with the camera) could be mounted on a tripod – essential in those days for interior shots.

Years later, research showed these cases were offered around the time of the minicam revolution and may even have originated with the Leica. While the front part of the case dropped down to expose the camera, it didn’t detach. Hence, it was common practice to use the camera without the case. Shortly after the Leica appeared on the scene, Leitz sold a wealth of accessories and later lenses. Leitz sold many different cases of leather, aluminum, Bakelite, and other materials.

Cases are rarely collected making identification more difficult. The screw mount Leica case above could be used with an accessory such as the Imarect (multi-lens viewer) attached to the camera. I must have acquired it 30 or 40 years ago, but the records have been lost. My case was made by Leitz New York and sold to someone in Derry, NH.

 

 

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spot on

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Robert

Kliegl Spot Light c 1930

Toronto. One big difference between amateur photographs, and those made by professionals and advanced amateurs, was illumination. Indoors, the professional went to great lengths to illuminate his subject bringing out the nuances of its very existence whether a human, an animal, or an inert object.

Lighting such as on camera flash or spot lights gave a harsh, contrasty scene. Bounce flash, light boxes etc gave a softer illumination. Only casual  amateurs used on-camera flash as a main light source with its harsh and sharply delineated shadows. Outdoors, on-camera flash was used as fill light to soften the camera-facing daylight and brighten the otherwise darkened front of the subject(s) facing the camera. On-camera flash lighting was the choice of professional news photographers where the picture was more important than any creative lighting.

In the studio, north facing daylight or light boxes served as the main light source, while illumination on the back ground could bring it out and separate it from  the subject. Spot lights could be used to highlight the characteristics of the subject. Careful lighting could give the model plasticity or  a three dimensional look or even lighting like Rembrandt once used in his painted portraits to highlight one side of his subject’s features.

Shown is a tiny Kliegl Brothers spot light I bought from another PHSC member at one of our fairs. Kliegl lights were initially created as arc lights to illuminate commercial movies (much larger and brighter versions of the lights). The arc lights died out as electric lights took over.

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so you want to be in pictures

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Robert

call for articles

Toronto. Do you remember the old Joe McDoakes shorts that used to run before the main feature in the movie palaces? That was the source for our post title! In this case, you can get into a pdf, but only if you are a PHSC member…

Not a member? This is the Easy-Peasy part: choose domesic or international; 1 year or 3 in the upper right part of this web page, breakout the plastic, and hit the Pay Now button to sign up via PayPal – we absorb the small fee.

Then write a few words and  add some images. Email to editor Bob Lansdale by July 24th and he will consider your idea for publishing. All current members WITH an email address have received the notice on the left with added details. You say you are a current member with an email address but were missed? Drop me a note at info@phsc.ca and I will followup promptly!

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