another point of view

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Robert

16 488 PAMOO 5x magnifier (90 degree)

Toronto.  The Reprovit IIa is a high end professional copy stand. The connector for the framing/focussing light can be exchanged for a visual right angle 5x magnifier for visual framing/focussing a 2D or 3D subject. This device is a PAMOO painted to match the Reprovit II a stand. Its replacement is coded as 16 488 by Leitz.

Any modern-day SLR has through the lens framing/focussing eliminating any need for the over engineered and incredibly well made 16 488 (PAMOO) and the associated focoslide and bellows.

If you want one for your collection, try our photographica-fair this month or  our estate auction next month!

Posted in processes | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on another point of view

light in the box

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Robert

my light box – about a foot per side

Toronto. Continuing with the copy theme, one big challenge is lighting three dimensional objects so shadows are softened and the object is modelled by the lighting. One easy technique is to use a light box. This accessory has soft pure white translucent cloth sides, top, and bottom with an opening in front for a camera. Being cloth and springs, the boxes fold flat for storage.

Any light source – even sunlight – can illuminate an object placed inside the box. The exterior lights can be moved to best illuminate the subject item, or the box can be moved (necessary if you choose sunlight as a light source).

Coloured cloth inserts can add contrast to an object and the camera opening can be made small by another piece of translucent fabric so the taking camera is not obviously reflected on the surface of the subject item inside. Various size boxes are offered – mine is a cube roughly a foot long on each side. They are great for either film or digital taking cameras.

You can pick one up – complete with exterior lights on little tripods – at the PHSC fair this month (like I did some years ago) or see if one shows up in an auction lot next month.

Posted in processes | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on light in the box

copy that!

Posted on October 20, 2019 by Robert

top of the line Reprovit-II by Leitz for the MDa camera or an SLR (with attachment)

Toronto. One of the tasks a serious photographer does is copy work. It can be a book, a photo, a camera, a lens, accessories, negatives, bugs, stamps, etc. When a great many items must be copied, a copy stand is necessary for efficiency. Lighting at 45 degrees on both sides makes for a good copy with neither glare nor deep shadows.

Copy stands can range from massive professional stands like the Reprovit-II made by Leitz to cheap amateur stands made to take many different makes of SLR cameras. A popular well built brand favoured by professionals who do occasional copies is the Kaiser line.

For film or digital, come down to our photographica-fair this month, or our estate auction in November. A copy stand might just catch your eye…

Posted in processes | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on copy that!

bright lights

Posted on October 19, 2019 by Robert

Mighty-Mole in Nov 2019 Estate Auction Lot

Toronto. In the days of film, studios used lights like the Mighty-Mole to illuminate a scene or portrait (flood) and another to provide back lighting or modelling (spot).  Such attention to detail is the mark of a professional.

Similar lighting today with digital cameras can create the same style but at far higher camera speeds and/or smaller apertures since the ISO rating for digital is so much higher than for film.

Come on down to our photographica-fair this month or our auction next month to find lighting gems like this and possibly backdrops too.

Posted in auction | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on bright lights

marking time

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Robert

GraLab timer in a lot at the November Auction

Toronto. Mid last century, the big deal in timers was the massive GraLab series. Now a days these beautiful instruments of a by-gone era are often collectibles – or pop up in a kitchen or living room as a practical timer or just a talking piece.

Join us at the fall fair the end of this month and see if you can find a GraLab. If not, there is one in a lot at next month’s Estate Auction.

Posted in processes | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on marking time

scary movies

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Robert

Castle Films super 8 mm Horror Movie with a giant tarantula spider

Toronto. Terry Lagler dropped by Wednesday at our regular Toronto meeting to show two reels of Castle Movie compilations.

The theme was horror movies in general and halloween in particular. The show began with “Spooks“, featuring Flip the Frog in an old 1932 cartoon about skeletons followed by a number of horror movies.  The bad guys were the usual lot from the 1800s books – Frankenstein’s Monster, the Mummy, Wolfman, etc. In the post atomic era, some movies used atomic energy as the evil curse making for over and under sized beings like the shrinking man or the giant tarantula spider in the icon at left.   Like all Castle Movies, each was a 10 minute or so “reader’s digest” version of a regular hour or two movie.

Castle films recorded the highlights for each movie, occasionally making their truncated versions hard to follow unless you remembered seeing the longer movie. It was a great evening with coffee, treats, and popcorn for all courtesy of John and Sonja (Sonja also made the halloween special mini-muffins with eye-balls and other gory bits to suit the occasion.

Posted in program | Tagged , , | Comments Off on scary movies

need a Flektogon 25mm plus an Exakta?

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Robert

Exakta c1960 with f/4 25mm Zeiss Flektogon lens

Toronto. The Exakta brand is well known in collector and user circles. Exaktas were the earliest 35mm (kine) SLRs and were available new into the 1960s. The Flektogon f/4 25mm lens made by Zeiss Jena was only made for about three years (1960-62) making it far rarer.

The Flektogon was sold for the Exakta mount or a Leica M42 mount.  You may be able to find one at our fall fair in a couple of weeks, or as a lot next month in our estate auction. What makes this lens attractive is its ancestry (Zeiss) and extreme wide-angle, especially for an SLR camera design. A retro focus design (reverse telephoto) was mandatory for even many normal lens to clear the camera’s mirror.

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on need a Flektogon 25mm plus an Exakta?

THA this Saturday with Wendy Smith

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Robert

THA October 19, 2019 1:30pm

Toronto. This Saturday, October 19th, 2019 the Toronto Historical Association (THA) will host a talk on old Toronto by Historian Wendy Smith at Campbell House on the north west corner of Queen and University.

Please RSVP at info@torontohistory.net to be sure of a place at Campbell House.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on THA this Saturday with Wendy Smith

latest ESHPh newsletter sent to all members

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Robert

ESHPh Autumn newsletter

Toronto. The latest issue of the European Society’s newsletter (Autumn 2019) was mailed to all members recently. We and they have been exchange members for many years. I always check for Canadian items and I see our auction has made the calendar this time (November 17th).

Take a few minutes and have a read of this newsletter to see what our cousins are up to this fall!

 

Posted in newsletter | Tagged , , | Comments Off on latest ESHPh newsletter sent to all members

scary movies with Terry Lagler

Posted on October 13, 2019 by Robert

Scary Movie Night

Toronto.  Wow! It’s halloween again  and we asked Terry back to show some scary movies  in recognition of the season! Check out Sonja Pushcack’s October’s newsletter, or click on the icon at left for details.

We and Terry will supply the chills and popcorn – you do the rest!

The public is always welcome. Go to our Programs page for times and directions.

Posted in program | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on scary movies with Terry Lagler