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…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

 

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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.

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October 2019 PHSC News out

Posted on October 12, 2019 by Robert

Hasselblad goes to the moon

Toronto. Get your news here! Read all about it! Latest issue of the PHSC News newsletter was released Friday morning. Not on the list? Send me a note and read the latest issue here.

Sonja has published another themed goody for all you photography fans featuring items apropos Halloween – that scary time of year when skeletons dance in grave yards and spooks and goblins scour the neighbourhood shouting, “trick or treat“.

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Photo News 28-3 (Autumn 2019) issued

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Robert

Dreamscapes by Viktoria Haack – Cover shot of current PHOTO News magazine

Toronto. Last Wednesday, I was delighted to find the latest issue of Photo News in my Globe and Mail. The cover shot is by Viktoria Haack showing a girl sitting on a rock looking across a lake at glaciers and mountains.

Ms Haack emigrated from the UK to BC. She is featured in an article titled “Dreamscapes” under the topic of “Lifestyle Photography” beginning on page 32. Visit her website to see more of her work – simply gorgeous photos!

All issues and more detail is listed on the Photo News website. If you don’t see this copy in your favourite newspaper, or on your local newsstand, see it on line at Photo News.

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