pitching the big one – October 27, 2019

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Robert

Click above for PHSC fair details!

Toronto. The god Neptune used one, and so do we, but ours is a Hall – the Trident Hall in Etobicoke. If you hanker to expand your camera collection (or usable gear) be it film or digital, drop in next month at our Fall Fair, held in the famous “pierogi palace” on Evans Avenue in Etobicoke (west Toronto) at Islington.

Make the Trident Hall in west end Toronto your destination on Sunday, October 27, 2019! Food and a bar as well as photographic goodies will be on hand along with free parking (alternate free overload parking for late comers… ).

We have held fairs and auctions for about 45 years. Admission is reasonable – free to students with I.D. Easy access via the TTC. Come to the Big One and browse the items on the exhibitors’ tables. Buy/Sell or just enjoy!

Posted in fair | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on pitching the big one – October 27, 2019

a model photographer

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Robert

Peter and the Duchess of Sussex

Toronto. The Globe Thursday announced the death Tuesday of photographer Peter Lindbergh at 74. The Globe published an obituary carried by the New York Times News Service.  He was remembered by the Duchess of Sussex with this rare personal photo.

Lindbergh, born in Germany, became known in Europe as a fashion photographer. He was famous for capturing supermodels and for his Vogue magazine covers.

Posted in people, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on a model photographer

Montréal … c’est magnifique à l’automne

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Robert

October 6, 2019 show

Toronto. If you plan to go east early next month, drop in and say hello to Sol. And perhaps augment your camera and image collection as well. Sol’s show is on October 6th in the west island area near major highways from Ontario.

Come east to Montreal and enjoy the wonderful cuisine and ambience in this charming city (the city is over 300 years old). While Montreal is predominately French these days, the West Island area is English or bilingual so language is not a problem.

With my terrible grasp of our second official language, most folk prefer to speak English to me anyway 🙂

Posted in fair | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Montréal … c’est magnifique à l’automne

Oh to be in Van now fall is here!

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Robert

Vancouver Camera Swap Meet

Toronto. I heard from Tonchi the other day.

The fall camera swap meet out in Vancouver will be held on October 6th this year.

If you are looking to visit BC or will be in the Vancouver area early next month, be sure to drop in and get some added items for your collection (or maybe some user digital or film gear!

Tonchi write, “We are approaching the second camera show this year. The last show was very successful, and I have high hopes for the next one. The popularity of film cameras is growing, since film has become more readily available, and it seems to me that more young people are beginning to respect the quality, engineering, and beauty of classic cameras. I am looking forward to seeing all of your popular collector cameras on the bulletin.”

Be sure to say “hi” to Tonchi and tell him how you discovered the great show on our west coast. And if you have things to sell drop, Tonchi an email to reserve a table now.

Posted in fair | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Oh to be in Van now fall is here!

mom says screens are bad for your eyes

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Robert

an evening in 1876 – from a book at the Toronto Public Library

Toronto. This copy of the frontispiece of an 1876 book at the TPL titled, “Shadows on the Screen; or, An Evening With The Children” reminds us that “screens” have been around for well over a century now.

As a kid and an enthusiastic reader, my mom told me books would, “ruin my eyes“. When we got TV in the 1950s my mom said, “don’t sit so close. You’ll ruin your eyes“. I wonder what she would say of computers and smartphones – especially smartphones – today?

As we know in photography, projectors have been around since well before 1839. The first use of the painfully slow/insensitive dry glass plate emulsion was to create magic lantern slides, often religious in nature. Slides became a means to project colour photographs last century – from Autochromes to Kodachromes, Ektachromes, and Anscochromes. Movies in black and white and later in sound and colour became a special treat, replaced by the convenience of television. Tommy, can you see me?

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on mom says screens are bad for your eyes

east side, west side

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Robert

Old CNE postcard used by the Toronto Sun newspaper Saturday

Toronto. Fall is here. The last day of the CNE for this year is the air show today. The Toronto Sun ran an article by Mike Filey and this old postcard for the occasion last Saturday.

Mike was an early member and speaker when we were first established (journal issue 1-8). He spoke once again as a guest speaker at our November, 1989 meeting. And he has dropped into the PHSC meetings since then on occasion.

Speaking of fall, its time to drop your remote and check your collection list. It’s fair time once again! whether you visit us in the big smoke, or sashay out to the west coast to see Tonchi, or east to la belle province to visit Sol or even (plug your ears, gird your loins)  head south, visit a fair, or auction, or an image show and augment your collection of cameras, accessories, ephemera. and photographs.  Remember, it’s fair time once again!

The title of this post was taken from a song titled “The Sidewalks of New York“, written over a century ago.

Posted in fair | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on east side, west side

Bolex? Bollocks!

Posted on September 1, 2019 by Robert

Bolex advertises in LIFE magazine to its American audience in late 1957

Toronto. Bolex from Paillard of Switzerland, was indeed the preeminent movie camera maker for 16mm and later 8mm cameras, but this spread (pp58-60) in the December 2, 1957 LIFE magazine sucks since it lists ONLY American dealers in spite of the magazine being distributed world wide. What chance did our camera shops have with Paillard touting ONLY American shops in this ad?

LIFE should have insisted on the ad listing ALL North American dealers and referencing other countries in less detail. Bollocks indeed!

I don’t mind LIFE ads in general especially since many of my ancestors and relatives lived/live in the states. At one time it was an easier border crossing than today with such a high level of paranoia (especially since 9/11 and the recent election of its current president). There are many things American to be admired. This camera ad is not one of them.

Regardless of my curmudgeonesque reaction, I do thank George Dunbar for telling me about his continuing finds in the historic pages of LIFE magazine.

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Bolex? Bollocks!

from Talbot to Stieglitz

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In March 1991, the PHSC presented me with this book in the hard cover version. The NY Public Library (or NYC Public Library as I have it listed) became a long time member of the PHSC and remains an institutional member today. In 1982, when the book was first published by Thames and Hudson, Inc., the author, Julia Van Haaften, had been a driving force in the library for a decade. She mixed a long term interest in photography with her work as a librarian in art history in the NYPL to rediscover and document their huge archive of photographic prints. This book was one of the results of her work.

Julia wrote and continued to write many books about famous photographers. This book is a slim 126 pages illustrating just a few of the truly historic photographs in the library’s collection. Track down a copy and enjoy the read.

Unfortunately, I don’t recall the occasion, but it may have been when Don Douglas and I did our dog and pony show on the History of Photography.  The inside label identifying the presentation of the book smacks of the wonderful marketing skills of Les Jones, programme convenor at the time, and himself a photographer and an eclectic collector of photographica.

Posted in book | Tagged , , | Comments Off on from Talbot to Stieglitz

a camera for the common man

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Robert

Minolta A in 1957 Ad

Toronto. I first heard American composer Aaron Copland’s “fanfare for the common man” back in late 1957 when I picked up a Westminster LP titled “Copland“.

And like Copland’s well covered composition, the little Minolta was indeed made for the common man. In 1957, I had its slightly pricier brother, a Minolta Super A which looked much the same except for the faster f/1.8 Rokkor 50mm lens.

Minolta struggled for a foothold in North America, competing against the German marques, Japanese makers, and local (American) cameras with ads like this one in LIFE magazine’s November 11, 1957 issue.  A big thanks to George Dunbar for sharing this find with me and bringing back the pleasure the little camera gave me as I worked diligently to learn photography.

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on a camera for the common man

I don’t believe it!

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Robert

Argus C3 Ad c1957

Toronto. This was the catch phrase the old curmudgeon Mr. Meldrew used in  the decade long British  sitcom “One Foot in the Grave“. Meldrew was played by the Scottish actor Richard Wilson.

When I saw this page 9 ad from the September 16, 1957 issue of LIFE magazine courtesy of George Dunbar, I immediately thought of Richard Wilson’s famous catch phrase. The “brick” as the Argus C3 was fondly known, was indeed cheap, but to describe it like this, even six decades ago, is false advertising in all its glory. The marketeers went wild to describe its virtues while invisibly suggesting it was as good as pricier German cameras,

The ad suggests it is as simple to use as a box camera but has “advanced camera features …   to match your skills as you become more expert”. In his 1986 book, Ivor Matanle describes, “The unbeautiful Argus C3 [was] produced in vast quantities in the USA, and, with coupled rangefinder, an adequate quality f/3.5 coated lens and ruggedness akin to a builder’s wheelbarrow, performed tolerably well in its youth. … they rarely perform well now… as a doorstop or a paperweight they have much to recommend them.”

Years ago I read that the C3’s rangefinder was prone to misalignment making accurate focussing difficult. To adjust it, the camera had to be disassembled. To test it, the camera had to be reassembled. Not right? disassemble, adjust, reassemble, test. Still not right? Repeat steps … Hence the likely source of the paperweight comment as few would take a cheap camera to be repaired.

Posted in magazine | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on I don’t believe it!