A DSLR quality camera in a smartphone format

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Robert

mjgymzuxoq-smToronto. A few days ago my friend George Dunbar sent me a link to the lengthy and clear article on how we can match the quality of a professional DSLR in a smartphone format – pocketable, and always handy.

The camera exists and is being refined at the moment. This article covering the technology behind the camera was written last month by one of the creators, Dr Rajiv Laroia, chief technology officer and cofounder of Light, based in Palo Alto, Calif. in Spectrum, the journal of the engineering society, IEEE.

This little marvel uses 16 fixed lens cameras, mirrors, and software to create images at various focal lengths, equivalent f/ stops and with a selectable variation of bokeh. Called the Light Camera, L16, it will go to market next year at about $1.699 US.

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PHSC Auction March 19, 2017

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Robert
PHSC Auction next March, 2017

PHSC Auction next March, 2017

Toronto. The PHSC auction next spring will take place on Sunday, the 19th of March, 2017.

No changes from the previous auction.

Click here or on the icon at left to see the bookmark and full details.

Come out and join us. Get more collectible and usable photographic goodies.

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A Modern Day Stereoscope?

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Robert
Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard

Toronto. In a post the other day, George  Dunbar asked whether the Google Cardboard was the new modern-day stereoscope.

We saw the Google Cardboard gadget back in February when Marissa Frosst demoed it at Ryerson.

Your smartphone is used as a screen in the device.Take a look on Google. A similar plastic device by View-Master is offered by Walmart online. If you visit a store they have the Google Cardboard VR as well.

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Early Canadian Women Photographers – Free talk and show this Friday

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Robert
Laura Jones by Robert Lansdale (April 2006)

Laura Jones by Robert Lansdale (April 2006)

Toronto. Long time PHSC member, gallery curator, photographer and writer Laura Jones invites you to an event at the Arts & Letters club (where we will be holding our Image Show this coming Sunday).

Laura spoke to us most recently back in April 2006. Here is the note she sent on her event this coming Friday, November 25th.

Arts & Letters Club
14 Elm Street
Toronto, Ontario

an Ad Lib event  Free

Friday, November 25, 2016

Early Canadian Women Photographers

Laura Jones will discuss early Canadian women photographers and bring a selection of her favourites for you to view. Some are from an exhibition that she curated for the London Regional Art Gallery called Rediscovery, Canadian Women Photographers 1841-1941. The evening will concentrate on photos taken between 1865 – 1910.     Starts at 8:00 p.m. in the 3rd floor Painting Studio.    Bar opens at 7:00. Drinks can be purchased and brought to the studio.

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Chico and the Man…

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Robert
Chico Flash Set for Leica

Chico Flash Set for Leica

Toronto. Post war Leicas from the IIIf had the flash sync built-in. The most common post war flash was the CEYOO.

Chico was a cheaper and smaller all plastic flash with the same segmented folding aluminum reflector design and the battery-capacitor circuitry.

The basic flash was code named DFOOC and was sold from 1954 – 1959, It came with a flash cord or you could get a DFHOO pivoting holder with a built-in connection for the IIf and IIIf. A sync cord, the flash, and holder could be bought with a little red plastic box coded DHMOO.

The title Chico and the Man comes from a TV sitcom aired from 1974 – 1978.

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Time after Time…

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Robert
APDOO timer for Leica

APDOO timer for Leica

Toronto. We casually use our camera’s self timer today, but there was a time when such devices were a luxury and available only as an accessory.

Leitz made its self timer for the Leica from 1938 – 1965. The little cylindrical gadget screwed into the release button and gave the user 10 – 15 seconds to run from the camera and tripod, turn, and pose.

The code name for the timer was APDOO or with a little leather purse, ASKOO. It could be used to steady the camera for a time exposure too. Later Leicas could be purchased with the timer built-in.

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A Level Headed Accessory

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Robert
Leitz Fibla - c1929 bubble level

Leitz Fibla – c1929 bubble level

Toronto. Back in 1929, Leitz had a hit on their hands with the new Leica 35mm camera. Accessories helped photographers use the new minicam for things not otherwise possible or at least not in an easy manner.

A couple of tripod adaptors were offered to let photographers take portraits with the tiny marvel and to take panorama pictures using a series of click stop tripod heads that let the camera circumnavigate its surroundings.

To be most successful at portraits and panos, the camera had to be absolutely level. This challenge was solved by yet another accessory – a tiny bubble level that slipped into an accessory shoe (flash shoe in later years). The FIBLA was first offered in black enamel (1929-1936). In 1936, to match the new chrome cameras, the tiny level was recoded as DOOLU and offered in both black enamel and chrome.

 

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PHSC Elections April 2017

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Robert

phsc-wpgToronto. Every two years the PHSC holds elections at our April meeting and we are always looking for volunteers.

Members can mail in their choices and votes for the executive. Please follow the instructions in the latest issue of the Photographic Canadiana (42-3). The executive will be announced at any election year business meeting.

The next election year business meeting is April 19, 2017. To see our executive structure, click the icon at left or  here. The link takes you to the ABOUT section of our web site.

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Old Photo Oriented Magazines

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Robert
Churchill by Karsh - Life Magazine cover MAy21 1945.

Churchill by Karsh – Life Magazine cover May 1945.

Toronto. George Dunbar often discovers interesting web sites. When they pertain to photography, I receive an email which was the case two days ago. George came across the site “Slightly Out of Focus“.  This site is a book store specializing in old magazines rich in photographic subjects- not technology, but the resulting photos and essays.

Browsing the site brought back memories of lazy afternoons at the barber shop as a kid. Nels MaGee had many, many magazines including Life and Saturday Evening Post. Life featured a large photo on the cover as well as photo essays by well known photographers.

Four decades later, in the 1980s, I borrowed books from Richview Library (the pre Harris era when Etobicoke was a separate borough). I learned about the Farm Security Administration in the dirty 30s and Dorothea Lange. Margaret Bourke-White (who shot the first Life magazine cover), Lew Hines, and others.

George singled out the May 21, 1945 Life issue featuring the famous portrait of Churchill by Karsh of Ottawa. Have a look and see the many famous photographers, subjects and magazines of the not so distant past before we had the web and TV.

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New Kodak Ektra Smartphone

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Robert
Kodak Ektra Smartphone

Kodak Ektra Smartphone

Toronto. Member and ex membership secretary Dennis Cannon, sent a note to me and editor Bob Lansdale with a link to Kodak and their announcement of a new smartphone.

Surprisingly, the smartphone is called a Kodak Ektra. Not surprisingly the camera in this smartphone is emphasized, not the cell phone. This smartphone is uncannily like Ed Warner’s tongue in cheek “camera with a cell phone inside” at the last Show and Tell December 2015. In fact, many of the ever ready cases for this smartphone are typical camera cases and rather inconvenient for a phone. However,  the design of the camera is much like that of a modern smartphone – a thin hand sized rectangle with a lens in front and a large “gorilla glass” high resolution screen on the back.

Continue reading →

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