Tag Archives: American

American photographer Arnold Newman pix at AGO

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. The AGO recently announced it is hosting, BUILDING ICONS: ARNOLD NEWMAN’S MAGAZINE WORLD, 1938-2000“. The exhibit opens October 18, 2023 and will run until its closing on January 21, 2024. Anyone interested in photography must visit the AGO exhibition … Continue reading →

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it ain’t no Leica

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Like many 1940s, and ’50s 35mm cameras in contemporary ads, Clarus touted quality comparing the camera indirectly to a Leica, but far less costly. Like the famous little camera manufactured in Germany by Leitz, Clarus was small, compact, chose … Continue reading →

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just another ad for the Beacon II

Posted on December 18, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. George Dunbar came across this ad in Popular Mechanics for July 1948 and shared it with us. I did a couple of posts on this typical box camera and its predecessor (both dressed up to look like the popular … Continue reading →

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before TV; before video;

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … we had home movies. Originally 16mm, during the depression Kodak began selling 8mm versions and post war in a scramble to expand market size and improve image quality, Kodak moved to ‘Super 8’. In the late 1930s, Kodachrome … Continue reading →

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a beacon in the dark

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Another American company, Whitehouse Products, in Brooklyn took a shot at the American photography market with its cheap plastic camera, the Beacon. The Beacon was simply a box camera tarted up like a minicam. It retailed for about 8 … Continue reading →

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pirates of New York City

Posted on November 15, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Univex (Universal Camera Corp) advertised its Buccaneer 35mm camera in November, 1947, a few years before declaring bankruptcy. Known for their unusual camera designs, the company was said to be ethically challenged. The body of the Buccaneer shown in this … Continue reading →

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the last movie

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Robert

Toronto.  The digital era brought with it amazing television, incredible cameras, smartphones with a multitude of devices built-in, digital movies sent by internet or satellite, and much, much, more. It also hastened the demise of antiquated infrastructure such as old … Continue reading →

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how to fail without really trying …

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. “What the heck is a photon, anyway?”, you may ask. Actually, it is a measure of light. In 1948, Bell & Howell misspelt the word to create a unique name for its still camera, as is often the case … Continue reading →

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do you remember Marilyn?

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember my post just over three years ago on April 15, 2018 in those pre-COVID days?  Well, our friends at GadCOLLECTION over in Paris are hosting another Kirkland exhibition this fall from September 3rd to October 10th (2021). … Continue reading →

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if at first you don’t succeed …

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. … try and try again! And that is what Spartus did. A new name?A new town? A new camera style? The company began around 1934 in NYC as the Utility Manufacturing Company. It moved to Chicago in the 1940s … Continue reading →

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