Tag Archives: film

variations on a theme

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In the early 1900s, Butcher in London, England sold a “Royal Mail Camera” that used multiple lenses to create as many as 15 postage stamp size images on one small  plate. The July, 1934 issue of Popular Mechanics has … Continue reading →

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stills from movies

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. A few years ago, at our PHSC monthly meetings (when we met in person – ie pre-COVID) my good friend Ed Warner took videos of each presentation and could easily snap stills without affecting the digital video he was … Continue reading →

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checking shutter sync a half century plus ago

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In the dying days of WW2, an article was printed in Popular Mechanics showing an impromptu way to ‘test’ a shutter – flash synchronization. The February, 1945 issue suggests photographing a flash bulb with caution and slow film to … Continue reading →

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keeping an eye out

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Ahhh! The roaring twenties. What a great time to be alive (according to the movies). Radio was invented a few years earlier, automobiles had been around for a couple of decades, aircraft were experimental, movies were silent, TV not … Continue reading →

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perhaps well named?

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The December 1925 issue of American Cinematographer carried an ad for the Debrie Interview, model E camera called “The Greatest of all Motion Picture cameras”. It was said to be ‘light’ at 14 pounds. With a body made of … Continue reading →

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another rope trick

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In a recent post, I noted the Hitchcock movie “Rope” and why it was significant. In this article from the November, 1948 issue of Popular Photography, Alfred Hitchcock himself wrote the compelling story about making “Rope”. The story and … Continue reading →

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roped in

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In 1948, Alfred Hitchcock produced a film called ‘Rope’. I saw it recently – twice – on TV. It seemed odd to me and I wrote it off as an early attempt to recreate  a play as a movie. … Continue reading →

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gone fichin’

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. We usually think of photography as synonymous with pictures. But it also had a very practical side as a means of record keeping – even before digital technology and EXIF el al file data. In the 1960s, when I … Continue reading →

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something to think about

Posted on April 3, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. We are all movie/video/TV fans at heart. But consider this – movies  preceded the minicams of the day (and the smartphones of today). We often think of great movies, but seldom of the equipment used to make them. While … Continue reading →

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hi-yo kinamo

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In April, 1923 this ad appeared in the American Cinematographer. ICA in Germany announced its 35mm (standard film) Kinamo camera – the smallest movie camera of the time. The Kinamo was designed for both professionals and (advanced) amateurs, hence … Continue reading →

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