Tag Archives: Germany

brave new camera

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1920s after losing the great war (WW1), Germany suffered a massive bout of inflation and depression. The Ernst Leitz optical house in Wetzlar had mainly made microscopes, objectives, eye pieces, accessories, and the occasional other optical item … Continue reading →

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a linhofty objective

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. I dream about the last century when I used film and had a darkroom. I was sold on 35mm back then, but still dreamed of larger format media and cameras. For many years, I wanted to own and use … Continue reading →

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an unusual roll film camera from Germany

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Have you ever heard about or seen a strange camera from the 1930s called a Makina III? Originally designed pre WW2 (one may have been auctioned off last May in Ohio), sales and manufacture were interrupted by WW2. The … Continue reading →

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eye of the storm

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. It was ‘the best of times and the worst of times‘ between the world wars. After the first war, pent-up demand blossomed into unprecedented wealth in the first decade, followed by the worst depression ever in the next (world … Continue reading →

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Dr Hanin Hannouch: Lippmann Process – July 21st PHSC Presentation

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Robert

Toronto.  Dr Hanin Hannouch: Lippmann Process. Dr Hannouch will be speaking to us from Germany next Wednesday on the Lippmann process. Find out what a dead parrot (this one’s not a Monty Python routine) has to do with an experimental … Continue reading →

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camera boy

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend and fellow PHSC alumni, George Dunbar spotted this interesting web site and the sample German stereo card added by John Robertson of the UK back on January 18th of this year (2021). Browse the interesting links … Continue reading →

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Kodak goes to war

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. It was massive, heavy, and awkward to use, but with a great lens. It was the Medalist I 620 camera. Kodak built it for the US and British military after Germany cut off the German supply of cameras including … Continue reading →

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fries with that?

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. We often think German cameras like Zeiss, Zeiss-Ikon, Rollei, Leica, Nagel, Retina etc. but what about Franka (not hot dogs)? On J. Noir’s site, many cameras are described including those of the Franka Kamera Werk in Bayreuth, Germany, at … Continue reading →

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a Brawny super 8 …

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. The German company Braun won many design awards. Decades ago I bought a Braun KM32 mixer in Montreal. I used a Braun coffee machine for years. And the Braun Hobby electronic flash was very popular in its time. At … Continue reading →

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fans in a flashbulb

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Fans of the late war photographer Robert Capa remember this great man, but what about his companion, a woman war photographer called Gerda Taro? Like Capa, Gerda Taro changed her name back in 1936. Sadly Taro died the following … Continue reading →

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