Tag Archives: Popular Photography

tweet, tweet

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. This camera was ‘for the birds’, or was it?  This advertisement by Direct Products Corp. in NYC appeared on page 125 in the June, 1950 issue of Popular Photography (about the only year the camera was around over here, … Continue reading →

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a shot in the dark

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. In Chicago of 1949, execution of notorious, James ‘Mad-Dog’ Morelli, made newspaper head lines because contrary to American law, the man’s execution was captured on film. This was about two decades after a similar incident in New York State’s … Continue reading →

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doing it better (sometimes)

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. On page 31 of the March 1950 edition of Popular Photography, an advertisement touts the Zeiss-Ikon Contax-S camera at whopping price of $475USD with the coated Zeiss Biotar lens. The model S was briefly sold while later models were … Continue reading →

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look-a-like-a-leica

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. After WW2, the world was inundated with Leica lookalikes. Some were  flat out copies like the Russian FED and Zorki models; some were copies of Leica features like Canon; and some were marketed as improvements on Leica like the … Continue reading →

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marks the spot

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. After the end of the war, all camera makers used marketing to try to increase market share. Even the most trivial difference between camera makers was touted as an amazing breakthrough. For example, Argus chose the viewfinder of their … Continue reading →

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keeping an eye out for colour

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. The earliest photographic processes captured only a monochrome image – usually black and white – of the luminance values of the subject. Over the ensuing decades, many efforts were expended to create natural colour from the effects of light … Continue reading →

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taking the measure of light

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Last century, a professional was able to decide the needed exposure for a printable negative. To be safe, critical shots could be bracketed – a shot taken at both double and half the estimated exposure. Also, with orthochromatic film, … Continue reading →

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wither thou goest, Kardon?

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. When America was finally dragged into WW2 on the side of Britain, they  had a problem. The Leitz NY organization was taken over by the US government, but no high quality American made 35mm cameras were available. Peter Kardon … Continue reading →

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it’s not easy being green

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. … sang Kermit the frog in his famous 1970 song on Sesame Street so many years ago. This apparently applied to a film called “Anken” too. The film was orthochromatic and, according to the ads, available in the most … Continue reading →

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B B B

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Some decades back, my VP elected to meet with very junior staff. To break the ice and ease the tension of the many level spread between VP and computer staff, he wore a T-Shirt emblazoned with this alliteration: “Bullshit … Continue reading →

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