Tag Archives: press

a secret revealed …

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. A few days ago I did a post on a small press for photographs (issue 23-1). It was accompanied by the following from Robert  Wilson, “During the long period that cartes de visite and cabinet prints were in vogue … Continue reading →

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pressing out from the masses

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Once studios took off, savvy owners tried ways to differentiate their services from the pack. One way to accomplish this was to use the “McKee’s Cameo, Embossing and Imprint Press” on photographic prints delivered to customers. Issue 23-1 of … Continue reading →

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an illuminating read

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In 1995 we heard a talk by Michael Torosian about his Lumiere Press enterprise which prints fine quality reproductions of old and rare books including volumes about photography from its early days. In issue 21-1 an anonymous article (likely … Continue reading →

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making a brighter day

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In today’s world of smart phone ‘auto everything’ cameras, it is hard to imagine sensors so slow that sharp outdoor action shots are a no-no. But in the late 1940s, colour film was just that. Its sensitivity was abysmally … Continue reading →

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catching Graflexes

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Pre WW2 and for a few years there after, Speed Graphic and Graflex cameras reigned supreme as the press photographers’ cameras of choice. The Graflex series offered SLR capability for larger plate and film sizes. Those who saw the … Continue reading →

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brave new world

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Aldous Huxley wrote his novel “Brave New World” in 1931. As a youth I read a paper back copy of the story. back in the time when a profusion of paper back titles offered a cheap education to everyone. … Continue reading →

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my my mamyia

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In its hey-day Mamiya made high end cameras – subminiature 16mm, 35mm, TLRs and medium format press cameras. At a recent PHSC auction the Mamiya Press Universal camera was in one lot. This version is a rangefinder model, with … Continue reading →

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before we had Google for news

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. These are the presses that printed my favourite newspaper in 1939. The image is from the Globe archives and details are from an article in Monday’s Globe by Shelby Blackly. The Presses (and the Globe and Mail) were located … Continue reading →

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whatever happened to Press King and its maker?

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. At last month’s meeting – our annual Show and Tell – one of our members brought along his vintage Press King. The 4×5 camera has a Kalart rangefinder mounted on the side and a leaf shutter and lens on … Continue reading →

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Spartus Press Camera – yeah, right!

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. We saw many of these little plastic box cameras drift through our fairs over the years. Sold from Chicago by the Spartus Camera Corporation, this inexpensive model was more marketing puffery than technology. The flash was built-in as was … Continue reading →

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