International photographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

TRADEW First Accessories Kodak Ektra # Six accessory items for the new 35mm. Kodak Ektra — including a special flash synchronizer, ground-glass focusing back, view finders for high, low, and right-angle work, a close range-and-view finder, and a special tripod clearance head — are anounced by the Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester. The accessory Close Range and View Finder is intended for use with the 50mm. Kodak Ektar f/1.9 lens at distances from 3VL> feet down to IV2 feet; and with the addition of the Kodak Portra 3+ supplementary lens, down to 10% inches. The price is $40. This accessory can also be obtained, on special order, with a specially-calibrated focusing dial for use with the 50mm. Kodak Ektar f/3.5 lens. The High-Low Angle Finder permits the Kodak Ektra to be used conveniently from waist-level when used on a tripod or other firm support, as well as overhead — thus greatly extending the user's choice of viewpoint. It covers the field of the 50mm. lenses, slips into the universal accessory bracket on top of the Ektra, and will retail at $15. The Right-Angle Finder for the Kodak Ektra is of particular use in obtaining unposed shots, as well as for shooting in cramped quarters where it is inconvenient to face the subject. Its price is $10. The Ground Glass Focusing Back for the Ektra possesses several interesting design features, which fit it both for accurate and studied composition of general scenes, and for extremely critical focusing on close-up subjects — such as table-top scenes, medical specimens, and line or tone copy. The price is $25. The Ektra Flash Synchronizer attaches to the top of the camera by means of the Ektra's accessory clip, and the tripper unit is simply screwed into the cable release opening of the camera. The price is $17.50. The Kodak Tripod Clearance Head for the Ektra is a compact, inexpensive unit which raises the camera a short distance above the tripod head. This allows the hinged cover of the Magazine Back to be opened for loading or unloading, or another Magazine Back to be substituted, without removing the camera from the tripod. The price of this unit is $1.25. Agfa Ansco Adopts 68 Temperature Standard # After lengthy study of all factors involved, a new temperature standard has been adopted by Agfa Ansco, specifying a value of 68° Fahrenheit (20° Centigrade) for the development of Agfa films and papers. Recommendations have formerly called for a developing temperature of 65° F. with films, 70° F. with papers. Chief among the reasons for establishing t he new temperature standard has been the desire to simplify existing separate recommendations on film and paper development which have in the past been a source of some confusion. Related to this condition has also been the realization that developing solutions can usually be maintained more easih al 68° than 65°. It is expected that photographers using Agfa materials will experience little <>r no difficulty in changing over to the new standard and maintaining uniform quality in their results. Current issues of instruction --heels and booklets for Agfa photographic materials will obviously not be in agreement with the new temperature standard, hut this situation will be corrected as new editions are printed incorporating the 68° F. temperature standard. New G.E. Photoflash No. 50 G. E. 'Speed Midget" 9 Development of a new and revolutionaiy photoflash lamp producing a flash so brief as to freeze moderate motion and so fast as to greatly simplify synchronization was announced by General Electric's lamp department at Nela Park. It is called the G-E Mazda Speed Midget Photoflash Lamp SM. Although the SM has the same shape and size as that of the popular G-E mighty midget No. 5 flash lamp, it comes to peak of flash in l/200th of a second. In other words, the flash of the new "speed midget" lamp reaches its peak four times faster than does the flash from the No. 5 or the flash of any other G-E synchro-press lamp. The new source produces only about one-fourth as much light as does the G-E No. 5 midget bulb. Nevertheless, the SM's flash has been found to be ample when used with the improved films now available. Thus the SM fits into the trend toward ever-faster film speeds, better lenses, and smaller equipments. Human and animal subjects photographed by the new speed midget seem to be less aware of its mild flash of short duration than they are of flashes produced by other photolamps. Unlike other types of photoflash lamps, the G-E SM lamp employs no aluminum leaf, free wire, or shredded foil within its bulb. Instead, a small amount of chemical paste applied to the ends of the lead-in wires (in an atmosphere of oxygen) produces the SM's rapid flash. List price 13 cents. Beattie Hollywood Hi-Lite New Catalog Ready A new catalogue of magazine type is now coming off the press for Beattie's Hollywood Hi-Lite Co., manufacturers of fluorescent and incandescent lighting equipment for photographic studios. The publication is said to include reproductions ill the liner work of some of the nation's leading Mill photographers, illustrations and methods for obtaining dramatic lighting effects, as well as a complete and informative description of the new models brought out this year by this firm. Copies are free on request to readers of International Photographer at the main offices at 1560 North Vine Street, while a Beattie equipped studio is open for the inspection of both professionals and amateurs. Kodachrome Processing Now Possible at Three Places • Kodachrome Film in the 35mm. and Bantam sizes can now be processed at laboratories in Rochester, Chicago, and Hollywood, and should be sent to the nearest one, the Eastman Kodak Company announces. The addresses are: Eastman Kodak Company, 1017 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, California; Eastman Kodak Company, 1712 Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, New York. New Address Landers Camera Rentals • Landers Camera Rentals has moved and is now located at 6373 DeLongpre Avenue, near Ivar Street, Hollywood. This is only a few blocks from the old location and the phone number remains the same. Sam feels that his customers and friends will find it easier to park their cars near the new DeLongpre address. Powerful New G. E. Photoflash • A new powerful photoflash lamp — designed especially for the taking of color photos and news pictures of scenes covering considerable area — has just been announced by General Electric's lamp department at Nela Park, Cleveland. Designated as G-E Mazda Photoflash Lamp No. 50, the new source is rated at 100,000-120,000 lumen-seconds of light output. Its peak lumens are given as 5.5 millions. Light output of this new lamp, therefore, is double that of the familiar G-E Mazda Synchro-Press Lamp No. 21, is two-thirds that of G. E.'s huge No. 75 foil-filled photoflash lamp. That so much light can be generated by a flashbulb not much larger than the No. 21 lamp is attributed chiefly to the shredded foil with which the new No. 50 is filled. The No. 50 comes in an A21 bulb, has a maximum over-all length of 5% inches, and is equipped with a medium screw base. The G. E. No. 50 comes to peak of flash in .03 seconds. It has a list price of 22 cents. New Agfa Film for Fluorescent Screens • Agfa Ansco announces a new film known as Fluorapid, which is ideally suited to the direct photography of fluorescent screens. It is available in various lengths of perforated 35 mm film stock. Further information may be obtained by writing Medical Film Division, Agfa Ansco, Binghamton. New York. Agfa Minipan and Minipositive Films • Photographers and documentary technicians engaged in microcopying will be interested in two current developments affecting Agfa films used in their work. The films involved are Minipan and Minipositive. Agfa Minipan film, the new and yet already popular film of high resolving power for microcopying, is now supplied at a new, lower price. The 100-foot darkroom-loading and daylight-loading 35mm. spools now list at $5.25 each. Agfa Minipositive, a new film with an emulsion having special characteristics essential for microcopying, is now available to complement the function of Agfa Minipan. The standard 100-foot length, perforated or imperforated, darkroomloading spool of Minipositive lists at $3.75. For prices on other sizes and additional information address Graphic Film Division, Agfa Ansco, Binghamton, New York. 22