Amateur Cine World (April 1934)

The FILM 2s . Pe is all right for holiday snap shotters, but give us plates”’ was once the cry from the professional. But now film is good for us all, and it is not only on account of cartage that film is scoring. Processing is now just as simple, almost more so than with plates. True, the latter had their advantages. They were more speedy than most film emulsions and they possibly had a little less grain. But their disadvantages generally outweighed their good points. Now fine grain developers, non-curling films, with a base almost as “ clear ’’ as glass are proving their worth. No fear now in enlarging. In a modern enlarger a film will enlarge as well as, in fact often better than, a plate. A film negative will generally hold more in the shadows than will a plate, and this is one of the big secrets of its success. Halation Troubles Rarely does a negative, however harshly treated soot up. The high lights hold, the shadows fill, a little more than is the case with a plate. Since under exposure is inevitable sometimes, this is a good asset to have in hand. Neither does a film suffer more than a plate if subjected to over exposure. However, in using film the chances of trouble being found in halation are increased as compared with plates. Unfortunately film is still not quite so easy to work on as glass for reducing or intensifying. Perhaps this is all to the Improving STILL PHOT OGRA good in some ways. Definitely it helps the trend toward getting it ‘‘ all in the neg.” In cine work, of course, it has always been essential to get everything in the negative, ‘leaving as little as possible to the printer, and no work at all for the retoucher. In still work this ideal seems to have lapsed and ‘‘ clean it up on the neg” has become a general idea. The Miniature Camera This tendency to slackness is gradually being killed by film. It is found easier and better to get a straight negative than to touch up afterward. Film and the miniature camera are definitely improving “ still”’ photography. In the amateur “cine”’ world the “ still’ man is turning more and more to celluloid. His results prove his wisdom. Film has also brought in its train the miniature camera. The improvement in quality of film emulsion and base has encouraged the miniature camera in its rapid development. It now threatens to overwhelm its big brother. The use of “ babies” is increasing daily, its field widening as the value of its work is more realised. Never before has it been possible to obtain results on films comparing so favourably with plates. Amateur and professional 23 Taken with a Leica camera. The original film is no bigger than a postage stamp. Photo] [Briggs By F. McCUBBINS photographers owe a real debt to all the makers of miniature cameras for so strongly proving to them the advantages of film for still work. HALF-A-GUINEA FOR A HINT We offer half-a-guinea for every hint published in ‘“‘ Amateur Cine World”’ that will enable readers to get the best out of their hobby. There are no stipulations other than that it should be practical and useful. We prefer hints and tips submitted to be as short as possible and sketches will be welcomed. They need not be finished drawings for our artists can refashion them to publication standard. Address ‘your entry: Hints Com petition, The Editor, ‘“‘Amateur Cine World,’ Link House, 4-7, Greville Street, London, E.C.1. Hints for the May issue of ‘Amateur Cine World” (on sale April 15) should reach us not later than March 26th.