Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

Ihf AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER ,o 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER o July 26th, 1933 _ Viewed a _ Reviewed by J.E.J. The Tiniest Camera. The constant progress in the design of small cameras has produced at last a real pigmy instrument, using two frames of 16-mm. film for each negative on the strip of film. Put a household matchbox alongside it, and the camera looks a toy by comparison ; but it is far from being a toy — its f/3.5 anastigmat and Compur shutter alone would indicate that it is a serious little instrument. This camera, the “ Mini-Fex,” comes from the Continent, and I discovered it in the showrooms of the Westminster Photographic Exchange (62, Piccadilly, W.), 'where they specialise in small highgrade cam¬ eras, as well, of course, as in larger ap¬ paratus. The makers recommend fine-grain film such as the P e r u t z — though, of course, most films to-day are fine¬ grained. Special unperforated films of 16-mm. width (not just cine film adapted) are made for this camera by the Perutz, Mimosa and Gevaert firms. The negatives I saw were on Perutz fine-grain film, which costs is. iod. per roll of 36 exposures. The picture area is 13 x 18 mm., and the image is capable of standing a high degree of magnification in the enlarging, say up to 8J X 6| in. The dimensions of the camera body are 3! in. long, J in. thick and ij in. wide, with a Compur shutter holding an f/3.5 Meyer Trioplan anastigmat whose diameter was no bigger than the end of a lead pencil added to it. There would have been abundant excuse for the makers if they had made this a fixed-focus instrument with such a tiny film to cover and such a short-focus lens. But in their enthusiasm for precision they give the lens a focussing movement so that you can focus for infinity, 20 ft., and 10, 7, 5, 4 and 3 ft. This is indeed precision. There is a tubular direct-vision finder fixed to the camera frame ; the camera has a pressure plate inside to keep the film in place ; and loading is simple. The optical equipment I have described is fitted to the standard model which the Westminster firm are displaying, and it costs ^8 17s. ; but there are other models fitted with a cheaper lens and shutter and also with anastigmats of still bigger aperture. Most photographers who like this baby camera (and they will be many) will, I think, be content with the Meyer Trioplan and the Compur shutter. Anyway, a camera so equipped, which weighs about five ounces and will provide negatives which will enlarge considerably, is an astonishing little instrument, and no one in these days can say that £8 17s. is an extravagant charge to make for it. Another good Voigtlander “ miniature.” A new model in the Voigtlander range of rollfilm cameras, which provides 16 vest-pocket pictures on an eight-expo¬ sure roll of 2 J X 3J film is the “ Virtus,” a really well-made, efficient instrument, with the advantage of focussing while the camera is closed and then opening automatic¬ ally to the chosen setting on the pressure of a button. This wheel focussing of the Voigtlander cam¬ eras, with the wheel edged with a ladder¬ like collar, is an excellent device. You can focus with your gloves on, if you are a photographer who wears gloves when he searches for his pic¬ tures, but apart from that advantage, which may appeal to the fussy few, it is a pleasant and exact method of getting your focus right, with a clearlymarked scale to guide you. You can, of course, alter the focus when the camera is open at the " ready ” position. This camera, moreover, has a tubular optical finder which adjusts itself to give you a true indication of the picture in dealing with close-ups, as the finder is linked up with the focussing mechanism. This aid to precision work is a decided advantage. With dimensions of 5 x 3 X 1 J in., the “ Virtus ” is a real pocket instrument. Fitted with the Voigtlander Skopar anastigmat of f/3.5 aperture and a Compur shutter, it costs £11 7s. 6d. With the Skopar f/4.5 anastigmat and a three-speed delayedaction shutter the price comes down to £7 17s. 6d. But the gem of the series, with the Voigtlander Heliar f/3.5 — the lens for the connoisseur — costs ^13 13s. Incidentally, it is good to see the popularity of the f/3.5 anastigmat with makers and users in these days, especially on small cameras. With a first-class f/3.5, fast “ pan.” film and a shutter like the Compur, with its fine array of slow automatic speeds, the photographer of to-day who tries to do difficult work or high-quality work is far better off than we older stagers were a few years ago, and it is good to see that a firm of the standing of Voigtlander are giving them such opportunities. 28 96