Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

November ist, 1933 The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER p 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a A Daintier Leica. The dainty Leica camera, which one sees everywhere nowadays, is unquestionably a de luxe instrument. But Messrs. Leitz (Mortimer Street, W.i) have not rested content with the high standard reached by the Model III, the up-to-date Leica with range-finder coupled up to the focussing lens mount, but are making it still more a de luxe instrument by putting all the exposed metal parts into chro¬ mium plate — not glit¬ tering chro¬ mium, such as the mo¬ torist loves, but chro¬ mium with a dull grain finish. The ordi¬ nary Leica finish, enam e 1 1 e d black, is to all practical intents and purposes good enough for anyone in Britain ; but this chromium finish does add a refinement to its appearance which is decidedly attractive. From the practical point of view I think it should be perhaps more serviceable in the Tropics ; and further, there is no danger of the chromium coming off, though the best of black cameras of all kinds shows signs of wear in a year or two. The newest Leica is going to sell on its appearance, and though a pretty camera does not produce better pictures than a drab black one, it is a fact that the pretty camera gets taken out more often. At any rate, dealers who received some of the first consignment of chromium Leicas found that they were easier to sell to discriminating customers than the same cameras in all-black finish. The Leica with this chromium finish costs 24s. extra. With the famous Leitz Elmar lens, which works at f/3.5, the new model costs £26 4s., compared with the orthodox Model III at £25. by which the prints adhere to the mount, they serve as an easy and certain method for ensuring that the print is straight and has equidistant spaces between the sides. Furthermore, the squares not required to make the print adhere form a very attractive half-tone background and give an effect somewhat equivalent to double mounting. The leaves of the “ Self-fix ” album may be removed and others inserted at will, by untying the silk-cord binding. They are prepared for mounting on both sides, and each leaf is interleaved with a satin-surface transparent paper, which not only adds to the attractiveness of the album, but completely protects the mounted prints. It is a long time since so novel and attractive a series of albums has been placed on the market. Prices range from 2s. 3d. for albums of 20 leaves 4I X 7 in., to 5s. for 30 leaves 8| x 11 f, bound in full paper covered stiff boards, blocked on the front in gold ; the de luxe series, having the same sizes and number of leaves, but bound in full burnished and padded rexine, being 3s. 6d. to 7s. Full particulars and prices may be obtained from Messrs. Dean & Co., at the address given above. Zeiss Ikon “ Nettar ” Camera. A 2 \ x 3J roll-hlm camera which is going to make many a photographer happy next season is the “ Nettar ” intro¬ duced by Zeiss Ikon, Ltd. (Mortimer Street, W.i) near the close of the 1933 snapshotting season. For ^3 10s. this jolly little camera gives you an f/6.3 Nettar anastigmat with focussing collar, and a Nettar shutter giving three instantaneous speeds (i/25th, i/5oth, r/iooth), as well as time ; and all its controls — stops, focussing and speeds — are in full view on top of the shutter mounting as you look down into your view-finder at waist-level. The camera is covered with a fabric which feels like leather, smells much like leather and looks as good as good leather. It does not look like an inexpensive ^3 10s. camera, in fact. The self-erecting arrangement acts on the pressure of a button, and your camera opens out at once to the infinity mark. You focus for nearer objects by rotating the front combination of the lens. There are on the shutter mounting two red spots to enable you to set the camera for use as a fixed-focus camera if you want it thus. The dimensions of this admirable little instrument are only 6 inches by about ij by 3^ inches. “Self-fix” Print Albums. Something quite new in albums has been patented and manufactured by Messrs. Dean & Co. (Stockport) Ltd., of Cheadle Heath Works, Stockport, Lancs, and is marketed under the title of “ Self-fix.” The leaves of the album are prepared with an adhesive, and it is only necessary to damp the back of the print and to press it into position. The adhesive compound, which is non-injurious to photo¬ graphs, is incorporated with the leaves of the album by a series of small squares. Thus, besides affording the medium Mr. E. J. Bedford, of whose exhibition work an account appears in this issue, is a man of many parts in photography. He is responsible, inter alia, for the excellent illustrations in the latest official guide to the old town of Lewes. Those who have to prepare local illustrations for any purpose might well study them as examples of what such pictures should be. The photographer who visits the town would also find the book itself an admirable and exhaustive guide. It is published at 6d. paper, and is. cloth boards, and is obtainable from The Lewes Press, Friars Walk, Lewes, Sussex. 20 413