Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

December 27th, 1933 M AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER t> 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a a Materials Viewed d Reviewed by J E S. New Kodak Lines. " The Kodak Panatomic fine-grain film — the panchromatic film that gives such beautiful negatives in small cameras — is now put up in daylight-loading casing for the Leica camera at 4s. per spool of 36 exposures. A step in the right direc¬ tion, as Leica-users will agree. Kodak are now supplying a wide-angle projection lens for their Kodascope Eight Projector, Model 30. This lens, which is made by Dallmeyer, is of f-in. focal length, with an aperture of f/1.8, and its effect is to give a wider picture on the screen with a short throw. Made with the care which Dallmeyer’s bestow on their projection lenses, a line in which they have been distinctly enterprising, this little lens, costing £2 5s., is a useful accessory which many delighted owners of the 8-mm. films will insist on adding to their equipment, especially when the Kodascope Eight is used for larger family audiences than usual in the New Year party season. Cameras for the Pocket. A good, serviceable range of pocket cameras, better known in Germany than over here, will soon be better known in Britain. They are the Certix cameras made by the Certo firm of Dresden, and they are now being distri¬ buted in this country by the energetic firm of Actina, Ltd. (29, Red Lion Square, W.C.i). At the moment Messrs. Actina are concentrating their attention on the smaller types of pocket cameras so popular at the present time, but they are equally ready to provide photographers with some of the sturdy compact " Certo ’’ models of plate and film-pack cameras in larger sizes, which follow the usual Continental Style of a strong, rigid, cast U-front. Sound value for ^3 12s. 6d. is offered in the " Certix ” 2i X 3i roll-film model, with Certonar f/6.3 anastigmat and a Vario shutter (i/25th, i/5oth and i/iooth sec., T. and B.). This is a self-erecting camera with a front that stays erect at a true right angle and remains unshakable. Focussing is by a rotating lens collar. The camera has a hinged back, a really positive catch for a fastening, and a pair of finders — one brilliant pattern and the other directvision with back-sighter. A little refinement not always found on inexpensive cameras is the doubly-sure method of fixing the bellows to the frame so that there cannot be any light leakage unless you are foolish enough to puncture the bellows. This is good value, but the same type of camera, with a Certar f/4.5 and a Pronto shutter with delayed action (same speeds as the cheaper model), at £\ 15s., is even better value, as for the extra price you get the advantage of f/4.5 and rather more ornate finish (nickel-plated struts, for example). Both these cameras are made to take either eight 2| x 3 J exposures on a roll of film, or sixteen vest-pocket exposures. When seeking the half-size negatives a removable mask is fitted inside the camera. This costs 8s. As they are only 6 in. long by in. thick and 2J in. wide, Messrs. Actina are not exaggerating when they call them pocket cameras. If you are interested in them, and your dealer does not stock them, drop a line to Messrs. Actina for any further particulars. New lkonta with F/3.5 Lens. One or two of the new camera models just introduced by Zeiss Ikon, Ltd. (Mortimer Street, W.i) have decidedly good points to commend them. A new lkonta 520, compact in size, made to take 16 negatives on an eight-exposure spool of 2 J x 3 J film, a camera equipped with an f/3.5 Novar anastigmat and a Compur shutter (without delayed-action device) costs £g 12s. 6d. It has the lkonta self-erecting advantages, and the tapering ends of the body which add to its appearance as well as diminish its bulk ; and it is, of course, well made, with leather covering and a baseboard held by rigid, non¬ shaking struts. It has two finders, one of eye-level form and one brilliant. I believe that the f/3.5 lens is growing in popularity not only with reflex users and owners of “ baby ” cameras, but with other camera users, more especially those who want to undertake artificial light work with some of the new and wonderful panchromatic roll films. One thing I like about this camera is the fact that the lens-collar (by which it is focussed) is deep enough to carry comfortably a clip-on lens hood, when the camera is open for use. No f/3.5 lens (or f/4.5 either) ought ever to be used without a lens hood. To Clean Your Lenses. A useful help to the photographer who likes to keep his apparatus in first-class order is the Kodak Lens-Cleaning Outfit, consisting of a small bottle of cleaning fluid (of a rather attractive pale rose colour) and a piece of selected chamois leather, which, all told, will cost him only is. 3d. I am assured that this cleaning liquid will clean the lens without harming it in the slightest — Kodak can certainly be relied upon to see that the right stuff is put forward, of course. There is no question that many amateurs do need some aid of this kind. Dirty lenses, with dust, and finger-marks (often " greasy ”) upon them are seen frequently on photographic excursions, and this is the stuff to remove them, and leave the lens as clean as it ought to be if it is to do its best and most brilliant work. The cleaning fluid can also be used with equal utility on spectacles and binoculars. 596 22