Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1935)

Tw AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER t> 6 C1HEMAT0GRAPHER a October 2nd, 1935 | etters to the Editor The Editor is not responsible for the opinions of his correspondents. APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITION PICTURES. Sir, — About a year ago you published statistics of the apparatus used by contributors to the articles " How I make my Exhibition Prints.” At that time the reflex reigned supreme, but you ventured to forecast that the miniature camera would have usurped its place by the end of another year. With this in mind I have compiled a further list taken from September, 1934, to September, 1935. In this, I have treated the 2\ x 2\ as roll film, not miniature, but give the number of each, i.e., 2^X2j and 2^x3^. Reflex, 20; Folding Plate, 12; Roll Film, 12 (2JX2J), 4 ; Miniature, 3 ; Reflex and plate, 3 ; Reflex and roll film, 3. Sizes. — J-plate, 12; 3^X2j, 12; 3jX2-j-, 8; 2JX2J, 4. Lenses. — |-plate, 6 to 8£ in. ; 3J X2j, 4J to 5J in. Only six used telephoto lenses, usually 12 to 17 in. on ^-plate and 9 to 10 in. on 3J X2J. Printing processes. — Bromide, 23 ; Chloro-bromide, 14 ; Others, 3. As I interpret the results, the reflex is still the most popular, but the number of 3^ X 2% has increased, as also has the number of folding plate and roll film. Miniatures have increased by one only. In printing processes I have counted the use of bromide and chloro-bromide as one for each. On this, bromide is still the most popular, but there is a definite increase in the use of chloro-bromide. It can be seen, therefore, that your prophecy has gone somewhat astray, and although the miniature is highly and rightly popular, its use as a method of producing exhibition prints appears to be frowned on. Trusting this may be of interest. — Yours, etc., C. ALLEN. THE “CORREX” TANK. Sir, — I have read with considerable interest the letter of Mr. A. L. Spence in the September 4th, 1935, issue, page 239, concerning his problem with the "Correx” tank. My own ex¬ perience with the tank in question indicates that one should have nothing but spotless, clean negatives, fully developed, free from air bubbles and free from variations in density when the tank is correctly used. I am wondering whether Mr. Spence makes use of the little agitating knob which comes with the tank. Use of this knob is most essential. The majority of amateur enthusiasts either rock the film reel back and forth by hand or employ a mechanical agitator driven by a motor. I do not know whether Mr. Spence develops Leica films or films of similar area and length, but as I have had experience with the tank constructed for the Leica camera and the tank for roll films, I feel that if Mr. Spence will adopt the procedure below he will experience no difficulty in securing proper nega¬ tives. The following procedure, however, should be followed religiously : 1. — After the film is loaded on the reel, be sure that the end clip (as Mr. Spence is already aware) is not pulled too taut. 2. — Fill the tank with clear water and soak the film for at least two minutes. 3. — Pour out the water and pour in the developer and agitate the reel through the entire time of development, either mechanically or by a motor-driven agitator. 4. — Upon completion of development, wash the film in running water for at least three minutes. The easiest way to do this is to secure a small length of hose that will fit in the hole of the Correx tank, and can be attached to the faucet. 5. — Pour out the rinse water and soak the film for at least five minutes in a hardening solution. We have several types in the United States, among which the hardener called “ Claro ” is particularly useful. 6. — After the reel has been in the hardening solution for about five minutes, rinse it briefly and then fill the tank with hypo. Agitate the reel until fixation is completed. 7. — Wash film thoroughly in running water for ten or fifteen minutes, and when washing is completed : 8. — Fill the tank with a solution of citric acid — one ounce of citric acid by weight to thirty-two ounces of water. Agitate film in this solution for about one minute — then hang it on the film clips and swab both sides gently with a Viscose sponge. Fine grain is accentuated by quick drying. The writer uses an electric heater with a small fan which will dry a strip of Leica film in fifteen minutes, taking care that the room is reasonably dust-free. May I say to Mr. Spence that if he will follow the foregoing procedure, keeping his temperatures within 60 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit, he will be absolutely amazed at the improvement in negatives. Following the foregoing routine, and using a new fine-grain developer on sale in the United States, known as " S-10,” the writer is enabled to secure needle-sharp 16 X 20 in. prints from Leica negatives ; and when I say “ needle sharp ” I mean it in all that the two words imply. In fact, this same procedure enables one to obtain prints from Leica negatives of very good detail, 40 in. in width, using, of course, a fine-grain film to start with. Mostly I use Eastman Panatomic film, which, with the S-10 fine-grain developer, produces negatives of pleasing softness for enlarging purposes. If Mr. Spence will adhere to the above procedure, he will have no more blotchy films, and if he is using an enlarger he will be swept off his feet when he views the detail of the image projected up to a width, let us say, of 30 in. — Yours, etc., E. E. BUCHER. 33, Prescott Avenue, Montclair, N.J., U.S.A. Sir, — Replying to Mr. A. L. Spence, the only help he needs is that contained in the instructions, and if he follows these carefully he will have no further troubles. I use this tank, have never had any trouble, and find it very easy to keep clean. I have no connection with the makers. — Yours, etc., N. MEYER. TROUBLE WITH ROLL-HOLDER. Sir, — Referring to your correspondent’s letter, signed " S. G. J.,” in which he describes trouble experienced with a roll-holder, I beg to submit the following observations. The fact that defective focus occurs either in the centre of the negative or at the edges only, and not uniformly over the whole, seems to indicate that the trouble is due to the bellows being almost air-tight, the film being sucked into a bulge each time the camera is extended for use. As a simple remedy I suggest that S. G. J. extends the camera before winding the film into position No. 1 for his first exposure, and that after finally winding and making this exposure the film be left in position No. 1 until the camera has been extended for use a second time, the last operation before pressing the bulb being to wind on the film to position No. 2, and so on. If this precaution gives improved results, steps might be taken to ventilate the bellows. — Yours, etc., I. DOUGLAS BARROW. Sir, — " Trouble with Roll-holder.” It sounds as though the film does not always lie flat, thus causing edges or centre of picture to be out of focus. I suggest that S. G. J. examines the margins of his negatives where any evidence of want of flatness should be apparent. — Yours, etc., H. R. KERSHAW. Sir, — With reference to the enquiry from S. G. J. re the abovein your issueof September 4th. The trouble'is either caused by the shutter or part of it having worked loose, or more probably the tail-board has sagged slightly, thereby causing the lens to be out of the parallel with the film. Until I dis¬ covered the latter fault I wasted a considerable number of exposures and time on needless repairs. — Yours, etc., ROLFE MITCHELL. 26 340