Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1937)

January 13th, 1937 The AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER I a 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER o | Modern Miniature Cameras Miniature Camera Gossip By LANCELOT VINING. THE ENSIGN “ MIDGET ” AND “DOUBLE-8.” THE “ Midget ” camera is primarily intended to be a continual companion to its owner ; the makers describe it as ‘ the camera for every-day wear.” With this in mind, the “ Midget ” has been made considerably smaller than most other cameras tak¬ ing pictures of size 3x4 cm. In the ordinary way, this size is obtained on a stand¬ ard V.P. film by making sixteen ex¬ posures in¬ stead of the usual eight, the small pict u r e s ob¬ tained being set transIk Ensign “ Double8.” versely upon the strip of film, which is a little over 4 cm. in width. The small size of the Midget ” has been made possible by introducing for it a special film little more than 3 cm. in width, upon which the six pictures fall end to end in conventional style. This has enabled the width of the camera to be reduced to if in., while the slim¬ ness of the roll made up by a film giving only six ex¬ posures instead of the customary sixteen has enabled the over-all thickness to be brought down to five-eighths of an inch. The result is that the camera, which is only 3^ in. long, is almost unnoticeable in the pocket. "The front of the camera pulls out in press-camera style, and is locked by four struts. Besides the lens, it carries a shutter giving speeds of i/25th, i/5oth and i/iooth sec., Bulb and Time, except in the “ Model 22,” the shutter of which gives one snapshot speed and Time. Two view-finders are fitted, except to the cheapest model, one being a folding frame finder and the additional one a small brilliant finder which swings out on an arm for horizontal pictures. Model 22, priced at 22s., has an “ All-Distance ” fixed-focus lens of fixed aperture, and the simple shutter just mentioned. Model 33, at 33s., has the more versatile three-speed shutter, and the “ AllDistance ” lens can be stopped down if desired. To the most expensive member of the family, the Model 55, is fitted an f/6.3 Ensar anastigmat lens, with iris diaphragm. Focussing down to 3 ft. is possible with this lens. In this model, which sells at 55s., the three-speed shutter is retained. With each camera is included a n e a t leather slip case, which serves to protect the lens, which the presscamera style of construc¬ tion would otherwise leave ex¬ posed. Sixexposure films for the “ Midget ” cost from 6d. (ordinary) to 9d. (panchro The Ensign “Midget.'* matic). The “ Double-8 ” camera, the over-all size of which is 3f x 2§ x i5/i6ths in., is built on very similar lines, but gives 16 exposures 3x4 cm. on a standard V.P. spool, which accounts for its slightly larger size. It is fitted with an Ensar anastigmat working at f/4.5, and focussing* to 3 ft., set in a three-speed shutter of the type used in the “ Midget.” Apart from the larger size, and such differences of construction as are evident in the illustrations, the “ Double-8 ” differs from the “ Midget ” chiefly in having an enclosed direct-vision optical finder in place of the frame. The back of the camera bears a useful depth-of-focus table. The “ Double-8 ” is made only in the one model described, which, complete in leather slip case, costs £3 12s. 6d. A Miniature Worker’s Paradise. AS usual, Bertram Mills’s Circus is r\ full of good things, and the serious worker, seeking perhaps an exhibition picture or two, will find that he will have to make more than one visit. I have seen the show already three times and am still unsatisfied, for there are so many different angles from which each turn can be photo¬ graphed. As a guide to those making their first visit, I will grade the turns in terms of the shutter speeds required, fast being i/iooth and 1 /50th, medium i/25th, and slow i/ioth and i/5th. Fast. — Liberty Horses, Peerless Pot¬ ters, Ferroni, Eight Danwills, Four Cosmaries, Keystone, the Cumberlands, Frederico and the Kimris. in “ Cinderella ” at the Coliseum. In one of his dances he does a “ splits ” jump during which he bursts two bal¬ loons (see illustration). For the sake of a picture I purposely exposed before he did this, but I am going to find time for a second visit, just to see if I can expose as the balloons burst. I shall go up to 1 /200th and i/5ooth, as he does this trick twice, but I shall have to be very nippy in changing shutter speeds, as there are only a few seconds between the two attempts. I am doubtful about the result, but at least it will be an interesting experiment. Spoiling the Developer. I have a letter from Mr. R. H. C., asking me if I can explain why the fourth film developed in acertain fine-grain developer was so thin that it proved impossible to obtain a print from any of the exposures. This is his de¬ velopment method. He mixed 40 oz. of developer, took out a Leica tank full and developed three Agfa I.S.S. films ; then he returned the used, weakened, and I expect dirty, liquid Freddie Carpenter bursting balloons at the Coliseum, _// 1 . 5 , 1/125//; sec. Medium. — Maurice and May, Chris¬ tian’s Dogs, Baring’s Zebra, the Two Yeldings, Judge’s Chimpanzees. Slow. — Knie’s Tigers, the Four Palms, Quintillia and the Five Kemmys (see illustration). This year many of the turns have gone all “ arty,” and the spot-lights are coloured, red, green, blue and straw, so use a fast pan. film, vary your expo¬ sures and do not spare the films. After all, the Circus only comes once a year. But remember that personal application for a permit, to be had at the Press office at the main entrance, is necessary before taking photographs. back into the un¬ used developer. Three weeks later he developed his fourth film, an Agfa Isopan F. Mr. C. also states that he used an AVO II meter set at 500 H. & D. for his exposures ; well, I hope he altered it for the Isopan F. as this film is about half the speed of the I.S.S. I have used the developer in question Around the Pantomimes. These as usual provide plenty of material for the experimenter with a miniature camera. There is plenty of changing light, both as regards strength and colour, but there is no need to give up exposing because it goes yellow (straw), golden or red, for with a fast pan. film in your camera the results will surprise you. The ballroom scene is always a blaze of light, and f/3.5 can safely be used here, but when the woodland glade arrives you will probably have to open up to full aperture. Being a speed fiend I was on the look-out for the fast dancers, and I think that if there was a prize for this I would award it to Freddie Carpenter The Five Kemmys at Olympia. Blue and deep red spot-lights, // 2, i/ioth sec. with success, but have never returned the used solution to the unused, and would not think of doing so unless the makers advised it ; also I never put more than three films through one tank of developer, and I would not do even that if used developer had been standing for more than a week. 33 17