International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

Twenty-two T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER May, 1934 An All Around Compact Camera P^tey~l ANY photographers, both professionals and the serious-minded amateurs, like an all around compact camera. This camera should be versatile enough to do several kinds of work. Such a camera can be had in an ordinary 3% by 4*4 or 3^4 by 5y2 roll and plate camera. I have a 3J4 by 5^ Zeiss Ikon fitted with a 6 inch Zeiss Tessar and I use everything in it from the motion picture film to the full 3% by 5j/2 plates or roll film. *P«IL XO, IQ34HOLiyVOCDCALiF. (Make It Yourself) By Paul R. Harmer 24 gauge plate. This void must be taken care of by gluing a piece of velvet or black paper, just the width of the film, to the camera back. A small piece of black leather should now be glued to the top and bottom of the lens side of the aperture plate. This is to stop any light leaks when the lens is open. Paint the plate with black lacquer and polish very carefully where the film will touch it, because a small scratch will spoil a picture. QtB=^n 1 i-K-» 1 1 — P-l r | : i IKKOFCMIM SIDEi/iCW SUN SHADE FILTFR HOLDER This same lens serves all purposes by using a 4^4 incn supplementary attachment and a 9 inch supplementary attachment. There is no need of making any change in the camera at all in order to use these various films ; the only requirement is a few accessories, easily carried in the kit, or installed before going on a trip. I will show you exactly how I handle motion picture film and then you can use your own ideas about the other size roll films. Making an aperture is the first step. I used 24 gauge brass plate, just the size of the aperture in the camera shown, 3j4 by 5j4 inches. In the center of this plate is the aperture for the motion picture film 31/32 of an inch by 3 inches long. I chose this size because I wanted to get all the picture my 4^4 supplementary attachment would permit and yet allow big enlargements for 1 1 by 33 inch panels, also this size aperture gives me a full figure 2 feet wide and 6 feet high at 10 feet. If a smaller aperture is wanted it is easy to mask off from the inside. The next step is to put the film guides on the aperture plate. This, too, is of 24 gauge brass and overlaps the top, sides and bottom; allow \y% of an inch for the width of the film, then sweat solder these guides securely to the aperture plate. This aperture plate should now fit in your camera snugly. Careful fitting is necessary, a small screw or bolt can now be placed in each of the four corners, to hold it fast. If you are afraid of injuring your camera a short piece of adhesive tape will hold it in place, as the aperture plate fits snug and can't move either in or out because of the guides and the back of the camera. The next step is to set the roller guides in place, using a straight edge; see if the aperture plate aligns with them. This is very necessary. Your film must run straight and remain in a perfectly flat plane. The motion picture film is only six one-thousandths of an inch thick and lies down below the surface of the !«D The take up spools are made of hard wood, a hole is drilled 15/32 of an inch in diameter. Place the piece of wood on a lathe, centering the hole in the chuck and turn the piece down to 1-3/16 in diameter. Cut them off about Y2. inch long. They will now slip over the axle of the regular spools which any photograph finishing shop can supply. Place them in their holders in the camera and carefully line them up with a piece of film. They should fit snugly to the film, so you can use a black paper backing for your film and have daylight loading. Try a piece of old film and count the number of turns on the film take up. You will soon see how many turns are necessary to bring your pictures up out of the way. The next item to consider is the focus of your camera ; very few folding cameras are properly focused by the scale which comes with them from the factory. Use a piece of ground film or ground glass ; be sure it is in perfect position, then make your own focus scale. Make a separate scale for each lens combination. I prefer to do this at night. I use a carbon light. One of the wires to this light is cut and bared, just a small piece of copper screen about one inch square is fastened to each of these bare ends, then take a glass of water and add some salt. By moving these two little pieces of screen toward each other the carbon light brightens and moving these screens apart the carbon light dims. Focus on the filament and use a strong magnifying glass. The better you do this job, the better your pictures will be. For infinity focus on a distant electric sign or a star. A suitable view finder must be had. I used a white wire on the finder that was already on the camera, as you can see in the picture. If you wish to use small plates it is easy to take a thin piece of sheet metal and cut to the size that fits in the plate holder. If you wish to use smaller cut negatives, cut an aperture in this sheet metal, but leave about half an inch in the corners. Cut a small slot in this piece so Ple7se mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.