Zuikoholics should not read this!!
I'm reading an an intro book called "Camera and Lens: Basic Photo vol 1"
(Morgan and Lester, New York, 1948) by Ansel Adams.
There are some surprises here, guys. On p45, it sounds like Ansel had a
view camera equivalent to a teleconverter:
"Some telephoto lenses- such as the Dalmeyer Adon- are of variable focal
length. A 'negative' (diverging) lens is used to magnify the image formed
by the 'positive' (convergent) lens. The degreee of magnification is
altered by changing the lens-to-negative distance and the les is then
adjusted to sharp focus by slight increase or decrease in the distance
between the elements of the lens . Such combinations demand that the
qualtity of the positive lens be of the highest order."
On setting up a tripod, a topic I had thought was completely obvious but
about which he had far more experince, he says,
"When the camera is being set on a tripod, one leg of the tripod should
extend straight ahead (or back) of the camera, directly below the lens axis.
Then the other two legs, extending on eithrr side of the camera, can be used
to level it from side to side. Readjusting the first leg levels the camera
backward and forward, so that it is not tilted up nor down. Thus the camera
is brought into the basic position. and remains perfectly horizontal no
matter which way it is rotated upon the tripod."
That was a breakthrough for me. Strangely, when all adjustments have been
zero'ed out on my tripod head, the bubble levels say that the legs have to
be of unequal length. So, a) the vintage legs don't all extend to the same
angle or b) the head's zero marking is wrong, or c) some wicked combination.
On miniature cameras (from 6 cms. x 6 cms. on down apparently) he says in
part,
"Processing of miniature negatives requires facility in and knowledge of the
delicate problems of exposure and development......
"Suggested Equipment List For Miniature Camera Photography...... Camera
(Contax, Ektra, Leica) with Everready case and second small case for
accessories and extra film. ... I feel that high-speed lenses are seldom
required for average outdoor work, but are necessary for genral indoor work,
when exposing under poor lighting conditions, and that high-speed
photography..... Accessories: lens brush, cable release, extra spools, lens
cap, exposure meter, notebook, viewing filter, lens and filter boxes, and a
light, steady tripod equipped with a good tilting tripod head completes this
important equipment listing.....
A final admonition: Keep the equipment as simple as possible: the miniature
camera tends to spawn an overwhelmingly large family of distracting
gadgets."
:) Does that sound like anyone we know?
Lamadoo
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