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| Glen Thompson with Yashica super 8 movie camera on tripod about 1973 |
Often we have posts on photography sites about what gear am I using?
What's in my bag?
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| Kodak Cameras. Left;Kodak Brownie 127 camera;. Retina 35mm camera on the right. Dad took most of his pics on this camera. |
What was it like in the pre digital days when amateur photographers were very serious about their craft?
This is an attempt to revisit photography in the 1950’s.
I was in my pre teens for much of the 1950’s.
My Dad, Glen Thompson, was a keen amateur photographer in those days.
So what did he use to practice his craft?
Camera:
35mm
His main go to camera was a Kodak Retina 35mm camera.
It had no rangefinder for accurate focussing,no meter,you had to activate the shutter each time to shoot,manual rewind and counting to avoide double exposures, had a flash synced at all speeds leaf shutter.
It had a very useful depth of field scale to enable accurate focussing based on aperture range.
Folding bellows compact but solid metal build camera.
Aperture range:f3.5 to f16
Shutter speed range: 1sec to 1/5oo sec.
T and B settings.
No hotshoe for flash but PC socket for external flash.
Focal length of lens: F =5cm
I still have this camera and have used it often. It is still in working order and what I learnt photography with.
The first camera I took a picture with was the Kodak Brownie 127 also pictured.
There would also be a Box Camera by Kodak
120mm film cameras: eg Agfa Isolette
Separate range finder:to attach to top of camera.
Lenses:close up lenses to screw on front of fixed lens.
Filters:various screw on lenses for black and white work.
Tripod:
Note Book: Purpose printed pocket data recorder.
Kodak Photography Aids: eg pocket Kodak Master Photoguide.
Films:
Negative Holders:
Enlarger and Home Darkroom:
Slide Projector:
Portable Screen:
Slide Boxes:
Standard 8 movie camera:
Standard 8 movie projector:
Movie Editor:
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| Dark room necessities. |
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| Agfa Isola 120 film camera |
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| Exposure record notebook.This isvery helpful in identifying shots in my dad's archive of negatives. |
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| This little book a wealth of informastion. Amaruer photographers f these times really knew their craft. |
