Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14
DETECTIVE CAMERAS.
The Little Instruments Serve for
Amusement Only Now Days.
GOOD RESULTS FROM THEIR USE.
Troubles the Amateurs Usually Encounter
and the Remedies.
FOCUSING AND GETTING VIEW
lwnIrrrN ron THE DIspArcH.l ]

progress made In photography is the detec-
tive camera. Intended at first for the pur-
pose from which its name is derived, it has
now come to be used almost entirely by
amateurs, who have not the time or inclina-
ton to carry around with them the tripod
and other paraphernalia incidental to the
old style cameras. The chief charm of the
detective camera is its compactness; it en-
braces in its little form all the necessary
features Of the larger instruments and Is
capable of doing the best of work when
properly manipulated.
And singularly enough it is easier to take
good pictures with the more modern detec-
tive cameras than with the regulation tripod
instruments. All that is necessary is to
"know your camera Find out, by expert
menting with one or two plates, the rapidity
OF the lens and then; govern your exposures
with the diaphragms according to the degree
OF light. Nowadays there. are scores of
styles and makes in detective cameras, and
while no one set of rules can be laid down
for all of them there is sufficient similar
lty to enable the writer to give a general
idea as to the best mode of handling it.
HOW TO GET THE FOCUS.
With one or two exceptions, the focusing
in detective cameras is accomplished with
the regulation bellows, manipulated auto
matically by a lever, thumbscrew or similar
appliance from the outside Of the box. tits
not necessary to stop and catch the focus
accurately on piece of ground glass, the
index on your box does away with that
There is, however, no reason why the
operator cannot follow the old style OF focus
ing if he wants to get c particularly fine and
accurate focus on any specially priced SUBJ
ject, as every detective camera the writer
has seen is provided with the regulation
piece of ground glass to be used ii desired.
1t is hardly necessary to repeat the
cautions given in the early papers of this
series regarding the handling of plate hold
ers, the choice of subjects, the angle oflight,
etc. The same rules are to be followed as
closely in using detective cameras as the
others. There is no difference whatever in
the general principles upon which the two
species of cameras are constructed. But
there are minor details in the manipulation
of the detective camera which require
special explanation. The principal OF these
is the shutter. The shutters used in most
detective cameras are so arranged that the
speed may beregulated at will. This makes
it possible to take instantaneous pictures in
ALMOST AMI DEGREE OF LIGHT
outdoors. The brighter the light of course,
the quicker the shutter must be. In taking
marine views, for instance, in clear, sun
shiny weather, the shutter should be used
at almost top speed, with a small-sized stop
in the lens. Pictures of moving objects
should also be exposed with rapid shutter.
The speed should be modified for stationary
objects, and where the light is subdued the
shutter should be very slow. Time exposures
can be made by opening the shutter half
way and leaving it in that position as long
as desired. Many of the shutters have pneu-
matte tube attachments for making time ex-
posures. -.
One point that is well to remember in this
connection is to be sure and "set" the shut
ter before pulling out the slide of your plate
holder. unless you take care to have the lens
capped if you set the shutter after pulling
out the slide.;-s have seen many negatives
spoiled simply by having double impress
sion made on them, one while setting the
shutter and the other in releasing it.
ROLLS OF THE FILM.
The new "roll holders" carrying roll of
transparent films, which are attachable to
the detective cameras, save lot of weight
and trouble, if the operator wants to take a
lot of pictures on pleasure. trip, etc. The
rolls can take from "a to 100 exposures with
out being removed. but for ordinary work
the regular dry plates with their easily
handled holders are preferable for the
amateur. He can develop his own pictures
much more readily and with better results
if he sticks to the dry plates.
The temptation to snap the detective
camera at any, and all objects, which, for
the moment may seem attractive. is very
strong, and leads the amateur at first to
,rarfa rnuoh tina and ,napv of Va
member having exposed at least 100 plates,
from which never even took proof, for
the simple reason that there was nothing in
them to make it worth while. Don't throw
away good material as 1 did. Choose your
subjects well, and then take every care to
get the best result obtainable. Be very care
full to hold your camera at the proper angle
when making an exposure. Hold it as
nearly on level as possible. Do not point
it too far upward or downward or you will
get horrible distortions in the lines of your
pictures.
PICTURES OF ANIMALS.
In taking pictures of horses cows or other
ANIMALS, avoid "head on" exposures. Take
a side view, If you don't you will find in
most cases that the head oe the animal will
be larger than and out of all proportion to
the rest of the body.
DOu Sudp tOuE CdLu6Fd Ou ueu WHO mdy-
hap might object. as sore head and broken
camera might result.
Test the little view finder, which is one of
the blessings connected with detective
cameras. To do this take a peep at the
ground glass at the back of your camera
when focused on given view, and then
look at the same view through the finder.
IF the finder shows as much of the view and
no more than tine ground glass, all is we'll,
but you will probably discover that the
finder does not display as much as the
ground glass. You must then make slight
allowance in swapping pictures.
ALI amateurs will find much valuable
information regarding the use OF detective
and other cameras in the american annual
of Photography for 1891, which has just been
published. 1t contains, in addition to its
usual features, excellent iormule for every
conceivable Photographic preparation.
W. o. EsCHwEGE.