Evening star., 1950-05-07

Spring weather always OEluSS
out a new crop of potential pho
tographers. People get the urge
to get out in the open and take
pictures. They are not always so
sure about how to get started.
The biggest hurdle. Of course. is
the selection OF a camera.
We have always felt and con-
tinue to feel that the beginner
should take his first pictures with
the simplest box camera he can
get his hands on and after learn
ing what the combination Of light.
film and lens will do. progress TO
more complex equipment.
Today. We will discuss the fea-
lures of the several camera types
that are in popular use, Box
cameras. folding cameras, reflex
cameras. miniature cameras and
press type cameras meet the re-
Quirements Of most amateur pho
tographers. There are few other
instruments on the market but
they are so highly specialized in
accomplishment that we need not
bring them into this discussion.
The box camera has been and
will always be probably the stand
by Of the beginner who has never
taken a picture. Some few fold
ing cameras fall into this basic
camera category by virtue of the
fact that no difference exists be-
tween them other than that one
folds into a more compact unit
for easier carrying. Most of these
cameras have Slow-Speed lenses
and one speed shutters CON-
bination that. as a general propo-
sition, limits the user to pictures
where the stopping of fast action
is not a requirement. The more
modern of these cameras are
equipped with flash units and are
suitable for taking color shots
when lighting is brilliant.
Advantages Of Reflex Lenses.
Other folding cameras have
speedier lenses and shutters that
will operate at selected speeds
They are satisfactory for stopping
all but the fastest action and can
usually be fitted with accessories
Like the box camera, they take
album size photographs made by
contact printing.
The twin lens reflex camera
which also makes album size shots,
is one of the most satisfactory
cameras made. II has two lenses
Of the same focal length. one of
which focuses the image on the
ground glass viewer while the
other focuses the identical scene
on the fllm in the camera. These
two lenses are coupled so that
they will both be in focus at the
same time on any distance you Sc
lect. One great advantage of the
twin lens reflex is that you see ex-
actly what your taking lens sees.
This is not always true of the
other types of optical finders
found on other cameras. This
camera is light weight, smaller
than either the box or average
folding camera. and is sturdily
constructed of metal.
Miniature cameras are another
strong contender among amateurs
having as a rule fast lenses and
shutters and taking a multitude OF
gadgets. The greatest drawback
is the size of the film. This is
usually 35-mm. or about Xxi u
inches in size. A few use 16-mm
film-even smaller. These film
sizes are too small for contact
printing. Great exactness in COM
posing is a must since enlarge
ments will almost have to be made
from the films. This camera Is
quite popular because of its ability
to take high quality color trans
parencies at a reasonable cost.
Press Type Cameras.
Press type cameras are excel
lent. though expensive. They too
have ground glass arrangement
for focusing but the one lens
serves both for that purpose as
well as for taking the picture.
This camera is an all purpose in
strument that operates at high
shutter speeds. uses large size cut
f1lm or film packs and has an ad-
Unstable lensboard for easy cor
rection Of distortion. Originally
intended for professional news
cameramen, it is becoming in
creasingly popular among ad-
vanced amateurs - particularly
those who use a camera to sup
plement their income.
The degree Of proficiency of any