Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-05
CAMERA ANGLES
BY A. J. WEDDERBURN
Curator Of Photography, the
Smithsonian Institution

The box camera is hard to
beat, once you are familiar
with its few controls. II used
only by a thoroughly competent
photographer it is virtually
impossible to distinguish its
pictures from those made by
more expensive cameras.
Some of the worlds finest
camera art has been produced
with a box camera of one sort
or another. Consider. If you
please, that only in compare
lively recent years has the
camera changed appreciatively
from its original box style. So
let's not scorn the box camera
for, let us repeat. in the hands
of a competent photographer
it will, in most cases. equal the
performance of instruments OF
far greater cost.
The basic box camera Is
characterized by a fixed focus
lens and a shutter that oper-
ates at speed Of about 125th
of a second. This shutter usu-
ally operates on time and bulb
settings but cannot be speeded
up or slowed down for instan-
taneous exposures.
Most Of Guessw0rk Removed
The simplicity Of the ma
chine takes most Of the guess
work out photography thus
enabling the beginner to take
pictures confident In the
knowledge that satisfactory
results are virtually assured.
A prime advantage is the box
cameras fixed focus which in
sures a sharp picture at any
distance further than six or
eight feet. With cameras that
require focusing the beginner
is apt to forget to readjust the
focus after each shot or he may
simply make an error in esti-'
mating the distance from lens
to subject thus throwing the
scene partially or wholly out
of focus.
The same principle OF sim
plicity applies in regard to
shutter speed. With a camera
whose shutter speed may be
varied from very slow to very
fast it is fairly easy for a be-
ginner to overlook or forget the
fact that under different light
ing or action conditions vary
ing shutter speeds will produce
quite different results. On the
other hand, with the one-speed
box camera shutter the opera
tor will quickly adjust to the
limitations of his camera with
better pictures resulting.
Fixed Lens Opening
Still another favorable con-
trolling factor Is basic box
cameras is the fixed lens OPEN
ing or aperture. The amount
of light which passes through
the lens at a given shutter
speed Is determined by the size
Of. the opening Of the lens
aperture. If this is fixed, while
imposing certain limitations on
the photographer. there is even
less chance for error in ex-
posture.
About the only variable fac
tor then when the box camera
is used Is the film. Films vary
in sensitivity. but the beginner
who sticks to one type of film
for awhile will soon discover
the limitations of that particu-
lar film. After a while he will
see that on dull or overcast
days he will be able to take
pictures with his box camera
by using a fast" film which
would be underexposed with
one of a slower emulsion speed,
and, conversely, that the high
speed film he uses on dark days
will result in overexposures II
used on bright sunshiny days.
The ct" and "B" Markings
Virtually all box cameras
have time" and bulb" set
tings for the shutter as well
as the instantaneous one. These
are indicated on the shutter
housing by ST" and "B" mark
ings. The T setting is used
when it Is desirable to make
an exposure OF several SECONDS
duration. BY moving the indi-
Gator to at" a touch on the
shutter release will allow the
lens aperture to remain open
until the release is again oper-
ated to close it. With the set
ting on "B" the shutter will
remain open only so long as
pressure Is maintained on the
control lever.
So far we have discussed
only the basic box camera.
There are, however. Others
somewhat more advanced in
design and scope. In some
there are several variations
possible in adjustment Of the
lens aperture as well as pro-
visions for varied shutter