BIRDS OF OUR BUSH 



as with that costing the greater sum. We could go fur- 

 ther still and say that some of our illustrations are 

 the work of a magazine or box camera, costing ten 

 shillings only. As we have hinted previously, however, 

 a box camera is not advisable for this work, and the dis- 

 abilities under which we laboured while using one would 

 have probably damped the ardour of most. It is much 

 better that the beginner should purchase a camera giving 

 reasonable facilities even if it should mean, as it did to us, 

 a period of "saving up." 



The idea that an expensive outfit is indispensable is held 

 by many. Even so keen a naturalist as Mr. Donald 

 MacDonald, of the Melbourne "Argus," once advised a 

 correspondent to this effect. We can only say that we are 

 quite satisfied with our low-priced apparatus, and will 

 leave the reader to judge the results obtained by their use. 



Perhaps the first question which a beginner must decide 

 is the size of the camera to be used. We have always used 

 quarter-plate ourselves, and this appears to us very suit- 

 able. We certainly should not advise any smaller pat- 

 tern. Many naturalists use half-plate ; but it must be 

 remembered that the cost of half-plate material is now- 

 double or more that of quarter-plate. The difference in 

 weight and size is also a consideration, when there is much 

 walking to be done. Still, it cannot be gainsaid that half- 

 plate pictures look very impressive as against the smaller 

 size. On the other hand, the small negatives, or such of 

 them as are worthy, will yield half-plate enlargements 

 which will compare very favourably with the direct prints 

 from the larger size. Again, if a plate is wasted — and 

 many a one certainly will be — the loss of a quarter-plate is 

 much less serious than that of a half-plate. A plan adopted 

 by some is to use quarter-plates in a half-plate camera by 

 means of carriers fitted inside the dark slides. However, 

 we have always regarded the slight advantages gained by 

 this method as insufficient to justify the carrying of the 

 extra weight. There is also a reason, which involves a 

 knowledge of optics and is too advanced to be set out here, 

 why the short focus lens provided in smaller cameras is 

 more suitable for this class of work than the longer focus 

 ones fitted to larger patterns. The illustrations in this 

 book are printed from enlargements of quarter-plate 

 pictures. 



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