Cameras, Lenses, and Shutters 33 



of the camera. This was protected by a hood 

 and was the exact size of the plate used in the 

 camera, so that the operator, in looking at it, saw 

 the image not only the exact size that it would 

 be reproduced on the plate he was using, but also 

 right side up ; and, moreover, he could watch it 

 up to the very instant of exposure. The focussing 

 was accomplished by means of a thumb-screw on 

 one side, while a button upon the other side, when 

 pressed, released the shutter, if it was a focal plane, 

 or, if the ordinary shutter was used, it could be 

 released in the usual way by means of a bulb. 



The advantage of this camera over all the styles 

 of tripod cameras lay in the fact that the plate- 

 holder might be inserted, the slide drawn, and 

 the shutter set, all in readiness for an exposure, 

 before the focussing was done. One can readily 

 see that, in photographing animate objects that 

 are only too likely to move, and especially those 

 that are already in motion, this was a great 

 advantage, for there was none of the useless 

 delay between the time of focussing and releas- 

 ing the shutter that is necessary when using the 

 ordinary tripod box; instead, the shutter could 

 be released the instant that a sharp focus was 

 obtained and one could be reasonably certain 

 of having the image of the object he was attempt- 

 ing to photograph on the plate. 



The only drawbacks to this camera were the 



