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NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [12:4— April, 1916 



Choice of a Camera 



A really focusing camera is absolutely necessary to photograph 

 close objects such as an animal or small plant; a Kodak with por- 

 trait attachment is not satisfactory. 



The cheaper sort of Kodak has what is known as an universal 

 lens, which means that everything in the field of vision is in fairly 

 good focus, but no part of the field is sharply focused. The so- 

 called focusing Kodak has a semi-universal lens which is more 

 serviceable in that it gives a sharper definition of certain objects of 



Trillium grandiflorum 



the field of vision. While the latter is quite useful for landscape 

 and group work, its results are not sufficiently good on close objects 

 to make it satisfactory for nature work. 



A camera to give the best results must have at least the following 

 specifications: (a) long extension bellows (18 inches to 3 feet 

 depending on the size of the plate) with ground glass back for 

 focusing; (b) revolving back (so that the plate can be used with 

 its long axis horizontal or vertical) adapted to receive plate holders ; 

 (c) heavy tripod (proportional to the camera's weight) ; (d) com- 

 pound shutter acting on both time and snap-shot; (e) iris dia- 

 phragm; and (f) focusing lens, preferably an anastigmat. 



