SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



77 



PHOTOGRAPHY FOE BEGINNERS- 

 BY B. FOULKES-WlNKS, M.R.P.S. 



(Continued from j>. 254.) 



Section I. Cameras {continued). 



Having described the two principal types of stand 

 cameras, we must now consider the hand cameras 

 in general use. 



Hand Cameras. 



There are so many hand cameras on the market 

 that it would be impossible to mention all in the 

 space at our disposal. We therefore propose to 

 describe those that are best known and most likely 

 to be met with. We have personally tested and 

 examined all the following types : — 



No. 3 Folding Pocket Kodak Camera. 



First of all there is the camera made specially 

 for use with rollable films ; then the cut-film 

 camera; and, lastly, the hand camera adapted 

 only for plates. These latter may be divided into 

 three distinct systems of changing — that is to say, 

 the automatic or falling-plate system, the bag- 

 changing, and the dark-slide. 



Dark-slide Changing.— Of these, the dark- 

 slide hand camera is undoubtedly the simplest and 

 least likely to get out of order, but it has the dis- 

 tinct disadvantage for hand-camera work of re- 

 quiring considerable time for changing the plates. 

 That is to say, there is a long interval involved 

 from making one exposure to the moment when 

 the next plate is ready for use. It has also the 

 drawback of being rather bulky, as six double dark 

 slides, holding twelve plates, will take up much 

 more room than is occupied by the same number 

 of plates in either of the other systems. On the 

 other hand, it is absolutely sure in changing, and 

 is undoubtedly a type that renders the plate most 

 free from dust and scratching. This method of 

 changing plates is used in such cameras as the 

 Ross " Twin-Lens " camera, the " Adams Reflex," 

 Houghton & Son's " Sanderson " hand camera, the 

 " Goerz-Anschutz " folding, Lizars's "Challenge," 

 Shew's "XIT," Watson's " Gambier-Bolton," and 

 most of the American folding cameras. 



Automatic Changing.— In general use the 

 automatic, or falling plate system, is probably 

 the most popular form of plate changing. The 

 principle of this system is that twelve "unexposed 

 plates are inserted into twelve sheaths and are 

 placed in a chamber facing the lens ; the first 

 plate being in the focal plane of the lens and thus 



ready to receive an exposure. When this plate 

 has been exposed, the mechanism is so arranged 

 that by touching a lever or button outside the 

 camera the exposed plate will fall into a chamber 

 at the bottom of the camera and automatically 

 bring the next plate into its previous position, 

 ready to receive another exposure, and so on, until 

 the twelve plates have been exposed. Although 

 cameras of this type are sold under a great variety 

 of names, they are, so faras changing is concerned 



No. 2 Bullet Kodak Camera. 



more or less alike. To give an instance of this 

 class of camera, we may mention Lancaster's 

 " Stopit," the City Sale and Exchange Company's 

 " Salex," Benetfink's " Lightning,"" The Optimus," 

 " Lynx," and Butcher's " Midg." This method has 

 the distinct advantage of occupying very little 

 space, and is exceedingly quick in changing the 

 plate, a point of great value when it is desirable to 

 take several negatives of the same moving object. 

 It has, however, the objection common to all 

 automatic changing systems, of occasionally failing 

 to change the plate. It is also more liable to 

 create dust spots on the negatives, owing to the 

 falling plate disturbing any dust in the camera, 



Butcher's "Midg" Hand Camera. 



which may afterwards settle on the plate and so 

 cause dust spots. Hence it is very important that 

 this class of camera should be well dusted inside 

 before being loaded with plates. 



Bag Changing.— The bag system of changing 

 the plate seems at present to be the mosl perfect 

 all-round method. It is quickly changed, occupies 

 less space than any other, and, if well made, is 

 free from both dust and scratches. The cameras 

 made upon this system are undoubtedly the high- 



