488 



RECREATION. 



WHY USE RAPID PLATES? 

 By using slow plates nearly all photo- 

 giaphic troubles would vanish into thin air. 

 'the slow plate gives a greater latitude in 

 the exposure. Every plate has its minimum 

 and maximum exposure for a good nega- 

 tive to result, the midway between minimum 

 and maximum giving in all cases the best 

 results, provided always development is 

 properly carried out. In the slow brands 

 of plates there is far greater range be- 

 tween the 2 points mentioned than there is 

 in the^ ultra rapid ones ; hence the slower 

 ones give a far greater latitude. For this 

 reason exposure with slow plates does not 

 need tr be so exact as with the more rapid 



ones. 



The ultra rapid series of plates require 

 far greater care in handling at all stages, 

 being more susceptible to fog, and for this 

 reason one's dark room lamp must be such 

 that it gives a ruby light of a safe nature. 

 Such a ruby light is often trying to the 

 eyes, and more than this, one is not able to 

 watch development so closely as if a better 

 light was employed. Often one is not able, 

 from the use of too dim a light, to see what 

 is going on in time to check it. Again, 

 fast plates, desnite what is said to the con- 

 trary, are more liable to chemical fog early 

 in development, and are often, in any but 

 experienced hands, incapable of rendering 

 the half tones in a proper manner. In 

 fact, it will often be found that a maker's 

 rapid plates are inferior in quality to his 

 slow ones. 



By using a slow plate a brighter light 

 can be used in the dark room. For this 

 reason the development proceedings can u e 

 more plainly seen and regulated. By giv- 

 ing a somewhat full exposure a negative 

 can be produced containing a full range 

 of half tones, crisp and bright prints being 

 the result, as against the flat and foggy 

 prints often seen or the soot and whitewash 

 prints. 



The greatest danger when using an 

 ultra rapid plate is that of over exposure, 

 which flashes up at once, with the result 

 that most amateurs get frightened, and 

 throw the negative into the fixing bath be- 

 fore it is time; result, a flat, unprintable 

 negative. 



Hence, use for general work, except in 

 extreme cases, the slow or ordinary brand 

 of plates. Give an exposure as nearly cor- 

 rect as possible and use a normal developer. 

 — Photo Chronicle. 



HOW TO USE CYEO PAPER. 

 I was much interested in what J. C. C. 

 says in May Recreation about Cyko paper. 

 A year ago I was in Idaho and sent to a 

 Chicago concern for some Cyko paper and 

 Cyko developer. The paper worked nicely 

 until it reached the washing stage; then 



trouble came in the shape of blisters. In 

 order to save any prints I had to reduce 

 the time of washing to % of that specified 

 in the directions. I sent a blistered print 

 to my dealer and asked advice. Another 

 lot of paper was sent me, and I was 

 told that the first batch might have been 

 an old emulsion. The new paper was 

 worse than the old, and began to blister 

 the moment it was put in water. However, 

 the few prints I succeeded in saving were 

 beautiful. Should be glad to learn more 

 about this paper from those who have used 

 it. 



J. E. Bates, Spokane, Wash. 



I referred the foregoing letter to an ex- 

 pert photographer, who replies as follows : 



The blistering of prints made on Cyko 

 paper is most frequently caused by having 

 the printing frame too close to the light 

 while exposing, thus allowing the negative 

 and the paper to become heated. To ob- 

 tain the best results with Cyko paper this 

 should be avoided, and special care should 

 be taken to keep the fixing bath acid, as 

 with each sheet placed in the fixing bath a 

 certain quantity of alkali is carried into 

 the bath from the developer. As the fixing 

 bath is inexpensive it is advisable to pro- 

 cure a new bath when the one in use 

 shows signs of deterioration. The An- 

 thony & Scovill Company, 122-124 Fifth 

 avenue, New York, who are the general 

 agents for this paper, have prepared a 

 special manual for the manipulation of 

 Cyko paper, which they will forward to 

 any person asking for it. This book is 

 complete, and contains many valuable hints 

 on the manipulation of developing papers. 



TO CLEAN LENSES. 

 Kindly advise me the best method and 

 material for cleaning lenses. 



M. P. Staulcup, Meriden, Conn. 



ANSWER. 



For removing dust and other substances 

 from the surfaces of lenses there is abso- 

 lutely nothing which equals an old, worn 

 linen pocket handkerchief or an old piece 

 of fine cotton cloth which is nearly worn 

 out from washing and use. The glass of 

 which lenses are made is usually some- 

 what softer than window glass, or glass 

 used for glass dishes and similar articles, 

 consequently it requires more care in 

 cleaning, lest the substance in the dust or 

 other material collected on the lens sur- 

 faces should cause scratches by being 

 rubbed across it. For ordinary cleaning the 

 lens surfaces may be dusted with rag first, 

 then breathed gently on and wiped gently 

 with cloth, taking care to have an abun- 

 dance of the cloth between the finger and 

 the lens, so as not to press too hard on 



