602 
FOREST AND STREAM 
October, 1918 
THE SPORTSMAN’S CAMERA AND ITS STORY 
THE SECOND PART OF THIS HELPFUL ARTICLE FOR AMATEUR SPORTSMAN-PHOTOG¬ 
RAPHERS EXPLAINS THE INTRICACIES OF ENLARGEMENTS AND FLASHLIGHT PICTURES 
By EUGENE S. ANDERSON 
The illustration at the left was made with a postcard 
size camera, of which the 654 -inch lens was not capable of 
giving a clean cut image in both foreground and back¬ 
ground, as witness the blurred images of the members of 
the group. This is a contact print, not an enlargement, but 
it lacks the clearness of the picture on the right. 
The above photograph was made with a 2 % x 354 “vest 
pocket” camera whose 314-inch lens gave depth of focus 
sufficient to clearly image the foreground and distant bank 
of the lake, the definition over all being as good as in the 
photograph at the left although the photograph above has 
been enlarged to the same size. 
F OR many sportsmen - photographers 
the problem of depth of focus (which 
was discussed in “The Use of the 
Sportsman’s Camera” in the July issue of 
Forest and Stream ) is a stumbling block 
for many; lack of depth of focus is very 
often confused with poor definition. In 
consequence, an illustration is furnished 
with the idea of making clear what great 
advantage the small camera, with its short 
focus lens, offers in comparison to the 
larger models with their lenses of rela¬ 
tively greater focus. In the picture at the 
top of the page the 
group at the left was 
made with a postcard 
size camera, fitted 
with a lens of 654 - 
inch focus, using a 
lens opening of f: 8, 
focused at 50 feet. 
The background is in 
focus, but the young 
men whose images 
were the aim and 
aspiration of the 
would-be photog¬ 
rapher (myself, I’ll 
admit) do not appear 
very well formed; 
while I wouldn’t part 
with the picture, it 
means little to any¬ 
one but myself. The 
picture at the right is 
not similar in ar¬ 
rangement, as I have 
made no groups in 
camp since the small 
camera came into its 
own, but you will no¬ 
tice that although it is 
enlarged to the same 
size as the picture 
at the left, and was made with the same 
focus and lens opening, the definition is 
good both near and far, the lens on the 
camera being of 3)4 inches focal length. 
Not only from this standpoint, but from 
others of prime importance to the sports¬ 
man, the wonderfully developed 2)4x354 
camera of today, with an anastigmat lens, 
is a very fine selection where a record 
suitable for story telling and reproduction 
in a magazine, is desired. 
The great depth of focus of the little 
lens in the small camera has other advan¬ 
tages. Oftentimes a snapshot must be 
made in a hurry—there is hardly time to 
focus. So if the lens opening is already 
set for f : 8 , the focusing indicator at 25 
feet, and the shutter for an exposure of 
1/25 second, one may meet an emergency 
by merely opening the camera and “letting 
drive,” with fair assurance that the object 
to be imaged is in good focus. It is a big 
advantage at night, when a campfire pic¬ 
ture is being made, as the wide open lens 
calls for a minimum of flash powder— 
which is expensive—while even when wide 
open the depth of 
focus is sufficient- to 
make accurate focus¬ 
ing unneeded. In 
making a picture of 
this sort, the main 
thing to avoid is 
cross shadows. Place 
the camera about 
twenty-five feet from 
the tent in the back¬ 
ground. Place the 
the camp fire, with 
flash gun — or car¬ 
tridge — about three 
feet to one side of, 
and slightly back of 
the camera; drop a 
very little powder in 
a wad of paper which 
one member of the 
group will throw in 
the fire when the “set¬ 
up” is complete. Open 
the lens of the cam¬ 
era, and if a cartridge 
is used light the fuse. 
Then take your place 
quickly by the fire, 
directing your as¬ 
sistant to drop his 
A simple and easily handled “set up” for campfire pictures. The man at the 
right poked a bit of flashpowder (wrapped in paper) in the fire. The man at the 
left held a thread in his left hand, the other end being attached to trigger of flash 
gun back by camera, as soon as flash in fire exploded a gentle pull of the thread 
exploded the charge in the flash gun. This method; prevents cross shadows. 
