a “hand and stand camera,” with 
double extension (that is, with a bel¬ 
lows long enough to allow of life-size 
pictures), and anastigmat lens of F 
6.3, or faster, non-automatic—shutter 
with a range of speeds which includes 
V 2 , 1/5, 1/10, 1/15, 1/25, 1/50, and 
1/100 seconds, as well as “bulb” and 
“time.” It should have rising, falling 
and cross-front movements. The most 
compact and durable cameras of this 
type have the body of aluminum. This 
camera may be either 2 % x 3%, 2Yz 
x 3%, or 3% x 4 3 4, any larger sizes 
entailing needless bulk both of camera 
and accessories. The ground glass 
should be of very fine grain, as critical 
focussing cannot be done on a coarse- 
ground screen. A Barnett matt- 
emulsion plate, fixed without ex¬ 
posure or development, makes a 
most excellent focussing 
screen. 
Both cameras should be 
provided with stout cases 
with a sling strap, which 
will hold the camera and 
several plate-holders. A 
focussing cloth will be re¬ 
quired for the stand camera. 
The anastigmat is the 
only type of lens worth con¬ 
sidering for wild-life pho¬ 
tography. The semi-tele- 
photo lenses recommended 
for the reflex work of F 5.6 
or F 5.4, and the lens of the 
stand camera may be F 6.5, 
F 5.6 or F 4.5. This does 
not mean that the lens will 
always be used at its full 
aperture, since it is often 
necessary to stop down to 
get the required depth of 
field, but a lens of wide 
aperture may be said to 
possess “reserve power” to 
be used when the occasion 
demands. 
A lens hood should always be 
used, especially when working in 
bright light in the open, as with 
modern lenses of large aperture with 
relatively shallow mounts scattered 
light is very likely to pass through the 
lens and cause a slight general fog- 
over the plate. A lens hood of alumin¬ 
um or light brass, dead black on the 
inside and bushed with velvet where it 
fits over the lens mount, can readily be 
constructed by any good mechanic. 
The plate-holders for the stand 
camera may be either double or single. 
For the reflex they should be double, 
as a double plate-holder can be reversed 
more quickly than a single one can be 
changed. It is essential to see that the 
plate-holders are absolutely light-tight, 
as the stand camera will often have to 
be left in the sun, sometimes for hours 
Page 303 
at a time, with the slide withdrawn, 
and many plate-holders will not stand 
this test. The best type of plate- 
holder, both for convenience in loading 
and unloading and for safety, is the 
double book-form holder. 
A tripod is a necessity for use with 
the stand camera and for certain sub¬ 
jects with the reflex. The most suit¬ 
able kind is a metal telescopic 7-draw 
tripod, as this can be used at any de¬ 
sired extension and allows the camera 
to be set near the ground. This tripod 
may be conveniently carried in a 
leather scabbard slung from the belt. 
A ball and socket head, fitted to the 
top of the tripod, is an essential piece 
of apparatus for the wild-life photog¬ 
rapher, as this allows the camera to be 
tilted at any angle without shifting the 
legs of the tripod. 
In the photography of butterflies, 
flowers, etc., suitable color filters, in 
conjunction with panchromatic plates 
or films, must be used. A set of filters 
which meets all requirements consists 
of the Wratten and Wainwright K lS 
K„, K.,, and G filters. These can be ob¬ 
tained in the form of gelatine films, or 
mounted in optical glass. If used in 
the former condition they will last for 
some time if neither the fingers nor 
any moisture is allowed to come in con¬ 
tact with the film, and if used mounted 
in optical glass they should be treated 
as carefully as a lens. A suitable 
fitting to hold the filters in position in 
front of the lens, and in which the 
filters can be interchanged, can be 
either made or purchased, or, each 
filter may be mounted in its own slip- 
on cell. 
An exposure meter or calculator is 
a device which no photographer—ex¬ 
perienced or otherwise—should neg¬ 
lect to carry. It is true that the 
experienced photographer can esti¬ 
mate exposures with a high 
degree of accuracy, but be¬ 
cause of the number of va¬ 
riable factors—season, time 
of day, condition of light, 
nature of subject, stop, and 
plate-speed—which have to 
be taken into consideration, 
a higher percentage of cor¬ 
rect exposures will be se¬ 
cured by the use of a meter 
or calculator. The exposure 
meter actually measures the 
strength of the light and 
indicates the exposure, the 
calculator shows the ex¬ 
posure required for any 
given combination of fac¬ 
tors. There are many ex¬ 
cellent models of both me¬ 
ters and calculators on the 
market. In much reflex 
work—for example stalking 
and “wing-shooting”—it is 
impossible to use a meter 
or calculator for each ex¬ 
posure, but the exposure 
can frequently be worked 
out before operations begin. When 
the photographer has to determine 
the exposure on the spur of the 
moment his knowledge of factors— 
gained by the use of a meter or calcu¬ 
lator—will stand him in good stead. 
An electric flashlight which stands 
erect, such as the Ever-ready, equipped 
with a cap made of two thicknesses of 
ruby fabric, will be found very useful 
in changing plates and films when 
away from a dark-room. 
PLATES AND FILMS 
The photographer has the choice of 
either plates or cut films, the latter 
having the advantage, being lighter, 
less bulky, and unbreakable. If cut 
films are used special fittings may be 
obtained to hold them in the plate- 
(Continued on ])age 332) 
