Ensign Roll film Camera User manual

A FElv PNACTICAL TTINTS
AND INSTRUCTTONS ON TAKING
PHOTOGRAPTIS WITH


  THE
  t.ENSI        GN''
  ROLL FILM
 CAMERA


FOR PICTUNES ON
ROLL FILMS OR PLATES.
                      aatcl|

TTIE
  "ENsIGN"
 RoLL FILM.

  The fastest and most consistently
 perlcct RolI Film for Dayttght Loadtng
Cameras. The emulslon possesses
 valuable orthochromatlc qualftles, and
glves brtght, cleat, crisp plctures.
The word " Ensign tt  is   cleaily
 printed on evety spool, and thc box
 ls lnstantly recognisable because it is
'9  uttedy' dtfferent from the pac'trtng
employcd by sther makers. The           tt          RolI FiIm ls made in 'r Ensign
Warwtctr by Austln Edwards Ltd. It is
known as {"T'he Filne.,that nevet fails.tt





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*.r,1!,1_

     Dhe,ctions for IJse.

  The " Ensign " Camera takes pictures on d:ry-
light  roll film cartridges needing no darli-rootn  for
loacling or unloading. Any photographic dealer can
supply the sensitive film.  The exact rJesignatit-rn of
the spool (Fig.  r) required is a 12 or 6 exposure
 " 3| inch spool," for the cluarter-plate  cruneru, or, for
the Post Card Carnera a ro or 6 exposure  .' 3l A spool.'





                      Frc.  r.

   l'he  " t:*nsign "  Filrns, nrade hr_v- Arrstin jitlrvarrlg
Itcl., are specially recommended.
   It cannot be too strongly emphasized to the beginner
that the sensitive film on which the pictures are
impressed is utterly spoiled by irnproper exposure
to light.  Until it has been developed, even a nroment's
 exposrrre to dal'light, gas or lamplight, either before or





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after tle picture  is taken, entirely ruins it.  One great
secret in obtaining uniformly bright, clear pictures is to
keep the film protected from light by having the
wrapping paper wound tightly round it at every stage.
Even in the dark-room, handle and develop the filnr
as far away as possible from the ruby light.





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                            4
       To Load
  the "Ensign" Camera.
  Place the camera before you in a subdued light, in
a room away from the window, under a tree, or some
otler shady spot, with the back, that is the side vrith





 the small circular red window, towards 1'ott, and the
 winding-key W on the right-hand side.
  The first operation is to remcve the back and insert
 the spool of sensitive film.
  Remove the back by gripping the spring catches
 with the thumb and second finger and pressing them



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5
 inwards. See Fig.  2t. fn some models the method
 of securing the back is slightly d.ifferent although the
 principle is the same. Now lift the back off.  The
 interior of the roll-holder portion of the camera  is
 now seen.
   At the end of the camera nearest to you is the
 spool-chamber for receiving the exposed film with
 the winding key connected with  it on the right-hand





                       Frc. 3.

 side. This spool-chamber contains an empty spool
 with a slit in  it.  The film will be wound on to this
. spool after exposure. At the other end of the camera
  is a recess with two projecting pins to receive the un-
 exposed spool. Turn the metal discs (rvith the milled
 edge tops) in the direction shown by the arrow in the
  illustration (Fig. 3).  This will cause the metal pins
  in the centre to disappear and the recess is then ready
  to receive the unexposed film.  The coloured paper

)


                               6
  band round the spool should now be removed. To do
   this slide the band to one end and then prrll the pro-





                     .      Frc. 4.
  jecting point of the black paper until the thin band
  of coloured, paper is cut through. (See Fig. +).



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,
  Hold the spool firmly so that the black paper does
 not further unwind and place it in the recess so that





                      Frc. 5.
the end marked rop comes on the 6ame side of the
camera as the winding key. (See illustration, Fig. 5;.





                         rc. 6.
  Each spool is starnpe<l on the end (see illustration
Fig. 6).

Care should be taken to put the spool in correctly,
otherwise the black paper will pass in front of the lens
and the fllm will show at the ted wind.ow. This would
completely ruin the whole spool. See Figs. 7 and 8.



                      Frc. 7.
    This shows the right way tle black paper
            should. run from spool to spool.



                      Frc. 8,
   The wrong way.   If  the paper statts from
     und.er the spool like this the whole film will
                    be spoilt.

  Turn back the two metal discs, previously  referred
to as far as they will go, so that the milled edge is
again on the top, and the pins on which the spool will
revolve then enter the hole at each end of the wooden
core.
  In case there is any ditlicttlty in doing this, it means
that the spool is not quite central to the spool'ch.amber
and the pins cannot therefore enter the holes in the


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9
spool prepared. for them. This is easily rernedied by
moving the spool slightly up and down in the spool'
chamber until  it is quite central and the pins fit easily.
   lf the metal discs are not turned back as fer
as they will go the metal points of the discs will
project beyond the woodwork of the camera body,





and it will be impossible to replace the back of the
camera propedy.
 Now d.raw off sufficient black paper to go across
the back of the camera, and thread it lnto the widest
slit of the empty spool. (See Fig. q.1
  Give this spool a few turns, so that the paper is                        I
drawn tight from one spool recess to the other, taking                                          t

to
  great care that the blrack paper is running truly and
  squarely from spool to spool.
      If  the black paper is not started correctly great
  difficulty will be experienced in winding it  off, some,
  times even resulting in tearing both the film and the
 black paper.                               o
  A further precaution which must be observed, is to
 draw off only enough of the black paper to fit it securely
 on to the receil'ing spool.
  Nbw replace the back of the camera. If   it  is a
 quarter-plate model, see that the red window at the
 back of the camera is at. the corner farthest from the
 rvinding key.  In the post-card models the ted window
 is close to the winding key.
   Each camera and back is marked with a diamond
 or star indicating the correct way of replacing the back.
  Now give the wind.ing key about 16 half turns and
 watch the circular red window carefully, The figure
 o will first appear as a warning that No. r is approach-
 ing. When No. r appears the protective length of
black paper is unwound and the first film is in position
for exposure.
 , Do not touch the itidtng  panel In the centre
of the back.  This is only withdrawn  when the
camera is used for Plates.





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T2
   Grasp the lever arm H and gently dtaw the camera
  front forward, until a small pin on the left-hand side
  of the front clicks into a hole in the infinity catch S.
    In the De Iruxe model instead of the lever arm there
 are two spring gnps which are pressed towards each
 other as the front is withdrawn. When released they
 lock the front to the baseboard
   Never draw out or push back  tfr"  camera
 front  hurriedly,  as this action has the effect of
 making the film convex or concave, and may possibly
 destroy the good definition of the pictute.
   The lens, when fixed at inflnity, is in the best position
 for taking somewhat distant objects, not nearer than
 3o feet or so, although objects much closer to the
 camera will   still be rendered  fairly  sharp. This
 distance focus is that most generally used for taking
 seascape and landscape scenes where no prominent
 objects are near the camera.
  For nearer objects, the lens must be pushed. farther
out. To release the infinity catch, the spring S is
pressed down with the thumb of the left hand and the
front pushed steadily forward, with the right thumb,                                             I
or racked. out by means of the Rack and pinion onthose models with extending bases.                 t
  To bring the rack and pinion into action ci,raw out
the pinion head and turn as reqrrired. The raCk can




                          www.orphancameras.com                                         l

j13                                                   l
 be clamped in any position by pushing in the plnion
 head'again.
   This focussing mrrst be done for all objects nearer
 than 3o feet.
   For taking objects at d.istances less than 3o feet,
 an engraved scale is provid,ed indicating where the
 pointer has to be set. Thus the pointer would be set
 at ro feet when photographing an object about ro feet
 away ftom the camera.
   In ord.er to clamp the front at any point the lever
 arm H is turned towards the right, looking over the.
 lens.
     .l,s the " Ensign " Cameras are made to take both
 Plates and Roll Filr?rs, an adjustable focussing scale is
 fitted.
  Wben the eamera is held upright, an upright
'picture is taken ; held longways, a horizontal picture
 is obtained.
  The picture, induded by  the lens, is  shown,
 approximately, in miniature in the finder G.  The
 finder should be viewed from a point straight over
 it, not from one side or the other.
  When a horizontal picture is taken, the  finder
can be reversed.
        Rising Front.
  This rising front moveulent enables the usef to

r4
eut ofi unlnteresting foregrounds, and also to cope
successfully with  difficrrlties of photographing high
buildings in confined situations.
  The cross movement is useful for centring the pictufe       t
when the camera is being used on a stand and acts                      1
as a rising front when the camera is used in the hori-                                             I
zontal position.
  When the rising or cross front has been used,  it
must be returned to its normal position before the
camera can be closed. This is a most important
point, because,  if the front is forced. back when the
lens has been .put out of its central position, there
is a danger of some portion of the apparatus being
broken.

    Taking the Picture.

  The Ensign Cameras are fitted with Shutters givingtime and instantaneous exposures.                 t
                                                                                                                                                                         .l
  lnstantaneous Exposures.  The camera is held                                                                                                                                                                                                                    l''                                                                                                                )f,'in the hand in such a position that the view finder
can be readily looked into.  Scenes with action, such         I
as groups on a seashore, troops marching, or people               {
in a busy street can be photographed with quite as
much ease as if the objects were still and the operator
had plenty of time to devote to the subject.



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       When making instautaneous  erposirres, hold the
      @mera perfectly steady, preferably against the right
        side. Release the shutter, eithet by squeezing the bulb
        or by deptessing the lever on the right-hand side oI
        the shutter.
          Instantaneous exposures should. be made in bright
          sunlighi.
     4ffir. The sun should not shine on to the lens, as this gives
         rise to fogged, undear pictures, nor should  it be
         directly behind the camera, as in this position the
         pictures are flat and lack the contrast of light and shade
         which constitutes tbe charm of a properly lighted scene.
           '         Th" best position for the sun is on one sid,e of and
          slightly behind the camera.
        Use F/r r except when the sun is obscured,
         u'lien  it is better to use F/8.
          In very bright sunlight, and for subjects such as
         seascapes or open views without heavy shadows, the
         pointer may be placed to l/t6.
           Steadiness; not haste, is the essential of good
I       cameracourse, withwork,anandemptyit iscamera,not wastedreleasingtime theto practise,shutter forof
         short-timed e:posures, holding the czrmera quite still in
         the hand. It is good training for instanraneous wofk.

t6
  Time Exposurcs. When a long erposure  is
 necessary, a time erposure is made. and the camera
 should be placed on some firm support, such as a
  tripod, a post, or a wall. The spring leg X, under the
 baseboard, supports the camera when making time
 exposnres in an upright position.

   There are two bushes provided for attaching the
 camera to a tripod, one each for upright and oblong
 pictures. In either case, the camera should be placed
 so that the vertical and horizontal subjects appear
 upright and level with the sides of the view finder,
 otherwise a distorted picture will inevitably result.
  The best stop for outdoor scenes is l/zz or l/32.
   In brightest sunshine use l/32, and give about orie
 second, for ordinary views; about five seconds for
 scenes under trees, etc.
  When the sky is covered by brightly-lit clouds give                                   l,
 the same exposuresr.but with stop l/zz.                                          Ii
- When the sky is dull vse l/zz, but give r|-e seconds                                  I
for ordinary views, and 8 or 9 seconds for scenes under
trees.                                           I
  Portraits in rooms should be mad.e with t/A stof.
  The time of e:posure is from one second in the
brlghtest light to teh or more seconds in dull weather.



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  Rooms with dark furniture or hargiugS require much
more than this.

  Aftcr each exposure tutn the winder to brlng the
next number into view through the circular red window.
  The film is tJren in positiot for the next picture,
and tl.ere is never any occasion to stop and think
whether it has been changed or not.-
  To Close the Camera.-Release the infinity catch
and push the front gently backwards as far as it
will go, taking care the lever arm H is turned back
into the cannera. (See Fig. ro.)
  Press the struts O O inwards witlr the thumbs and
close the baseboard until it snaps.
  To remove the Film.-\[hen the last exposure
has been made, dose tlre cameta, as described above,
give the winding key a dozen turns, so as to envelop
the film with the black wrapping pap€r, and remove
the camera back.
  Then wind the whole of the black paper on to the
receiving spool, and when all the black paper is wound
 off, stick the " bXPOSED " label round, the spool.
  Now pull the winding key outwards and give it a
 quarter turn, when it will remain in this position.

t8!
  Tutn the metal disc on the otler side of tle chamber
as previously described, so as to withdraw the aris
pin. The spool can now be removed.
 Now take out the empty spool and drop it into the
recess at the winding end, so that the cross slot in the
spool is next to the wind.ing key ; then turn thewinding key until it jumps into position. Turn back          !.l
the metal disc at the other end of the spool so that
the a=is pin engages in the circular hole in the spool
core. Provide a new spool of Ensign Roll Film and
reload as before.'




                         q
                            f





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   To use Plates in the
       " Ensign " Camefa.
  Plates can be used for either Instantaneous or Time
exposures in exactly the sanle way a.s Roll Films (i.e.,
focussing by scale).  The  rnfinity  catch  must,
however, be adiusted  for  plates  beforehand.
The plate user has the additional advantage of being
able to focus visually.





                      Frc,  r r.                              ,
 A  focussing screen with  dark  slides can  be
supplied for use with the " Ilnsign " Ifand Camera.
-  lt  is fitted in place of the sliding section of the back
in a few seconds. Release the catch and slide off the
leather-covered panel on the back (Fig. rr).  Now
rernove the whole back of the camera.
  This is necessary in order to get out the pressure
back shown in  solid, black in Fig. rr.  To remove

20
 this pressure back, press one of the bowed nickel
 springs flat and push the whole plate sid,eways until
 the bowed spring is right und.er the edge of the
 frame work.  (see Frg. rz).  The pressure back is
 then free.





  The focusslng screen is slipped rnto posrtron and the
pictures focussed on the ground-glass as with an
ordinary camera, and the negatives mad.e on plates
instead of fiLns.
  The ability of the " Ensign " camera to thus take
both films and plates practically doubles its usefulness.
  When using plates the free end of the Infinity catch
S (see Fig" ro) must be altered as directed.




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