Kodak PREMO 2A User manual

Picture taking with the
    No. 2-A
Folding Cartridge
  Premo Camera
      (Rapid Itectilincar Lens)





EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
       Rocnrsren,N, Y.

Order Film
      by Number
   All Kodak Films may be dis-       i
tinguished by the numberson
the ends of the cartons.                           h
  1 16 is the numberof film for
this camera(No. 2-A Folding      ,
CartridgePremo). The number
appears on the carton, on the         i
cartridge and on the back of
the camera.





May, 1920.




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BeforeLoading
 pEFORE    taking any  pictures with  the
 I-f  5o. 2-A Folding Cartridge Premo
 Camera read  the  following  instructions
 carefully.  Make   yourself  perfectly   fa-
miliar  with  the camera, taking  especial
care to learn how to operate the shutter.
Work   it  for both time and instantaneous
exposures several times  before threading
up the  film.
  The  first thing  for the amateur to bear
in mind  is that  the light which serves to
impress the photographic image upon the
sensitive film in a fraction of a second when
it comes through the lens, can destroy the
film as quickly  as  it makes the  picture.
Throughout  all the operations of loading
and unloading, be extremely careful to keep
the duplex paper wound tightly around the
film to prevent the admission of light.

PART  I
        Loading the Camera
          film forthe No. 2AFoldingCartridge PremoTHE
  I  Camera is furnished in light-proof cartridges
and the camera can, therefore, be loaded in day-
light.   This  should  be  done,  how-
ever,  in  a  subdued   light,   not  in
the  glare  of   bright   sunlight.       It
should also be borne  in mind  that
after the seal is broken  care must be
taken to keep the duplex paper taut
on the spool, otherwise  it may slip and
loosen sufficientlv to fog the  film.
    l.   To  load  the camera,  take  a
position where the daylight   is some-   The Film,
                                      No. 116what subdued and remove  front  of
camera by pushing  metal  lock  to  the  left, Fig.   l.
Grasp  the   front   of  camera  by  the  two  metal

T'he empty  spool, which  is used as the  reel, must
now be removed.   This may be done by first pulling
out the winding  key to  limit  of motion, which  will
release the spool, and  it can then be readily removed.
 Fig. 3.
   3.  Remove the gummed  slip that  holds the end
 of  duplex  paper,  from  the  cartridge,  and  thread
 tapered  end  of  duplex  paper  into  the  slit  of  the
 empty  spool,  ro  that  the slot  in  the end  of  spool
 will, be at  the  to/,  while  at  the satne time  the slot
 at  end, of  full,  spool   will  be at  the  bottom  of  the
cart"idge.  Then  give the empty  spool three or four
turns, or  until  the  black  lines on outside of paper
are reached, at the same time being careful that the
paper draws straight  and true.  See Fig.  4.
   4.  The  camera may now be loaded by  first un-
rolling  about  four inches of the duplex paper and
then placing the two spools into  the film pockets at
each end of the camera.  Fig. 5.





                             Frc. 4

              Important
  Be sure to get the top of spool at top  of camera
(each spool  is marked  with  the word  "Top,"  on
the  duplex  paper  near  the  top   of  the  spool)
when inserting, otherwise your  film  will come on the

                                                                                                                                tt

Ftc.  .5
wrong side of duplex  paper when  reeled off and
total failure rvill result.
   5.   After  spools  have  been  placed  into   the
pockets, push both as far back as possible in order
that the tension sprinqs mav hold thenr securely in
p l a c e  c r e a t i n g
sufficient drag
to drarv the film
taut, and afford
perfect register
o f    t h e    f o c a l
plane.
  Turn winding
key  at  top  of
calnera  toward
the  front,  until
 the web on the
 key engages in
 slot  in  top   of                          Frc. 6
 spool.   Fig.  6.
              Caution
     If you turn  ofl too much of the duplex paper be-
 fore the camera is closed, the film  wilt be uncovered,
 fogged and ruined.
    6.  The camera should now be closed, reverslng
 the operation shown  in Figs. 1 and  2.  When  re-
                         8

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placing front of camera after it is loaded, first insert
 the end opposite the lock, the edge of box should be
 in the metal groove at end of front, then drop the
 end on which the lock is fastened down into place.
 Make sure that the metal lock is fastened securely.
   Throughout the foregoing operations, from the
 time the gummed slip is cut on the fresh roll of film
 until the camera is closed, keep the duplex paper
 wound tightly on the roll.    If  it is allowed to loosen
 light will be admitted and the film fogged.
   7.  The roll of film in the camera is covered with
 duplex paper and this must be partly reeled off be-
 fore a picture can be taken.  Turn the key slowly
 to the left and watch in the little red window at the
back of the camera. When ten to twelve turns n
have been given, a black index hand will
before the little red window.  This hand is a"pp""r.$wattt-                                     E
ing that you are approaching the first number. Then
turn  the  k"y  very slowly until  figure 1 appears
exactly in the center of the red window.  Fig. 7.
  Press in on the winding key while turning  it, so
as to keep the web on the key in the slot at end of
spool and to avoid the k"y loosening and allowing
film and duplex paper to unwind.
  The film  is now in position for taking the  first
picture.                  .-.-'----'-'.------      _
                      1\
                                               Lfti

                             Frc. 7
                            9

PART  II
       Making the Exposures
  Before making an exposure with the No. 24. Fold-
ing Cartridge Premo, either time  or instantaneous,
be sure of four things:
  First-That    the shutter  is adjusted properly.
  (For instantaneous,time or "bulb" exposuresas desired.)
  Second-That    the diaphragm  lever  is placed  at
the proper stop opening.
  Third-That    the camera is focused.
  Fourth-That    an unexposed section of the  film
is turned into position.

       Operatin$ the Shutter
   Perfect familiarity   with  the shutter  is essential to
successfulpicture taking with any camera.
  The  following  directions  should,  therefore,  be
carefully  read  and  the  shutter  operated  several
times before threading  the  film  up  for  use.
  The shutter  is self-setting.

           "Snapshots"
  For  All  Ordinary   Instantaneous   Exposures
   First-Set   the inclicator A at 25, 50 or 100.  This
adjusts the shutter  for instantaneous exposures and
represents the speeds of the  shutter.
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Noro-The  lever A shouldbe usedat 100only when taking moving be placed?bjec_!sat No.in4 whenbrighttakingsunshine,this andkind leverof a picture.B must alwayi
   Second-Set   the  indicator  B  at No.  g.  Lever
B  controls  the  Iris diaphragm  and  No.  8  is the
proper  opening   for  ordinary  instantaneous  ex_
posures, in bright sunshine, using speed 25.
   Third-Press    down  on  lever C and  release  it.
 Th'is malees the exposure.
          Time Exposures
   First-Set    the  lever A  at  the  point  T  (time).
This adjusts the shutter for time exposures.
  Second-Set   the lever B at Nos. 4,8,  16, 32 or
61.  See instructions   for  the use of  the  stops  for
lntsior   Exposures  as given  in  table  on  page 21,
also the table for Time Exposures in the Open Air,
page 29.
                                                           l 1

Third-Press  down on lever C.  This opens the
shutter. Time the exposure by a watch.  Again
press the lever.  This closesthe shutter.
             .   Bulb Exposures
  When  it  is desirable to make a very short time
exposure this  is best accomplished by making a
"bulb exposure".
  First-Set   the  indicator A  at  the point  "B"
(bulb).  This adjusts the shutter  for  "bulb"  ex-
posures.
  .second-Set   the  indicator B  controlling the
stops at Nos. 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64. See instructions
for the use of the stops for Interior Exposures as
given in table on page 27, also the table for Time
Exposuresin the Open Air, page 29.
  Third-Press   lever to open the shutter, and re-
lease it  to close the shutter.  This makes the er'
posure. The shutter will remain open as long ds
the lever is under pressure.                                         'case  Important   -  Never  oil  shutter.  In         of
accident, return camera to your dealer or  to us
for repairs.
       Instantaneous  Exposures
                  'snapshots"
  When making instantaneousexposures,the subject
should be in the broad, open sunlight, but  the
camera should not.  The sun should be behind the
back or over the shoulder of the operator.   If   it
shines directly into the lens it will blur and fog the
picture.
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Use Stop No. 8
   For  all  ordinary  outdoor  work when  the sun  is
 bright,  use stop  No.  8 and  use speed 25.    If  a
 smaller stop  is used  for  ordinary   snapshots,  the
 Iight  wiil  b.e so much reduced that   it  will  not  suffi-
 ciently  impress  the image on the  film, and  failure
 will result.
  When  making  portraits   out  of doors, when  the
 sun is shining  bright,  place the subject  in the shade
 of a building  or large  tree, but  with  clear and  un-
 obstructed sky overhead-then    use stop No. 4 and
 use speed 25. By following  this rule unpleasant and
 distorting  shadows on the face will be avoided.
  ,In  views on the water when the sunlight  is un-
usually  strong  and  there  are  no heavy  shadows,
diaphragm  No. 16 and speed 50 may be used.
     If a'smaller  stop opening than No. 16 is used  for
snapshots,  absol,ute failure    zaill  result,  except  that
No. 32 may  be used for  extremely  distant  views,
marine or snow scenes, or clouds, in bright  sunshine,
at speed 25.

       Focus on the Subject
  Pull up the lever on front of camera, located at
the winding end.  Fig.  1.  This unlocks the bed
of camera. Then pull lever forward and pull down
the bed of camera to the limit of motion.
  Grasp the round post on slide plate to pull out
the front.
  At the front of camera bed and at one side will
                   13

Frc. 1.  Opening the Front.

be found an index plate  which  is used for focusing
the camera.  There  are  three  slots on  the  index
plate, marked  8, 25 and 100 feet.    It  is not neces-
sary to estimate  the distance with any more than
approximate  accuracy:  for instance,  if the  focrts is
set at the  slot marked  25 feet, (the usual distance
for ordinary  street work)  everything from about 13
feet to about 40 feet will be in good focus. When the
camera  is focused in  this manner,   it may then be
used as a regular fixed focus instrument,  providing
the stop indicator   is placed midway  betrveen No. 8
and No.  16.  Where  the  principal  object  is nearer
or farther, the focus should be changed accordingly.
For  distant  views  set the  focus with  the indicator
in  the  slot  marked  100  feet, and  nothing  nearer
than 8 feet can  be focused  without   using a Por-
trait Attachment,  see page 28 or use a small stop
opening, see table on page 15.
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What Depth of Focus Means
   Suppose now that the lens is used at its full open-
 ing, U. S. 4, and the focus is set at  eight  feet. An
 object  eight  feet  distant   will  be absolutely  sharp,
 but  objects  six  and  ten  feet  distant   will  not be.
 Stop the  lens down  to  U.  S. 16 and  those objects
 each side of the exact point  of focus will  materially
 increase in sharpness. Go further and use Stop U. S.
 64, and everything   from  five  feet to seventeen  feet
 will be sharp.
     It  will  thus be seen that  the smaller the stop the
 greater  the  depth  of  focus,   i.  e., the  greater the
power of the lens to sharply define, at the same time,
 objects nearer the camera and further from the cam-
era than  the principal  object  in the  picture,  which,
 of course, is the object focused upon.  But   it  is ob-
vious  that  with  the small stops the exposure must
be correspondingly  lengthened.
  The following  table  will be a help in determining
the  range  of  critical   definition   or  depth  of focus
when the No. 2A Folding  Cartridge  premo Camera
(when  it  is fitted  with  the Rapid  Rectilinear  Lens)
is focused with  different  stops:
  Stops    U. S. 4    U. S.8   U. S. 16  U. S. 32  U. S- 64
 Distance
 Focused               Range of Sharpness
  Upon
             Ft.    Ft.   Ft.   Ft.   Ft.    Ft.   Ft.    Ft.   Ft.    Ft.
           t      ti                 ?|',,l'iitll              rFEFi      i1'*                       ::           iy:'i[ :lli,I
   "fnf."   is the abbreviation   for Infinity,-meaning
an infinite  distance from the lens.

Extending the Bellows
  Now pull out the front of camera to  the  division
marked  for the distance desired, 8, 25 or 100 feet,
and the camera will be in focus for the distance,at
which you have placed the catch.   (Fig. 2.)
   Norr-The  index plate is scaledfor both feet and meters
and  care should  be taken  not  to confound   them.
  The catch or locking device  is on the  left side at
the bottom  of  front  board,  and  to  set the  focus,
press the lever, then  pull  out  front  of camera  to
the division marked  for  the distance desired.





                                                      \



                          Extending  the Bellows.
                        16

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How to use the No. 2-A Folding
      Cartridge Premo as a Fixed
           Focus Camera
  Sm Focus n  25 FEET.
  UsB Spepo 25.
   Snr DrapnRAGM MrDwAy BETwEEN Nos.8 axo 16.
  By  following  the above  suggestions  this camera
can be used as a fixed  focus instrument   with  the
 additional  advantage   of  being  instantly   convert-
 ible to a focusing camera when conditions  call  for
 it.     It  must  be remembered,  however,  that  when
using this camera as a fixed focus type,   it  is neces-
sary  that  the  subject  be  in  brilliant   sunlight,   in
order  to obtain  a fully  timed  exposure.
             Explanation
  A  lens  is often spoken  of erroneously  as having
a fixed focus.
  There  is no such thing  as a fixed focus lens, but
in certain cameras, 3rA, * 4r/a and smaller (equipped
with  short focus lenses) the lens is immovable,    i. e.,
set  at a distance  that   is a compromise,  as to  its
focus, between  far and near points.  A camera with
a lens so focused, used in combination  with  a rela-
tively  small  stop,  is designated  a  fixed  focus  in-
strument.
       Making the Exposure
  Aim  the camera at the object  to be photographed
and locate the image in the  finder, which  is placed
on the front  of the camera.
  The  finder shows the scope of view and gives  a'
                                                            l 7

Frc. 3.  Pressing the Snapshot Lever    I
facsimile  of what  the  picture   rvill  be.  Hold  the
camera steady-hold      it  level as shown  in  Fig.  3,
and push the lever.   This makes the exposure.
  For a vertical  exposure the camera must be held
on  its  end.   Fig.  4.  The  finder  is  reversible so
that  it will be correct for either horizontal or vertical
exposures.  The  finder gives the scope of view and
shows a facsimile  of the  picture as  it  will  appear,





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but on a reduced scale.   Ar)'  object  that does not
      show in the finder  will not show in the picture.
                It  will be noticed  that  the  top  of the  finder  is
       notched as shou'n in  Fig.  5.  This  is done so that
        the one finder  will correctly show the view included
      when the  camera  is held  in  either  horizontal  or
lt        vertical  position.  As  the  picture  taken  with  the
       No. 2-A Folting  Cartridge  Premo is oblong   it  will
        readily be seen that  unless the  finder was made in
         this manner   it could not  correctly show the exact
       view intended when held in either position.
       Remember  that  only  the  view  indicared  in  the
       dotted lines will show in the picture.





       View Included When Making     View Included When Making
            a Horizontal  Picture             a Vertical  Picture
                                      Frc. 5

Important
  When making instantaneous exposures hold the
camera firmly  against the body as shown in illus-





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trations  and  when  operating   the  cable  release
(when  camera   is equipped  with  one)  or  pressing
the exposure  lever, hold  the breath  for  the  instant.

Effecr producediil;tfrt"g   the camera
            Hold  it Level
  The camera must be held level.                                          1
    If  the operator attempts to photograph a  tall                                                       II
building while standing near  it, by  pointing the        )
camera upward (thinking thereby to center it) the
result will be similar to Fig. 6.
  When making this picture the camera was pointed
too high.  This building should have been taken
from the  building opposite and at a  level cor-
respondingwith the middle of the subject.
  The operator should hold the camera level, af,ter
                            2 2

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