Film cameras
Kodak Premo Filmplate Special User manual
User manual for Kodak Premo Filmplate Special. 77 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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- Brand
- Kodak
- Model / document
- Kodak Premo Filmplate Special
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 77
- File size
- 8.0 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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L5,ael.{< t- Y*y-Z www.butkus.us *z-
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR OPERATING THE
FIIMPI,ATD PRDMO
SPDCIAL tu]I,t,os
EnsrMAN Konnrc Co.
succEssoR To
ROCHESTER OPTICAL CO.
ROCHESTER. N. Y.View original page 1Page 3 · Read text
KODAK
METAL TRIPOD
An ideal hand camera tripod, com-
bining rigidity with light weight and'compactness. Has revolving head
with milled edges, making it easy to
attach of tighten camera while the
tripod is set up. Legs made of brass
tubing, each section telescoping into
the section above it. Lower sections
nickeled; upper section black enameled.
Any section may be removed for the
replacing of a spring should one become
inoperative through wear or accident.
Weight, 24% ounces.
No. 0, 3 Sections, $1.60
No. 1, 4 Sections, $2.50
No. 2, 5 Sections, $3.25
EASTMAN KODAK CO.
Saccessor to Rochester Optical Co.
, ROCHESTER, N. Y.View original page 3Page 4 · Read text
www.butkus.us
INSTRUCTIONS
ao* oPERATING THE
-
FILMPLATB PREMO
SPECIAL
PRICE TEN CENTS
PUELISHED gY THE
Ensrro:"Koonrc Co.,
ROCHESTER OPTICAL CO..
ROCHESTER. N. Y.View original page 4Page 5 · Read text
Before Loading
a; EF'ORE taking any pictures with the F'ilmplate
.E Premo Special, read the following instruciions
carefully and make yourself perfectly familiar
with the instrument, taking especial care to lea.rn
how to operate the shutter. Work it for both
time and instantaneous exposures before loacling
the camera.
'I'he first and most important thing for the
amateur to bear in mind is that the light which
serves to impress the photographic image upon the
sensitive surface in a small fraction of a second
when it comes through the lens, can destroy the film
or plate as quickly as it makes the picture. After
film or plate has been developed and all deueloper
thorougltly utashed oat, it may be quickly trans-
ferred in subdued white light to the fixing bath
without injury.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY,
Successor to
Rocrrpsrnn Omrcnr. Co.,
Rochester, N. Y.View original page 5Page 7 · Read text
tabs protrude from the top and the large direction
label on the Film Pack is torvard the metal back.
(Fig. 2.)
Close the back
and the catches will
engage autornati-
cally.
Pull back the re-
ceding ground glass
frame an d insert
adapter with slide
roward lens. (Fig.
3. ) After inserting
Frc. 2 adapter remove slide
and proceed as follows:
Frc.3
Operation of the Premo FiIm Pack
For the first exposure gently pull out tab marked
"Safety Cover," holding the remaining tabs under
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Fre. 4.
the finger and thumb of the other hand to prevent
the possibility of pulling out more than one tab at a
time. (Fig. a.)
When the red cross line appears, tear off from left
to right by bending tab backward over the metal
straight edge.
The first film is now presented
for exposure.
Having made the exposure,
pull out in a similar manner the
black paper tab marked " No. 1"
and tear off. Film No. 2 is now
presented for exposure. Repeat
the operation of pulling out and
tearing off the black paper tabs
one at a time, as often as addi-
tional exposures are to be made.
JView original page 8Page 9 · Read text
Upon pulling out and tearing off tab No. 12 the
pack is rendered light-tight (F-ig. 5) and may be
removed from the adapter in day light and a fresh
one substituted.
NorB-It is well to make a rule of always pulling out the tab
immediately after each exposure, so that there will be no
uncertainty when making the next exposure as to whether you
have or have not puiled out the tab.
To Focus on Ground Glass
The adapter may be removed at any time by
merely replacing slide in-adapter, which makes it
light tight. Place a focusing cloth over head and
camera and it is an easy matter to focus any
or every subject on the ground glass as described on
page 7. Or, if you desire to develop one or more
films before the rest are exposed, just insert slide,
remove adapter and proceed as per directions on
page 43.
Caution*After placing adapter in camera. be sure the slide is withdrawn before attempting to make an exposure.
SECTION 2
To Load With Plates
1. In using glass plates, the plate
holder must be loaded in a dark-room
is, a room from which all -that white light has been excluded, as
described on page 49.
2. Provide 1 dozen Standard Dry
Plates, same size as plate holder; 1
Kodak Candle Lamp and a shelf or
tab'e on which to work.
,l IView original page 9Page 10 · Read text
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3. Set up the lamp as described in the directions
contained on the box in which it is packed. Fig. 1.
4. Remove the dark slides from the plate holders.
5. Open the box of plates by running a thin
knife blade around the edge of the box.
6. Take out one of the plates and place it in the
holder, face up. (The face is the dull side.) Brush
gently over the face of the plate with a camel's-hair
brush to remove dust.
7 . Replace the dark slicle in the holder with white
side of handle out.
8. Repeat the operation until all the plate holders
have been filled, then close up the remaining plates
in the box, wrap up securely and put them away in
a dark drawer.
The remaining operations may be performed in daylight.
9. To focus on ground glass push to right on nick-
eled catch at side of back, which releases the ground
glass panel. See Fig. 2. Then open the shutter.
Frc. 2
dView original page 10Page 11 · Read text
10. After focusing, close the shutter and insert
one of the plate holders in the same manner as de-
scribed for the Film Pack AdaPter.
11. Pull out the dark slide. The plate is now in
position for making the first exposure. After mak-
ing the exposure, re-insert the dark slide in plate
holder. Remove the plate holder from the camela
by pressing back slightly on same to start it.
PART II
Making the Exposures
Before making an exposure with the Film Plate
Premo Special, which is equipped with a compound
shutter for either time or instantaneous exposures,
be sure of four things :
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Frnsr That the shutter is set properly. -
SrcoNn-That the diaphragm stop is set at the
proper opening.
Trrrnn-That the camera is focused.
Founrs-That an unexposed section of the film
is in position. (Or a fresh plate is reacly for ex-
posure. )
SECTION I
/\
^r Uperating the Shutter
Perfect familiarity with the shutter is esential to
successful picture taking with any camera. The
following directions should, therefore, be carefully
read and the shutter operated several times before
making an exposure.
Norp-To attach the tube D, simply moisten the end a trifle
and it will be found to slip into place readily.
. Instantaneous and Retarded Exposures
Frnsr-Set knob E at the point M.
SncoNo-Revolve disc until the figure represent-
ing the time of instantaneous or retarded exposure
you desire to make, is opposite the little white dot
at A.
Nor-The disc on shutter used with theS%x4/z Film plate Premo S-pecial is in the. following o1 fidctio-nal pirts a second. Thus l-25, l-S0, 1-100, 1,-graduated%,L5,1-10, and l-250 parts of
a sec.ond. ,(The fastest speed of the shutter used on the 3r/x5%
and 4x5 is,1-200, while on the 5x7 the maximum speed. is f-fSO ot a second.)
For instantaneous exposures when the sunlight is unusually
strong and there are no heavy shadows, such as in views :it the seashore or on the water, or in tropical or semi-tropi"otView original page 12Page 13 · Read text
countrles, shutter 1-100 a speed second. of of a and stop f. 16 should be used, With lisht ciouds oi-slighilv srn"f."-ii"lll"- phere,.use f. 11.3 ancl speed l-50 a of or i-Z-S'or'f."i'i;;'.i.-;;;;d ot l-100
A_s.ageneral rule ille fastest speed should be usedonlvin making.snap shots of moving objects ln niigrri -s""i ord.inarily stop the 6.3 should f. be emplov"a "";lich;^;;etoi-l-rr plctures.
With heavy clouds, do not attempt instantaneotrs exposures. page See^ 32.
THrno-Pull down lever F. to its limit of motion.
Founrrr-Set lever B controlling diaphragm open_
ing at proper point, according to the time of ex_
posure and subject. See instructions for use of
diaphragms, page 32.
F'rnrrr-Compress the rubber bulb on tube D or
press down the release C. 'fltis makes tlte exposure.
NOTE - Squeeze the bulb with a firm, quick movement, at
thesametime be sure to hold the camerarigid,asaalight
iarrlng will cause a blurred negative.
Time Exposures
Frnsr-Set knob E at the point T.
SncoNo-Turn disc until Figure I is opposite little
white dot at A.
Tnrno-Set lever B at F.6.3, g, ll, 16,ZZ or 52,
according to time of exposure and nature of subject.
See instructions for use of stops, page gZ.
Founrrr-Press the bulb firmly. This opens the
shutter. Time exposure by a watch. Again press
the bulb. This closes the shutter. Shutter mav be
opened by pressing release C and closed by a seconrl
pressure, but great care shoulcl be taken not to jar
the carrera. d
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Bulb Exposure
For short time exposures, the bulb exposure is often advantageous.
Frnsr-Set knob E at the point B.
Sncono -Turn clisc until Figure I is opposite little white dot at A.
'lurno-Set theleverB atf.6.3, g, 11, 16, ZZ or 32, as desired. See page 32.
Founrrr-Compress the bulb to open the shutter
and release it to close the shutter. ,I.his makes the
exposure. The shutter will remain open as long as
the bulb is under pressure.
Norp-This method will not answer for along time exposure, for when the compressed air has leaked out, the shutter will close of itself.
Do not oil any part of the shutter.
In case of accident, return shutter to your rlealer
or to us for repairs. As a general rule, make ex_
posures with the btrlb instead of release C, as the
pneumatic release is less liable to jar the shutter.
The Lens
The Film Plate premo Special is equipped with a
Zeiss Kodak Anastigrnat lens, the speed of which is
indicated as f.6.3, meaning that it will cut sharo to
the corners at its full opening, which is 1_6.3 .i ir,focal length.
Cet Acquainted With your Lens
user of any lens should tamiliarize himself -The
with its lirnitations as well as rvith its capabilities.
11View original page 14Page 15 · Read text
This is particularly true in case of the Anastigmats,
and we therefore ask those who are not entirely
familiar rvith photographic optics, read the follow-
ing brief explanation, that they may get the full
benefit of the power of their lens and that, on the
other hand, they do not ask of it the impossible.
It should be borne in mind, however, that what we
have to say here is apf licable only to lenses of from
5 to 8 I-4 irt.ch focas, such as are supplied on our
hand cameras. These directions make no pretension
to covering the entire field of photographic optics.
In comparing the work of one lens with another,
you must, first of all, remember that such compari-
sons must be made with a stop opening of the same
relative size (f value). In comparing the Anastig-
mat with the ordinary Rapid Rectilinear lens, do
not expect as great depth of focus with your
Anastigmat set at an opening of L6'3 as your R. R.
lens gives at its largest opening, L8. The Anastig-
mat at L8 will give as great depth of focus as will
an R. R. of the same focal length with the salne
opening, while on the other hand, the R. R. will not
work at all at f.6.3.
Nore-It should be borne in mind that the shorter the lengthof focus, the greater the depth of focus. This explains whyvery small cameras can have a "fixed focus" (immovable)'whiie large cameras are all made so that they can be focused.
What Depth of Focus Means
Suppose now, that you are using your Anastigmat
at the full opening f.6.3 and have set the focus at
say 15 feet. An object 15 feet distant will be abso-
lutely sharp, but objects l0 and 20 feet distant will
not be. Stop your Anastigmat down to -f.8 or L11.3View original page 15Page 16 · Read text
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and those objects each side of the exact point of
focus will materially increase in sharpness. Go
further and'use stop f,22.6, or a still smaller stop,
and everything from ten feet on to infinity will be
sharp. It will thus be seen that the smaller the
stop, the greater the depthof 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 camera than the principal object in the picture,
which of course, is the object focused upon. But it
is obvious that with the small stops the exposure
must be correspondingly lengthened,
Anastigmat Speed
Using a stop of .f.8 or smaller, the advantage of
the Anastigmat over the really excellent Rapid
Rectilinear lenses furnished with our cameras is not
marked, but there is an improvement in definition
and in the correctness of lines. But let us suppose
that we desire to photograph a rapidly moving
object, or to take a picture on a cloudy day. What
do we find? The f value of a lens denotes the
relation of the opening in that lens to its focal
length. Suppose, then, that we have a single
achromatic lens of 5 inch focus, speed f.14, a Rapid
Rectilinear lens of 5 inch focus, speed L8, and an
Anastigmat lens, speed f.6.3, of the same length of
focus,5 inches. How do they compare in speed?
To reduce this to its simplest terms we will divide
the focal length (five inches) in each case by the .fvarue
ilit
t.t =,iiiView original page 16Page 17 · Read text
I It will thus be seen that in using the single lens the
I largest opening is rtot# of an inch in diameter, with
the R. R. lens t'ffi of an inch, and with the
lrt Anastigmat r#t- of an inch. The amount of light
admitted by a lense in a given time depends, of
course, upon the area of the opening at that time
being used in that lens. The amount of light ad-
mitted in a given time with these different lenses
would, therefore, be in direct proportion to the
square of their diameters. Ilere, then, omitting
the fractions, is the result:
Single lens .357 X .357 : .727
R. R. lens .625 X .625 : .390
Anastigmat lens .793 X .793 .628 - We thus find that the speed of R. R. lens is over
three times that of the single lens, and the speed of the
Anastigmat is 61/, greater than the speed of the R. R.
lens. Therein lies the greatest Anastigmat advan-
tage. But simply because it has this speed, you
don't always need to use it. The speed must be used
with discretion, just as greater care is required in
operating an automobile than in operating a bicycle.
Under conditions that would give you good results
with an R. R. lens at L11.3, use stop f .11.3 withyour
Anastigmat-don't use the largest opening for every
occasion ; use it only for emergency. Your greatest
Anastigmat advantage lies in the fact that when the
light is so poor that you cannot get a properly timed
negative with your R. R. lens at its greatest opening,
f.8, without resorting to time exposure, you can open
up your Anastigmat to its full opening ancl get a
successful shapshot.
T4View original page 17Page 18 · Read text
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For the same reason, i. e., because the Anastig-
mat admits more light in a given time than does the
R. R. lens, it is used in connection with high speecl
shutters for photographing rapidly moving objects.
Even in bright sunlight the R. R. lens will not give
snfficient illumination to make its use practical with
the extremely high speed shutters when worked at
their shortest exposures-but the Anastigmat, by
reason of the large opening that can be used, enables
you to take aclvantage of the high speed shutter.
Shutter Speed and Lens Speed
Strange as it may seem, there are some arnateurs
who c1o not understand the difference between a fast
lens and a fast shutter, thinking, apparently, that
because they have a fast lens they should catch all
moving objects sharply, or because they have a fast
shutter that their pictures should be f ully timed. 1'he
reverse of this proposition is the truth. The fast
sl.utter, by reason of shortening the exposure, cuts
clorvn the light and tends toward. undertiming. x
Remember that these speeds are always relative.
YourAnastigmat openedto L6.3will not give as fully
timecl a negative in zl.,o of a second as your R. R.
lens rvill at f.8 in rAo of a second. Your 1.6.3 Anas-
is 61 per cent. faster, not 100 per cent. faster, than
tlre R. R. lens.
Unfair Comparisons
We have had some complaints that the Anastig-
rnats were not giving as fully timed negatives a:;
they should in comparison with the R. R. lens,View original page 18Page 19 · Read text
which our customers had previously used. fn eaery
case 'we have found that the fault was not in the
Anastigmat, but in the old shutter with which the
R. R. lens was used-such shutter having become
dirty, or through the springs weakening or other
cause, failing to work at its supposed speed. The
result und.er such circumstances being that the old
lens was getting the benefit of a much longer ex-
posure than was intended, while the Compound
shutter fitted to the Anastigmat was chopping off
the light with greater accuracy.
xThis refers in particular to betlveen-the-lens shutter. With
a focal plane shutter, such as used in the Speed Kodaks and
(iraflex Carneras, other factors enter. Such shutters give
l ore illumiuation of the plate in a given time than between-
the-lens shutters-but, on the other hand, work many tirnes
faster when at full speed.
Two "Stop" Systems
The user of on Anastigmat should bear in mind
that there are two systems under which shutters are
marked for stop openings, and this must be reckonecl
with in making comparisons. Most shutters for I{.
'R. lenses are marked on the Uniform System (abbre-
viated to U. S.), while the shutters for Anastigmats
are marked by the lsystem. The lvalue of a stop
is the proportion that its opening bears to the focal
length of the lens. For instance, 1.8 means that the
diameter of the stop opening is r-8 of the focal length
of the lens, etc. The Uniform System is based on
the areas of the openings, each next higher number,
having half the area of the preceding number
and therefore requiring twice the exposure. Forin-
l6View original page 19Page 20 · Read text
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stance: If r-roo of a second be correct for stop U. S.
4, then, with the same light conditions and stop U.
S. 8, r-5o of a second would be required. IJowever,
the two systems are easily compared.
TABI,E
u.s. 4 - f.8
u.s. B - f.77.3
u. s. 16 - .r.16
u. s. 32 - f.22.6
u. s. 64 - f.32
u. s. 128 - f.45.2
There is no exactU. S.designation forf.6.3, but it
is approximately U. S. 3.
A Law of optics Scd*ds't'5
The larger the stop opening, the less the depth of
focus. This is not a rule covering anyparticular lens
that we or any one else exploits. It's as fixed as the
course of the planets. With a large opening, depth
I of focus must be sacrificed. In this matter of
opening, then, the difference between the R. R. and
the Anastigmat is this: The Anastigmat will cut -
perfectly sharp on objects at tlte focused distance,
over the entire picture with a large opening, admit-
ting a large amount of light, thus requiring a rela-
tively short exposure; but when this large opening
is used, there is no great depth of focus. The R. R.
lens will not cut the entire picture sharp with this
large opening, even if correctly focused. With theView original page 20Page 21 · Read text
smaller openings, as /.8, etc., the Anastigmat has
the same depth of focus as thb R. R. lens and gives
sharper definition over the entire picture.
Deductions
It is perfectly evident then that it is best to use
" only a moderately large stop opening(say.f.8 o1L11.3)
even with an Anastigmat, and time accordingly
rvhen conditions will permit. However, when the
light is dull and a snap shot is desired, the full open;
inf may be used, or if it is desired to photograph
rapidly moving objects in good light, the full open-
ing may be used with a high speed of the shutter.
It must not be expected, holvever, that with such full
opening, objects in the foreground, in the middle
distance and at long distance, can allbe sharp. Set
the scale for the correct focus on the principal object
and that object will be sharp. As a rule, your pic-
ture will be ratlter better for ltaaing the unimportant
parts less sharply defined than tlte principal subject.
The Anastigmat will do everything better than the
R. R. It will do sorne things that the R. R. lens can-
not do at all-but no lens has been invented, or is
likely to be, that can combine extreme speed with
depth of focus, except in very small sizes, or in other
words except in lenses of very short focus. Even in
these, the error, though not noticeable, is there-but
that's another story.View original page 21Page 22 · Read text
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SECTION 2
Instqntaneous Exposures
Important. Although r,vith this camera instantaneous ex-
posures at the highest speed of the shutter may be made, ail
exposures slower than 7-25 of a second must be considerecl
time exposures so far as providing a tripod or other firm sup-
port is concerned. The camera cannot be held steadily enough
in the hand for work at less speed than 1-25 second.
'I'o take instantaneous pictures the object must 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.
Focas on the Subject
1. Press the concealed button as shown in Fig.
1, and push down the bed of camera to the limit of
motion.
Irrc;.1
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