Kodak Retina, Retina Reflex, Signet and Pony Cameras booklet Product booklet

Fotding: Non-rongefinder (Retinette)
                                               R e t i n o l l l C





  Rigid: Non-rqngefinder (Pony 828)-          Rigid: Non-rongefinder (Pony 135)'





              Reiino  Reflex                          Rigid: Rongefinder (Signet 351-


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CHAPTER T    /   THE  KODAK   ELECTRIC   EYE  CAMERAS
    Whenever  exciting  photographic  news  is being made, Eastman
Kodak is usually doing  it. This time, the exciting news is the Kodak
                                        'oautomation"perfection of  both  "push-button"  and                photography.
Push-button photography  is one where you  still have to do something
yourself to make the picture.  With  automation  photograPhY,  every'
thing is done for you.
    The forward advance of push-button photography  is exemplified
by the new Kodak Retina IIIS  and the Kodak Retina Reflex S. With
these cameras, in addition  to having complete interchangeable  prime
Iensesinstead of replaceable front elements as with the older cameras'
the exposure is set by lining up a needle with a reference mark  in the
exposure meter window. The needle value is changed by either twist-
ing the shutter speed setting ring or the iris opening ring because both
are part of a finely engineered photo-electrical system which  activates
the reference needle. By changing  the speed or  iris  values, the refer'
ence resistance values of the electrical system are changed and this
change can be "read"  and calibrated on the meter dial.
     Setting an exposure takes less time to do than to tell, because once
the meter has been set for the film speed, then you need only  line up
the reference needle for the basic exposure setting and sight and shoot
the picture.
    The Kodak  Retina  IIIS  and the Kodak  Retina  Reflex S are, of
course, precision instruments. The former uses a single rangefinder'
viewfinder system for producing  sharp images, while the latter uses a
single-lensreflex system to do so. The IIIS  viewfinder  is automatically
corrected {or viewfinder parallax for the fields of view of the 35, 50,
85, and l35mm lenses. The Retina Reflex S has no problem viewfinder
 field and parallax because the lens viewing the subject is also the tak-
 ing lens. The  Reflex S  is able  to accommodate  lenses from  28  to
l35mm because you always get what you see.
    There will be an entire gamut of accessoriesfor  all the basic shots
 in addition to photo-microscopic and close'up equipment.

 Automation Photo gr aPhY:
    The Kodak Automatic  35 reaches the ultimate heights of auto'
 mation photography  because push-button  activity   is eliminated  en-
 tirely as there are no reference needles to line up. With   it, you need
 only point, sight, and shoot the picture. The exposure setting has been

The Kodok Automotic 35 ushers in the "Ag"  of Automotion Photogrophy."

 lllacle for  ) ()u \rith att irtgenious s\ stent deserving world-rvide recog-
 nition becauseof its sirnplicitr. Here is holv it rt,orks:
    The filrn slteecland the shutter speed are set at the start of the
 shootirrg.The ttutotttationactivitl is perforrtreclentirely,by, the built-ip
exPosure tneter of the Koclak Autontatic :15. The needle of the nreter
 tttot'esin a stlaight line rather than in the conver-rtional(.urve that we
 trsuallr see on a ttteter dial. The straight line nrotion is utilized lle-
t'ltanicallr rvhett it rnoves farther in or farther out of  its groove, d"-
l)enclingon the alnount of light present. The extent to which the neeclle
 lll()\es the gl'oove controls the erposul'e opening. When  ) ou press the
release,it strikes agairrstthe rreedleof the exposure preter which lirnits
the opening that it can fortn. l'he continuing pressure of  ) our fipger
()ll the release finall1'activatesthe shutter. There are conditions when
the light level is low. Ru ilt  in safeguards tell you that an exposur.e
t'atrttot be tlrade so the exposul'e controls are changed to a prapual
setting.
    Hunran beings still are neecled.
     Despite alt the push-button and autonration advanc.enrentsthere
ill'e lllan\ occasiottstvhen ) ou must superilnpose \ our juclgntept over
the reading suggestedbr the rneter. This rnust be so because an ex-
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R e t i n o R e f l e x S C o m e r o - S O m m      { / 2 . 8  R e t i n o X e n o r     l e n s '

posure,reter basir:arrro'lr  'reasLrreslight. T!"  dials whi.h take the
meter reading and translaie it into a usable shutter speed to l/open-
ing cornbinatlon clo so nrechanicallr. Both the meter and the clial can-
,.t  thi'k  f'r   ) ou. ca'.rt  judge .o,rt.usti'g subject or -light co.clitiorts
f'r  ).ou. As a'  exa*rpre,-sorne judg'-re.t  is required when you a_t"
shooting a picture fron-r a darken"J  roo,',, or area into a very -bright
spot lik; a sunlit street. It must be used too. when shooting fro'r  a
 brightlr lighted street into a dark roonr or aller. In the first instance-
 the darker area is so large that the indicated exposure would cause a
serious over-exposureuf  th"  bright  area. co'r'ersely- the exposure
 r.eadingfronr the bright area into the dark area would cause the ex'
 1ru-.u."reading t, be so high that the shadows would be u.clerexposed.
 I. these instances,)ou nrust assunre)our prerogative of usirtg YOul'
 o\\ .  ju,lsr'ent. For the first condition. shorten the exposure lr)' one
 st.'..o  itrut the highlights rvill not be "bunrt out." rn'hilein the second
 ,.u* a lo.ger exposure \\,ill have to be given }y one stop, so that solne
 shaclorvd"tuil  will be rec,orcled.It  is true that this "thirrking"  takes
 judg're.t'hur-    and is ti.re-co.su'ring. However, if you want pictures that
       qualitl  instead of just quar-rtit\'.take the trouble  f or this extra
 ste'. Keep in nrind that it u picture is worth taking,  it is worth taking
 correctlY.
                                                                7

The manufacturer was aware that meter settings would have to
be altered. He made provisions  for a manual control set in case you
did wish to use your judgment. As the meter works extremely well in
85%  o{. the average conditions that you meet, shoot a few shots like
the conditions mentioned above. Shoot one exactly as the meter reads,
then shoot another with the compensation suggested. This  is the only
way to learn when your experience must supersede your meter reading.
     Both new or old Kodak cameras (see Chapter 26) take excellent
pictures which are sharp and well exposed. The new cameras, as stated,
do so more easily than the old ones, only because of the latest electric-
eye technical advances. So, whichever Kodak camera is used-enjoy
using it !





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CHAPTER2    S-SHUTTER  SPEED
    The shutter of your camera may be compared to a water faueet.
When the faucet is opened, water will flow through.  Similarly, when
the shutter opens? light can enter your  lens.  If  the shutter remains
open a long  time, more  light  will  naturally  enter the lens than   if
the shutter remains open for only a short time. When the volume of
light  intensity  is very  low, a shutter may have to remain open for
minutes or even days at a time  (time exposure). Sports or action
pictures, on the other hand,  will  require the fastest speed that your
camera may have. A  simple rule  for  the beginner  to remember  is
that   still  (inanimate)   subjects can be taken  with  a slow  shutter
speed, while  living  subjects can be taken  with  the  fastest speed
that the shutter may have.
    A  little  later, you  will  find  that a slower speed permits a nar-
rower  iris opening which gains a greater depth of sharpness in your
picture.   In  choosing a correct  shutter speed, you  will  often have
to compromise between a fast speed and  little depth in your picture,
or a slow speed and a greater depth  of sharpness. So, while  pre-
setting  will  ensure pictures, judgment  and compromise  will  always
be  of  value  to  get specialized effects such as a sharp foreground
against an unsharp background-a   portrait,  let's say, against an un.
sightly background  that would  detract attention from  your  subject.
    Sparo Manr<rxcs
    The  shutter speeds of your  Kodak  camerae depending on the
model, generally are TB l,I/2,    I/5,  l/rc,l/25,I/50,I/I00,I/150,
I/200,  I/300,  I/500  second. The new Retina's speeds are marked
in a linear pattern so that each new marking  is double or half the
preceding index mark:  B, I,  I/2,, L/4,I/B,I/LI,I/30,     L/60,I/L25,
I/250  and I/500.   For  simplicity  of marking,  the speed indicator
dial shows only the last half  of the number.  For example, when 200
shows on the scale, l/200   is meant.
    A  large range of speeds, while important  for  specialized work,
is not necessary for the beginner. A survey of most salon prize win-        Iners shows that  their  shutter speed has been set at L/I00  second.
Because of  this  fact, the beginner should see that even his present
camera will  generally suffice for and produce superior pictures.

                   LVS-LrcHr    VALUr  Sc.tr,r
    The newer Retina cameras have an extra scale engraved on the
shutter  setting  dial  to  simplify  setting the  iris-shutter speed ratios
T2



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for an exposure should you wish to changt- the shutter speed and/ot
iris opening.  In  constant bright  sunlight,  for  example, many  dif'
ferent iris-shutter speed combinations  are possible:    f /8,,  at  If6O,
f /ll   at I/30,  I/16  at  I/I5,   and I/22  at I/B   will produce identical
exposures. The  older shutters were not  uniformly  marked,  in  that
the l/I0  second setting was followed by the l/25.  The newer Retinas
have speed settings which exactly double or halve each other, so that
a direct relationship  exists between 1/I5  with  I/16  and I/30  with
vrr.
    The light  value scale tends to minimize  simple arithmetical  er'
rors and has been an aid {or more accurate exposures.

                 Tnn  Lrcnr  Vlrue  Nunrern

    The  Intensity  of  Light   is given a Light  Value Number   in  the
extra scale that we mentioned.  This one number can free the pho'
tographer from  worrying  about the relationship  of the various_f/or
shutter speed combinations, because as long as his indicator shows
that Light Value Number, he will know  that his exposure setting is
correct. The newer meters are calibrated  to produce a Light Value
Number directly so that you may be pre-set at your favorite  shutter
speed and be  certain  the  lfvalue   is  correct  by  merely  adjusting
to the necessary Light Value Number.
     Light  Value Numbers  and scales still  are only  guides to the
final exposure  setting because:  slower speeds or  wider  openings
rnay be needed for darker portions  of a picture, while a very bright
sublect may  require  a  faster speed or  a narrower  opening. The
light value scale thus  simplifies  the mechanical making  oJ an  ex'
prrur"  setting by  its use of a single number.   It  should, however,
only be taken as a guide, rather  than the  final  authority  on what
the exposure setting must be.

                    Pns-spr Snurren  SPEros
    To  simplify  shooting technique, you can pre-set your  shutter
speed at  l/i00   second and compensate for any brightness changes
by varying the iris opening.   If,  for example? your subject is average
in ton", your  iris      b"  iet on a sunny day at  I/I2,  then changed
                        "u.,                             f.f9,  etc.  All  other  factors, with  the exceptionon a bright  day  to
of the iris opening, remain the same throughout.
                                                  I3

H.q,Nn-HnLDoR Tnrpon

    A tripod-taken  picture  will  usually be sharper than a hand-held
shot because the chances of  vibration  are minimized.   Yet,   if you
have to hop around the place in order  to get pictures, a tripod can
be a very great hindrance. When the decision is yours to make, use a
tripod  for  shutter speeds slower than 1/50.  Hold  the camera  if the
shutter setting is l/50  or faster.  In every case, the camera vibration
should be minimized, because when the finished pictures have been
magnified  by  enlarging,  projection,   or  viewing  through  a hand
magnifier, &nI blurry  quality  will become as obvious as a sore thumb.
The possibility of blurring  with a hand-held camera even at speeds
oI  l/50  or faster can be reduced  if you brace yourself  in  this fash-
ion as you take your  pictures:  Place your  feet so that your  toes
are approximately  4 inches apart, your  heels about 6 inches; hold
your camera f,rmly  so that   it  rests within  the palm  of your hand
or with the thumb underneath the base; take a deep breath, exhale,
and shortly  after the exhalation  (you are  at your  steadiest then)
release the shutter by gently squeezing the button. This method  will
still yield good pictures even at 1/10 second. A popular feature of
the Kodak  miniatures  is their  portability;  use a tripod  only when
vou must.

         SHUTTER SPEEDS FOR MOVING SUBJECTS
                        LrNs or Morrox
Surrrcr   lr  25 rrnr           1J                   \
Walking  at 5 miles  per  hour       t/25          L/50         1/100
Children   playing              u50         r/r00        1/150
Street activity                     L/50          t/100         1/r50
Swimmers, skaters                  L/50          r/r00          l/150
Vehicles at 20 m.p.h.               1/100        r/200          l/300
Football, running                  1/100        r/200          l/300
Vehicles  at 40 m.p.h.                 l/200         r/400          t/600
Tennis                           1/300        L/600          l/900
Ilorse race                           l/s00        1/1000       t/1500
Airplanes                             l/s00         I/1000       1/1500

N.B.  When your subiect  is  at 50  lt.,  multiply   all speed.sby 2(l/L00x2=
       1/50).
       .For 100 ft. subject distances, multiply  all speed,sby 4 (l/100  x 4 -   l/25)   ,
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you are, you  will always tend to push the camera slightly  in the di-  rection  of the release.  If you do learn to release your shutter with-  $
  out  vibration,  your  pictures,  even  at  I/I0   second,  will  enlarge
  cleanly and not show any camera movement.
      E\ception:   There  is only one time when camera movement  is  _
  desirable.  The camera should be moved when you  are unable  to
 stop the subject as  it moves across your  field  oi  view.  The  rapid
 subject movement can only be caught by moving your camera with
 your subject. This technique is called panning.

                               p.tNNlNc
     Panning means swinging  or moving  the camera  in  line  with   ,
 the subject's motion.  This  is done by swinging  your camera in an
 arc so that the subject, as  it moves past you,  is always within  the
 borders of your viewfinder  at the point  of best           When
 you snap your shutter under these conditions, the "ornpo.itiorr.object will be sharp
 while the background can be blurred   if the shuttei speed was very
 slow.   If  the  shutter speed is very  fast, the background may  not
 show  blurring,  but   it  will  generally be out  of  focus because fast
 shutter speeds are usually associated with wide lens openings.
     As a practical  project, stand at a corner and take a shot of an
 automobile  in motion  with a speed oI L/500 second, and then take
 another at r/25  second. You  will then see for yourself what happens
 under these conditions.

                             Casr,r  Rrluasn
     Adjaeent  to the shutter release, or  in combination  with   it,  is a
 socket or a threading  to take a cable device which  will release your
 shutter from a distance. Your camera dealer has a booklet to tell him
the correct cable thread which  will   fit your  specific model. Caution:
Use only the proper cable release. If the wrong  tip  is used, there is a
possibility  of the plunger injuring  the shutter mechanism.
    A cable release is used to avoid camera vibration  in taking the
picture.  The cable release may be used at great distances when the
photographer may want to have the subject lose his self-consciousness
while  posing.  There  is no apparent  limit  to the length  of a cable
release, because certain  air pressure types have been made as long
as 20 and 30  feet.  For more  practical  purposes, the Kodak  TBi
metal  cable release No. 2  is  particularly  recommended because  it
can be additionally  used with  cameras that have "B"  but no  o'T"
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ool-Instantaneous"        setting.  It serves for  "T-Time,o'  "B-Bulb,"  or                     ex-
 *     posures.

                              B-Burn  SrrrrNc
         The "B"   is generally used with exposures from 2 to 5 seconds.
      The shutter remains open only as long as there is pressure on the re-
       lease. The cable release is preferred  to the release on the shutter
      because the distance of the cable's plunger from  the camera  itself
r#   minimizes the shutter releasing vibration.
                             T-TrurNc  SsrrrNc

       the "T"  setting is used. The more advanced cameras have this set-#        Sflhen exposures longer  than 5 seconds are to be made, then
        ting and the shutter must be tripped  twice-once   to open and the
      second time to close the shutter blades. The less expensive cameras
                               'oT"      which do no have a       setting can achieve this same result with
       the Kodak TBI  metal cable release No. 2. The shutter is set at "B"
      and the plunger  is locked as the  shutter  is opened with  the lock
      screw on the cable release.  It  will  stay locked  until  you unscrew't, the set pin holding the plunger.
$.
                       Dnr,aveo Acrrox-Snr,r    Trlrnn
        How often have you taken pictures of yourself ? How often have#
      you been photographed  with  your  family?  The average photogra-
      pher probably has very few pictures of himself because he is always
       taking rather than being  taken. A  delayed-action mechanism, also
       called a self-timer,  is built  into some cameras and can be added to
       others. The I(odak  self-timer was designed for  this purpose.  With
            it, every picture can become an entire family  picture because its 10-
                                                             o'run"        to l5-second delay gives you  sufficient time  to          into  the pic-
       ture before the shutter is automatically released by  it.

                            Srr,r-Truro   Frasn  Prcrunast
         You can take flash pictures of yourself by posing at a set flash-
       to-subject distance, which  can be based on  the Safe-Set method
       chart, or by posing at any point  in a scenic picture.  The self-timer
      does the rest. Your presence in a landscape often can mean the dif-
      ference between success or failure because a human figure  will  often
      add a warmth and interest that will  bring  life to a picture instead of
      a stony objectiveness.
                                                  t7
*n

CHAPTER 3      I   A-APERTURE       (IRIS)

     Opening a faucet allows water to flow through   it for the length o{
 time that the faucet remains open. However, an important  item  is the
 width  of the faucet opening.  If the faucet diameter is narrow, a small
 amount  of water can come through.   If  the faucet diameter  is large,
 then a greater amount  of water will pour through  for a stated interval
 of time. The relationship  of the diameter  of the faucet to the length
 of time  that   it remains open  is  similar  to  the relationship  of the
 lens opening  to the shutter speed. The shutter speed, in  turn,  deter-
 mines the Iength  of time  that the lens will  continue  to remain  open.
 The diameter  of a faucet is measured in inches. Photographically,   tlre
 lens opening diameter must be related to the focal length  (lens-to-
 film distance)  at which   it forms an infinity  image, and this ratio  is
 usually shown as an f/number.
     The f/number   is the relationship  of the size of the lens openrng
 to the length  or distance that the  light  rays must  travel  before they
 form  a focused, sharp image on the  film. A  small number  indicates
 a_wide opening, whereas a high number indicates a narrow  opening.
The wider  the opening  the greater  the amount  of  light  that  is ad-
 mitted  at a given  interval  of  time. The narrower  the  opening,  the
 smaller  the  quantity   of  light  that  enters the camera  in  the same
time  interval.  For  equal  exposures you  can have a large  opening
and a short shutter speed, or a narrow  opening with a long exposure.
There are different  advantages to be derived  from  either  choice. A
wide opening  will  permit  a short exposure such as is necessary for
action pictures. A narrow  opening  will  give increased sharpness over
a larger  area of the  picture. When  a sharp image  is desirable  but
not always possible, lou  compromise by getting what you can with
at least your main  subject  in sharp  detail. Lenses narrow  generally
at full stop intervals to t/22.If   intermediate settings are desired, the
chart  is useful  in  figuring  out what compensation must be made {or
the difference in time when you make an opening larger for a shorter
ihutter speed or narrow your opening so as to require a longer expo-
 ure for an equivalent density of exposure.
             iris diaphragm  of the lens regulates the size of the opening _  fh"
whigh admrts light  to the camera. The diaphragm  is in many  *"y.t
similar  to the  iris  of the eye. Look  into a mirror  while  bringing  a
light  close to your  eyes. As the  light  is brought  closer, yon  *1ll   r".
that the  i_ris o,pening narrows;  as the  light  is moved  away) the  iris
widens. You  duplicate  this narrowing  and widening  in  the camera
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by moving  the  iris  opening  indicator  from  the lower  to the higher
    numbers. Look  through  the back  of your camera and you  will  see
    the similarity between the  iris  of your lens and the iris  of your eye.
       Remember that the narrower the opening of your lens, the greater
      will be the depth  of  field. Therefore,  narrow  stops give great depth
    and wide stops yield very shallow areas of sharpness.
               It  is possible to pre-set and keep your  iris opening constant by
     varying the shutter speed. This may become necessary if  a certain
    depth of  field  is required.  So by changing  the  shutter speed only,
    your depth of field  is maintained  and the speed varied  to compensate
                                           INCREASE,If ONLYTHE
    FUrr,-SrOPMARKING                      IT^,:'I;,;':IITtr!

                                   100% difr.erence in  light  transmission be-!!      UT/L.4I                 2I        These  are  full  stop  openings  with  a
II            I/2                4        tween two adjoining  stops.
I3           f./2.3            B              If  the indicator  is moved approximately
            f/4               16         half way between the two markings, thc
;           I/s.6             32            iris  is opened Yz stop and the difierence
           f/B              64          in  light  transmission  is increased, 50%,
            UlI                t2B         Half way between I/5.6 and f/B produces
           I/16              256          f/6.3, between f./B and f/11  is  f /9.


       H,lr,r-srop  oPENINcs

            I/3.5                                  I        Thesre specific numbers produce a  dif-l;l
t            I/4t/4.s               2lL/z       frornferenceoneinmarklightto another.transmission  of  50Vo
            I/5.6               3
            I/6.3              LYz
t            f/8                6
             I/9                 9
               f./rt              12
                   f /r2.5              IB
          T/16             24
           f/18              36
           f/22              48

      N.B.  Eaerything bein'g equal,  it  the shutter speed is changed, trom. l/lo0   to
             I/200,  the  iris must be widened' one stop.
                      Il  the shutter speed, is changed, lrorn I/L00  to 7/50, the  iris  is narrowed,
          one stoQ.
                      Il  the shutter speeil is changeil lrom  1/100  to L/75, the shutter  is nar-
             roweil by  t/z stop.
                       Il  the shutter  is narrowed, lrorn  l/B  to  f./I6,  the shutter  speed, is length'
             eneil tour  tirnes so that  l/I00   will  be re-set to L/25.
                                         19

for uly  changing light. As an example,  if your  subject  is average
 and the iris is set for  IlI2, you use l/f00  second foi a sunny dui;
  1i 5U for a bright d"y, etc.





 length and a wide opening are the all-important  differences which




 opening ( iris) on your lens.





                                 A.  Aperlure  Selectort
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CHAPTER4   /   F-FOCUSING
         Focusing  is the process of  ensuring  the maximum  amount  of
     image sharpness on the film.  Correct subject-to-camera distance can
     be dltermined by simply guessing, or by using a pre-measured string
      or tape measure, an auxiliary  rangefinder, or a coupled rangefinder.
       In its essential form, you can focus on a subject only when  it is two'
      dimensional. However, when your  subject has a measure of depth,
      a group or garden 20  or 30 feet deep, then you_begin  to wonder
        jrJ  *here  to place your  point  of sharpest focus._ For these leasons,
      iocusing has blen divided into three categories:  hyperfocal distance,
      depth-of-sharpness?and  critical  sharpness. One  of  these types  is
      certain to answer your  sharpness problems  relative to the point  of
      best focus.
                     HvpBnrocAl  DISTANcE SETTINGS
        When you are photographing  a rapidly moving  object which  is
        difficult to  bring  into  focus  quickly,  You  will  have your  first  en-
      counter with  the problem  of sharpness in depth. A  rapidly moving
      subject does not ullorr you any "real"  time to keep it in focus. Your
      focusing motion,  if the shutter speed will be relatively slow, can jos-
        tle the .ur.r"ru  sufficiently to produce a blurred  efiect.  Rangefinder
      focusing can be avoided  entirely by the use of the hyperfocal  dis'
      tance iul".   This  seems odd  to  a man  spending a  great deal  of
     money for  an expensive camera possessing a_ coupled -rangefinder,
       yet the correct application  of optical laws avoids the need of a range-
      hnd., when this focusing method  is in use. There are plenty of real
     uses for  your  langefinder  when  flash pictures, depth  of sharpness
      problems, or a critically sharp focus must be had'
                       HvpenrocAl  DIsTANcE Scar,r
        When your  lens focus  is set at infinity  and the opening  is I/4,
      the nearest point  that  will be acceptably sharp will  be 42  f"eet. At
        I/8,  the neai sharpness point  will be 2l  feet.  At   f /16,  the nearest
       point  of sharpness will  6.  1gt/,  feet. A  curious  relationship  can be
      ob."ru"d    if you move the point  of focus from  infinity  to either 42
       feet at 3f 4, f.rom infinity  to 2L feet at IfB,  or from  infinity  to I0/2
       feet at t/L6.  You  will  dir.ou"r,  when you take pictures, that at I/4
      everything  will be in focus from  2I  feet  (half  of 42  feet) back to
        infinity,  fio*   1Qr/, feet (half  of 2l  feet)  to infinity  at I/8,  and from
      uppro*irnately  5  feet  to  infinity   at  f/I6.   The  list  of  all the near
        fo",r.i.tg  points  at  infinity   in  relationship  to their  matching  f/open'
                                         2L

k

HYPERFOCALDISTANCE TABLE
  SIGNET 44mmLENS              2"q51mm) LENS
   Upenrne Drstance           f-all    r ocus   OP ening   istance        er-all     t ocus
  T7T   5o--       Zfo-InffiIty           f/ t:5 T             ffi
    t /  t    38,       Lg'- *                tl a   42'     2 l ' - *
    t / e    r9'       9 L/2'- oo         tl s     2t'      IA l/2'- o
   r/ L6   9 l/2'    4 1/4'-  *         tl rc  r0 r/2'   5 L / 4 ' - *
    t/ 22   7 '        3 l/2'-  oo       t/ 22   7 3/4'   4 ' -  *

  ings produces a scale known as the Hyperfocal  Distance Scale. This
  is most useful out-of-dcors because light conditions permit narrow
  openings that are usually needed to make the hyperfocal setting pos-
  sible.   II  I/16  were used and the focus set at I0r/2  ieet, then every-
  thing  would  be sharp from  5r/z  feet  to  infinity.  No  rangefinder
  should be used, because a rangefinder will show a point  of sharp-
  ness at a single distance, whereas the hyperfocal distance setting cre-
  ates an area of sharpness-in-depth.
     The  viewfinder  of  your  camera shows everything  sharp and
  can give you some idea of what your  final picture  will be.
       In  practice, knowing  that action  will  occur between l0  to 40
  feet  gives you  sufficient information   to  select an opening  of  t/B
 and a focus setting of approximately  2l  feet. Now, you are ready to
  take anything  within  these distances without checking focus because
 you know that they will be sharp.
      Rangefind,er Coupled, Cameras:  Disregard  your  central range-    ,
  finder  image when  using  hyperfocal  distance  settings;  they   *itt
 make you think  that your  subject  is out-of-focus, whereas you now
 know  that  your  hyperfocal  distance  setting  makes them  sharp
 throughout that area.

                 Drprn   or SHlnpNrss TrcHNreuE
      Depth of Sharpness Table-The   depth of sharpness in any lim-        ,
  ited area can be read from  a table, known as a d"pth  of field table,
  or from  the depth of  field  (sharpness)  scale around  the perimeter
  of your  lens mount.  The  depth  of sharpness scale is particularly
 valuable for pictures where a definite amount of front  to tack sharp-
 ness is needed, e.g., in a room.  As an example,  if everything  muit
 be sharp from  3 to 15 feet, consult the depth of field table engraved
 on the lens and  find  out what I/opening  must be used to encom-
 pass the depth. The f/opening  on either side of the focusing distance
 index point shows this.
 22



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When the exposure is to be made, you must find what shutter
 speed is needed for f/r6  because you know everything  but one fac-
 tor-the   time. From  the depth of field scale, you knoi  the focusing
 distance and  the required  opening. The  time  for  this  opening  is
 found  either with an exposure meter  if  flood lamps ur"  ,rrld,  or" by
 building  up sufficient numbers  of  flash lamps  or speedlights  io pro-
 duce enough light  for an I/16  opening.

                 Tns  Sarn-Snr Mernoo  Ac,s,rN
     Whatever has been said so far  is  in  line with  our attempt  to
 standardize procedure by  usl_rg as many  fixed factors  u,  po..ibl",
 and then having some suitable means or guidance  for  finiing  the
 only remaining variable.

                 Pnr-Srr Focus ron Acrrox
     Action  pictures  within  limited  areas can be divided  into two
 broad groups of 30-foot settings and lO-foot settings:
     30 feet-I/B     for subject sharpness from  15 feet to  infinity.
       I0  fieet-f./B   for  subject sharpness from Z to 15 feet.
      Alter  your  shutter speed as light  conditions  change to maintain _
these factors.
                   Cnrrrcer. (Rlzon-nocn)  FocusrNc
    A  rangefinder   is a simple  triangulating  deviee which  estimates _
distances_by forming  a geometric pattern  to your  subject from two
separated points  of  view.  When  these slightly  difierent  images are
brought  together by u movable mirror  or-some other image-idjust-
ing  device, the extent of the movement can be measured and  cali.
brated so that the distance can be either read as a number  or the
mechanism can be coupled with  the lens as  it focuses, so that the
rangefinder and lens are completely coordinated.
     The_-lessexpensive Kodak cameras do not have a built-in range- ^  _
finder.  You  can buy a Kodak  auxiliary  rangefinder and mount"it
on the camera. Then  it can be used for  critical focusing or for flash
distance measurement with a great deal of accuracy in this way:
         l.   Select the body size and distance needed for  it.
      2.   set the focusing scale of the detachable rangefinder  for this
          distance.  Then  set the  focusing  scale of  the lens for  the
       same distance.
24                                                                     \I


                                         ,,   .',     l,'. ll: l.:i-; t,,t,r r ..,.:,,,.{;.;:tliittihwww.butkus.us

Out-of-focus with on overlopping         In-focus with Signet's combined rorlgg'
                                           i moge'                                  finder ond  viewfindert




     3.  Rtadr'\-our  shutter and  iris scttings so that Iro time will
         bt 'lo st .
     4.  Yottr rletachal,lt:rangefinder can be hcld l)ext to tht'cam-
        era  if no auxiliarl- shoc is availabkr,or  it can bt, {ittccl into
         tht'arrxiliarv slot made for such purpose.
     5.  Look through the rvindorv of the rangefinder and rvalk for-
          rvarrl or l,ack lrom ]'our subject rrntil the overlallpcclirnagcs
        aro corrcctcd to shorv thc image is in focus.
     6.  As soon as the subjcct is sharp. shif t )'our eye to the cam-
        era vie u'finclt'r. Whcn the subjt'ct reacht's thc peak of action
         or e\llression that )'ou think ideal. relcase the shutter. With
          this rnt'lhod. ]'our camera rvithout a rangelinclcr rvill lre able
          to take picturcs as sharp as those rvith thc rangefindcr built
          in it.
    This tt'chnirlrreis irrvaltral,lefor accurate flash piclur('s. lrecartse
lens-to-srrl,jt'ctrlistan('('snrrrst lrc ac'('r.Irattly'nreasttrt'clfor correct ex-
I)OSllres.
                                          25

Pnn-Srr Focus
    The following conditions call for camera pre-setting wherever
possible:
        I.  Flash lamp, flash tube, and flood light exposuresmust be
pre-setbecauseaccurateexposurescan be made only when the lamp-
to-subject distance is exact.
      2.  Rapidly moving subjects must be pre-set because fast focus-
ing  is, at best, difficult.  Pre-set for an area where the action  will
occur, and wait  until the subject moves into the pre-set position.
      3.  Pre-set the camera for a picture  requiring  a fixed  ratio  of
reduction  or enlargement, as routinely  requested for medical photo-
graphs. Once the image ratio has been fixed, move the entire camera
back and forth  for  correct focus, rather than by changing the focus.
ing scale.
     Pre-setting Has Its Limitations
    Do not pre-set:
         l.     If your subject moves so slowly that follow-focus is possible.
Focus continually  so that a sharp  picture  of  the subject may be
taken wherever  it may be throughout  its movement.
      2.  With  the widest  iris  openings, continuous sharp focusing
is essential because of the shallow depth  of  field.

                 SHARpPrcrunrs
       It is axiomatic to take the sharpestpictures possible. Sharpness
effect may be softenedwith fusion streamsor lenseswhen this Lfiect
is wanted in portraiture. A sharp image, as you realize,may be soft-
ened at any time. However, it is impossibleto take an out-of-focus
image and ever make it critically sharp.
    To Recapitulae:
    The Hyperfocal Distance Settings are used for subjects that
have large areas of depth.
    The Depth of Field scale is used for subjects having depth in
moderate dimensions.
    Rangefinder precision focusing  is  necessary for  extremely
close subjects or when the front-to-back subject measurement is
small or shallow.
    W'hatever focusing system is used, secure the sharpest image
possible.
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CHAPTER5      FILM FOR BLACK.AND.WHITE

          Silver salts have the property  of reacting to light by becoming
     darker. This, in essence,is the basis for preparing an emulsion which
       will hold these silver  salts, expose them to light  in your camera, and
     then develop the result so that the image is fixed and  rvill not fade.
     Black and white  film produces an imagl  with scale ranges from  the
      clarity-of  tlre gelatine emulsion  to an almost opaque dJnsity. Black
    and white film, unless it  is a special positive rev"rral  emrlrion,  pro-
    duces a negative which  will  be denie where the subject  is  wiite
    and clear where  the  subject  is  black. The negative  is printed  on
     another film  or sensitized paper which shows th"  opporiie  or posi-
      tive picture wherein black  is black arrd white shows white.
        Three basic film types are manufactured:
        BIue  Sensitiue-The    film  is only  activated  by blue  light.   It  is
     color blind  to other true colors  in  that they  will  i"ptod.r""  as dark
    masses.Its sensitivity permits  its use in a dark room where only a
     red light  is glowing.  Blue sensitive emulsions are used for  posiiive
      film or for copying where correct color rendition  is not a {actor.
         Infra-Red,  Sensitiae-The    film   will  record  infra-red  rays  thar
    are invisible to the eye.
        Panchromatic -Type   B-This   emulsion  approximates  the color

    blue color, for example, will photograph  light, as the eye sees it.  It  is3  sensitivity of  the eye in terms  of  black, white, and gray  tones. A
    the only emulsion used for conventional photography. Blue sensitive
     film serves for copying and printing  negatives. The infra-red  emul-
    sion is used for  pictorial and medical purposes where only an infra-
    red emulsion can record dramatic  contrasts in  pictorial  landscapes
     or photograph,  for example, veins under the skin.
           Iirithin  the Panchr6-a1is-Typ"   B family,  further  subdivisions
     exist, and  their  choice  is determined  by  the  following  character-
     istics:

    Speed:
      Some emulsions are  faster  than  others. The  faster emulsions
    usually exhibit coarser grain. Speed is measured by an  official ASA
   speed rating;  the  numerically  higher  films  are  faster  than  those
    with lower numbers. For example, a film rated ASA 100 is twice as
     fast as one rated ASA 50. etc.
                                         27

Contrust:
     High speed emulsions usually have less contrast and usually can-
not be developed to a very high contrast without causing fog or grain.
Fog spoils the clarity  of the film and grain makes the subject look
as though   it had been sprinkled  with pepper and salt. Slower films,
with an ASA  of 25 or less, have more contrast and less grain.

Density:
     Higher  speed films usually require  longer developing times to
achieve the same density secured by films of slower speed.

Grain:
     Small  grain  size  is  desirable  because almost  every  negative
is enlarged. The grain size of faster emulsions can be minimized with
ultra-fine-grain developers. However, these usually produce a loss of
emulsion speed and require an additional  increase of  at least one-
half to one-stop extra exposure.

Extended, D euelopment :
    Medium  speed films  "take"  extended development very  well
under existing light  (IOX)  photography. They can be over-developed
in  fine-grain formulas  or even developed in high-energy developers
without  distorting  their grain and emulsion structure to objectionable
degrees.

Thin Emulsion  Films:
    Emulsion  chemists reasoned that  thick  emulsions have a tend-
ency to disperse and diffuse light rays. So they formulated emulsions
which are ultra-thin  and are then able to produce better resolution
and subject contrast.  These emulsions, additionally,  have no need
for  fine-grain  developers because the solvent-acting  fine-grain  de-
                                       o'bite"velopers tended to take such a         out  of  the  silver  grain  that
the enlarged results were not sharp.  For  this reason, the standard
D-76, Microphen,  Microdol,  etc., developers can be used for  fine-
grain  results.
     Incidentally,  a  thin  emulsion  better shows the high  resolving
power  of  the camera lenses than do the  thicker  emulsions. With
such films as Adox  14 and Adox  17, Panatomic-X  or Plus-X, you
can really appreciate the high resolving power  of your  fine lenses.
28



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