Glass Negatives from Early 1890's to Late 1900's

Pippan wrote in post #19335638

Pippan wrote in post #19335616
That's one of the advantages of a bellows camera Inspeqtor. You can rack the lens out to focus closer, in a similar way to how macro extension rings work.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19335628
Obviously I was not aware of that Pippan! I thank you very much!!

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19335631
4 more Chicago's World's Fair pictures

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZ5​Gf8 Worlds Fair 10 Scan 053-c by inspeqtor, on Flickr

You'll notice too that there are no converging verticals. Bellows allow the camera to tilt and shift too and I'm guessing Albert knew well how to use this camera.

I have seen the end of the bellows where the lens is, you can raise and lower the lens, which I knew there was a reason for that but I did not know what that reason was. You are a great teacher Pippan! Thank you!!

I agree that Albert did know how to use his cameras! He did not get that many "BAD" photos. Most of them are dang good

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19335655
I have seen the end of the bellows where the lens is, you can raise and lower the lens, which I knew there was a reason for that but I did not know what that reason was. You are a great teacher Pippan! Thank you!!

I agree that Albert did know how to use his cameras! He did not get that many "BAD" photos. Most of them are dang good

The more I look at that Chicago World's Fair photo the more impressed I am. Not only are the verticals plumb from one side of the frame to the other, but everything is in tack sharp focus (except for the one little bush at bottom right of frame) from the bushes that appear to be only a few metres from the camera (maybe a bit more) to the buildings right at the far end, at least a quarter of a mile away. That's some depth of field!

I have no idea what the 'ISO' of the emulsion on the glass would have been but the lens can't have been stopped down all that far, as the exposure time isn't very long. There are several people in the scene walking and their legs are only slightly blurred. And of course the exposure is spot on--very few completely black shadows or white highlights. So I reckon the lens must have been tilted to get so much in focus, as well as shifted to keep the verticals straight.

All in all, quite masterful. Try taking a photo of a similar scene that sharp and straight on any digital camera. I think you'd struggle without Photoshop.

Very, very cool. I love the history in old photos. Another reason I went back to shooting film. How many photos taken today will be around for us to view 120 years from now?

Pippan wrote in post #19335706
The more I look at that Chicago World's Fair photo the more impressed I am. Not only are the verticals plumb from one side of the frame to the other, but everything is in tack sharp focus (except for the one little bush at bottom right of frame) from the bushes that appear to be only a few metres from the camera (maybe a bit more) to the buildings right at the far end, at least a quarter of a mile away. That's some depth of field!

I have no idea what the 'ISO' of the emulsion on the glass would have been but the lens can't have been stopped down all that far, as the exposure time isn't very long. There are several people in the scene walking and their legs are only slightly blurred. And of course the exposure is spot on--very few completely black shadows or white highlights. So I reckon the lens must have been tilted to get so much in focus, as well as shifted to keep the verticals straight.

All in all, quite masterful. Try taking a photo of a similar scene that sharp and straight on any digital camera. I think you'd struggle without Photoshop.

Which Chicago World's Fair image are you referring to? Find the individual names of each image directly below each individual image.

Yes on THIS CAMERA I OWN the lens can be raised or lowered. No the lens can not be tilted or shifted. If I am mis-understanding what you said please clarify what I am saying to you now. For sure the camera I own is NOT the camera used at the Chicago World's Fair because of the date built mentioned earlier (The Pony Premo No. 4 camera was manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company beginning in 1903) in this thread so perhaps he did before this camera he possibly owned a camera where the lens did tilt. Remember the World's Fair was in 1893 10 years before the Pony Premo No. 4 was released.

Albert was masterful at using all of his cameras, I do agree. He understood photography much more than I do. If he were alive today in his youth he would for sure be a even more masterful photographer than he was in his day.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #19335707
Very, very cool. I love the history in old photos. Another reason I went back to shooting film. How many photos taken today will be around for us to view 120 years from now?

A very good question Pigpen!! I am really guessing at the dates of 1890-1900 but with the Chicago World's Fair in our history that is where I got my dates.

Interesting collection of plates! I had a local lawyer contact me a few years ago asking if I could scan some glass plates owned by one of his clients. To my surprise, the plates were actually photos of my relatives! The client wouldn't sell the plates to me... but I have the scans.. and that is good enough for me.

Cuypers1807 wrote in post #19336030
Interesting collection of plates! I had a local lawyer contact me a few years ago asking if I could scan some glass plates owned by one of his clients. To my surprise, the plates were actually photos of my relatives! The client wouldn't sell the plates to me... but I have the scans.. and that is good enough for me.

That is very cool! Thank you for sharing that story with us!!

Here are what some of the original boxes looked like the Glass Negatives came in
There was one box that I have that had the information on the bottom that I thought was interesting enough to share here

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZf​joh

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZf​jHk

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZe​KqM

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZg​AVK

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZg​FbZ

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZf​kdJ

Here is a Glass Negative hand held by my wife

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZi​Egu

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZ9​WgW

Amazing how technology has changed and yet as said elsewhere the quality of old glass plates is amazing.

Thanks for posting extras Charles.
All part of the process involved in getting prints

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19335631

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mZ5​Gf8 Worlds Fair 10 Scan 053-c by inspeqtor, on Flickr

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19335760
Which Chicago World's Fair image are you referring to? Find the individual names of each image directly below each individual image.

Yes on THIS CAMERA I OWN the lens can be raised or lowered. No the lens can not be tilted or shifted. If I am mis-understanding what you said please clarify what I am saying to you now. For sure the camera I own is NOT the camera used at the Chicago World's Fair because of the date built mentioned earlier (The Pony Premo No. 4 camera was manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company beginning in 1903) in this thread so perhaps he did before this camera he possibly owned a camera where the lens did tilt. Remember the World's Fair was in 1893 10 years before the Pony Premo No. 4 was released.

Albert was masterful at using all of his cameras, I do agree. He understood photography much more than I do. If he were alive today in his youth he would for sure be a even more masterful photographer than he was in his day.

Above is the photo I was referring to. You probably know this but lens tilt is used to control the orientation of the plane of focus and hence the part of the image that appears sharp. By altering the angle of the plane of focus from vertical to near horizontal, everything on that now near horizontal plane can be in focus. Many early bellows cameras (like this one) allow that. It appears that the Pony Premo no 4 doesn't, but its instruction manual describes the shift and what it is used for and then says: "The No 4 Pony Premo has the additional equipment of a swing back which can be used to advantage in combination with the rising front when photographing extremely high objects." So it may be that you get the same effect by tilting the camera back rather than the lens.

The manual is at: https://www.cameramanu​als.org …/kodak_pony_pre​mo_3_4.pdf.

Pippan wrote in post #19336131
Above is the photo I was referring to. You probably know this but lens tilt is used to control the orientation of the plane of focus and hence the part of the image that appears sharp. By altering the angle of the plane of focus from vertical to near horizontal, everything on that now near horizontal plane can be in focus. Many early bellows cameras (like this one) allow that. It appears that the Pony Premo no 4 doesn't, but its instruction manual describes the shift and what it is used for and then says: "The No 4 Pony Premo has the additional equipment of a swing back which can be used to advantage in combination with the rising front when photographing extremely high objects." So it may be that you get the same effect by tilting the camera back rather than the lens.

The manual is at: https://www.cameramanu​als.org …/kodak_pony_pre​mo_3_4.pdf.

Pippan you are AMAZING!! Here you go teaching me more and more all the time! Thank you very much for finding the manual for me to download and save to my computer. Yes the Pony Premo No 4 does indeed tilt!!

The axis point where it pivots is at the lower arrow in photo below. As the camera is mounted on the tripod, the main box of the camera is attached to the tripod. The slide plate where the lens slides in and out will pivot up or down. The top arrow is pointing to where you 'lock' the position of the tilt angle.

Thank you - Thank you - Thank you!!!

Inspeqtor wrote in post #19336135
The slide plate where the lens slides in and out will pivot up or down.

I said above the lens will pivot up or down. After thinking about how it works actually moving it in the camera myself what I said is not correct.
It will pivot UP to less than 90 degrees but it will not pivot down any lower as it stops at 90 degrees.

He sure used a variety on manufacturers plates.
They all seemed to work.

I find the old boxes & literature just as fascinating as the photos. Thanks.