Thursday, November 19, 2015

The User's Review: 'Camera Trials' and 'The Nature Camera' in The Nature Magazine

I got a chance to go through some old issues of Nature this morning. The magazine started a column entitled 'Camera Trials' by Edna H. and William J. Evans in Vol. 39 (4): 216, published in April, 1946. They talked about cameras, photographic devices and tips, camera fans, and people. Later, in Vol. 48 (6): 328 (June-July, 1955), the column was renamed as 'The Nature Camera'.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

The User's Review: Vivitar Auto Telephoto Close Focusing 135mm 2.8 Lens

This lens is long in both size and name. Its name is long and correct. Due to its image scale up to 1:2 in a 35mm camera, Vivitar uses the right term 'close focusing' rather than 'macro' (macro should mean, at least, up to 1:1, I believe).

This lens is built solid, with metal barrel and rings. If you have one with any kinds of mounts, the lens is easy to be used on a mirror-less digital camera via a proper mount adapter.






The User's Review: Extra 35mm 1.8 Spy Camera during WW II

Scanned image from 'World War II' by S. Callery

First of all, I should say that I am NOT a user of this camera, not even have a chance to see or touch the real camera. My 8-year old son, Drew, read a picture book 'World War II' by Sean Callery and showed the picture of this camera on Page 87.

In the book, this camera is called 'Sure shot' (sure, not any one of Canon's Sure shot). 'This tiny camera, about 9 cm across, was seized from a spy after the war. Light, small, and easy to conceal, it could take pictures of documents at close range.'

I have not found any extra info on this tiny, special, spy tool on Google yet. Please let me know if you know anything about it. Thanks.