CARE OF THE TRIPOD STAND.
The tripod will want the least attention of any part of the photographer's appara tus, and save for an occasional rub with a cloth on which a little boiled linseed oil has been applied, no further trouble need be taken. Should the sliding part work stiffly, a little blacklead may be rubbed on ; but, unless it is very stiff, it should not be so treated, as it will work loose in inie, and however little blacklead is put in it, will detract from the appearance of • he tripod. If the tripod head is of metal, t should be neatly covered with chamois cattier to prevent the baseboard of the ;amerce becoming scratched. The loss of die tripod screw may be a frequent. occur •ence if it. is not fastened to the head with short chain and swivel. The swivel, ,should turn on a ring, like the top of an ordinary watch-key, and it will prevent I;he chain becoming twisted when screwing on the camera. To prevent the tripod legs Blipping apart on a smooth floor, place under each leg a. piece of indiarubber or nork, a few pieces of which should always latter, take out the focussing screen, and cover the head and just the back of the camera with the focussing cloth, taking care not to let any part of the bellows be covered with the cloth, for reasons that will at once be apparent. When the eyes
have become accustomed to the darkness, get someone to hold a light—such as a candle or lamp—moving it round the bel lows. A pinhole in the bellows will quickly be seen, and, no matter how small, must be stopped by gluing tightly over it a small piece of black paper or linen. Should any of the dead black be rubbed off the inside of the camera, it should at once he re blacked with the material described on an other page. The rack and pinion, clamping screws, and hinges on the camera, should all be oiled occasionally with a little best machine oil. A soft chamois leather should always be kept expressly for the camera and dark slides, as not a scratch or a dirty mark should ever be seen on either. From time to time the camera should be dusted inside with a soft camel hair brush, first removing the lens. This dusting should never be done just previous to using, as it is likely to raise the dust, which will settle on the photographic plate and cause small transparent spots in the negative, known as pinholes. At regular intervals the bellows should be well brushed.