As the branch of photography requiring a speed camera is more in line with that of the newspaper photographer, it is not highly profitable to the average commercial man, newspapers seldom being willing to pay what it is worth. By speed camera I refer to something with a fast shutter, which may be either of the focal plane or between the lens type, although, to my knowledge, there is no really reliable ultra-speed between-the-lens shutter now on the market and the choice naturally falls to the focal plane.
However, if there is demand for such an outfit, which would be the case in animal and marine photography, it is well to adopt the method pursued by many of the speed operators of today. that is, to use, for instance, a x 4.34 Graphic with a direct view finder and a good speed lens, and then enlarge to the standard size of 8 x 10. In this way one has the increased depth of focus of the shorter lens over 5 x 7 and 8 x 10. The first cost is considerably less, as is also the cost to operate, and it is light and easy to carry, all very desirable elements.
Several of the leadin,g newspaper and magazine photographers with whom I have come in contact carry their entire outfit, including tripods, backgrounds, flash, plate-holders, etc., in a small traveling bag, a complete and, oftentimes, very necessary disguise, and this would be practically impossible with the larger sizes of cameras.
For work in the studio, which is a large part of profitable commercial photography, a substantially built camera is needed, and should be fitted with a stand permitting of every possible adjustment and ease of control. Spare no expense in this connection and you spare your disposition in the end, for nothing is so annoying, especially when haste is in order, as to have a camera stand fail to work properly and respond quickly.
This camera should be equipped with horizontal and vertical swings, extremely long bellows, that is, sixty inches at least, and a rising and falling front, although the latter will undoubtedly have to be constructed by a cabinet maker, as such feature is rarely found in studio cameras at present on the market.
As to size, while in some studios in the larger cities, especially those doing color separation and large merchandise work, plates are used as large as 16 x 20. The average man can do very well with an 11 x 14, with an adapter
for 8 x 10 and holder kits for 10 x 12 plates.
This apparatus may also be used for copying, but it pays to have a regular copying outfit (there are many on the market constructed solely for this purpose) if much of this work is done, and should there he much vibration in the building in which the studio is located, it will be found very desirable to hang the camera and copying hoard from springs.
It might be well to state here that copying, if skilfully and efficiently clone, is highly profitable, many concerns being willing and glad to pay almost any price for good copies of poor originals, especially in patent and other legal cases.
We next come to a piece of apparatus which, I am sorry to say, is not frequently found in commercial studios, although really a necessity, and that is a vertical or upright camera. To my knowledge there is none manufactured, and it has to be made to order.
In the larger studios of cities like New York, Chicago, St. Louis, etc., which are jobbing, and therefore commercial photographic centers, one finds very elaborate vertical outfits wherein control is had of the platform in every way from the camera above, but for the average commercial operator the outfit illustrated answers every need satisfactorily, I think. I have used this apparatus with considerable success for some time, and it has many advantages, among which might be mentioned the fact that it is cheap and easy to construct.
A vertical camera is practically essential for modern merchandise work, such as cut-glass, candy, cigars, machine parts, in fact, anything which must be laid out flat, and I know of one of the largest studios in the country which makes all copies on such a camera.
The camera illustrated is equipped with a 40" x 50" ground plate glass, and the lower part is enclosed with compo-board and fitted with electric bulbs at points designated, the purpose of which will be taken up by me later. Any size view camera may be attached by means of the tripod screw to the cross piece, and the whole is counterbalanced by weights as shown. The ground glass frame is removable and may be substituted by one of wood for the photographing of heavy machine parts not supportable by glass.