ENLARGING CAMERA (Fr., Chambre d' dissement ; Ger., Vergrasserungshamera) A camera for making enlarged photographs on bromide paper, or enlarged negatives, from smaller negatives or positives. It consists essentially of a carrier or holder for the negative, a dark-slide or frame for the bromide paper, and, between these, a support for the lens, the whole being covered in except the end at which the negative is placed. In a fixed-focus enlarging camera, of which A is a typical example, the distance between negative, lens, and dark-slide cannot be varied, and only one size of ment is possible ; but in other forms of appara practically all the apparatus that is required. The window of the room is closed by a shutter (see illustration C), in which is a small opening a little larger than the negative. Outside the shutter a reflector of white card or a dull white tus, as in B, there is provision for altering these distances to obtain enlargements of different sizes. The cameras just considered do not re quire the room to be darkened if used indoors ; they may, if preferred, be used outdoors. The non-portable enlarging camera, however, as generally used in trade establishments, is placed dose against a window, from which all actinic light except that illuminating the negative is blocked out. With this form of enlarger an
5+-in. diameter condenser is required ; for a half-plate, one of 8+ in. diameter ; and for a whole-plate, one of i i in. diameter. The con denser has nothing whatever to do with the size easel is usually employed instead of a dark-slide. Any ordinary camera may be used in this way if a suitable holder or carrier is made for the negative ; or the negative may be placed in the dark-slide, this being inserted in the camera with both shutters drawn, to serve as a carrier. To obtain a uniform light, a white card or reflector is fixed outside the window at an angle of An alternative is to use a sheet of ground glass, or to paste white tissue paper over the opening which admits light ; when this is done the nega tive should be a few inches distant from the opening instead of close against it. Various lamps are obtainable to fit behind the negative carrier of daylight enlargers, thus enabling them to be used by artificial light.