THE CHOICE OF THE CAMERA.
With the produCts that exist to-day, the hand camera is pre-eminently the most desirable instrument for the amateur photographer, whether he be novice or expert. When amateur photography first began, some twenty years ago, to be popular with the public, there was a general outcry from the small group of old enthusiasts against the " snap-shotter ", as he was termed. When, a little later, it came to be recognized that good pialures were possible with the hand cameras, the old-timers looked wise and said that " while admitting the utility of the hand camera, the novice should begin with a tripod camera and educate himself on the ground glass". These " old timers" having learned photography in that way felt that it was the only real way.
But all that has been changed, this change having come about partly through the overcoming of the old prejudices and partly through the per fecting- of the hand camera. Nearly all of the best work is to-day made with hand cameras, 5 x 7 or smaller. 'Tis true that the work you see at the salon is often large, but get back of the picture and you are very apt to find a small negative and most likely a film negative.
On the question of focusing on the ground glass there is a marked difference of opinion. Some first-class workers are satisfied with the finder and scale ; others wish to see the image in its full size on the ground glass before they press the bulb ; still others work sometimes in one way and sometimes in the other, depending upon the conditions. As a matter of fa I, the finders and focusing scales have been so perfected on the smaller instru ments that the ground glass is not an essential, perfeCt accuracy being secured by less troublesome means.
Several styles of Kodaks provide for the use of either the scale or the ground glass for focusing. Most notable of these is the Screen Focus Kodak, which by an ingenious device permits the use of the ground glass, although it takes the regular cartridge film. It will
thus be seen that the advantages of film photography may now be enjoyed even by those who feel that the ground glass is essential for some of their work.
Up to a recent date the plate camera was the only instrument per mitting the use of the ground glass. Against this the Kodak system offered : Lightness, daylight loading, machine development, and the superior orthochromatic and non-halation qualities of Kodak N. C. film. To-day the Film Pack Adapter gives many of the advantages of the Kodak system while permitting as free a use of the ground glass as the plate sys tem, but with the Film Pack a dark-room is required for development. So far then as the choice of a camera is concerned, the novice should weigh the conditions and decide for himself, bearing in mind that film photography has been forging steadily ahead ; that the best workers no longer question the desirability of film for serious work ; that machine daylight development has been generally acknowledged as pradically and theoretically correel.
No matter then what the size may be, no matter what the lens and shutter equipment may be, no matter what the price may be, the instru ment should be adapted to the use of film, and with the tremendous advan tage of daylight development taken into consideration, the Kodak Car tridge System should be given the first consideration.
Outside of the question of film and plates and the method of focusing, the important point to be decided is that of lens and shutter equipment. The safe rule is to buy the best the purse will allow, bearing in mind, never theless, that satisfaCtory piCtures are made with even the cheapest cameras.