CAMERA CLUB.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17734, 6 December 1919, Page 6

CAMERA CLUB.

HELPFUL. NOTES FOR NOVICES

When developing your films by means of a film tanK, always be sure ihat the film has been drawn taut in the apron when putting through the winding box. *Tliis prevents tne face of the film from sticking to the apron and the backing paper. The writer lost a film or two through failing to keep pressui-e on the unAvinding reel containing the apron when winding films through, and for a time was unable to explain the cause, believing that the films had been wrongly wound, until a friend kindly explained.

If you have cause to believe that your camera shutters or bellows leaks light, place inside the extended camera one of the small pocket electric torches now on the market, and take the camera into a dark room when the leak will be easily found.

Before placing plates in dark slides or sheaths carefully brush both plates with a clean camel hair brush. This helps to prevent duet spots sticking to plates and causing tjhiose unsightly pinholes so often seen on finished negatives.

If you have bromide or gaslight papers on hand purchased a year or so ago, do not throw away in the belief that it is spoiled. Make a trial exposure or so upon it to tell. You may find that it is superior in quality to the new supplies on the market now, and it will certainly save £ s. d.. Old papers may be helped by being thoroughly dried in U warm (not hot) oven before use.

Always use water as hot as possible to wash and clean trays, except in the case of celluloid trays, on which only water of medium temperature may be used. Hot water contracts them and draws them out of shape. Always remember, when using an American formula, that an American pint only contains sixteen ounces, whereas the Imperial pint contains twenty ounces. Novices should never chop and and change about in the make and speed of the plates they use. Leave that to experienced amateurs. Keep to one make and speed of plate until perfect negatives are obtained, then a change may be made if desired for the sake of experience. Amateurs whose fault in taking pictures lies in under and not over exposure may be helped, while of course endeavouring to correct the error, by developing their negatives with Pyro-Metol Developer. This gives much stronger negatives than given by some other developers, and has the advantage, a decided one m the case of weak, under-exposed plates, or staining the negative yellow This stain is of assistance when printing, but renders a negative most unsatisfactory from an enlarging point of view. Pyro-Metol Developer is unsuitable for tank development. The Burroughs Welcome Co. s ".Tabloid' and Johnson's "Sealol* are good British developers. • For those who wish to make their own developer the Imperial Plate Co.'s (London) formula is very °No. 1 Mixture. —Metal (or substitute) 45 gr avoir.. metabißulphite of potash 120 gr, pyrogalic acid 55 gr, potassium bromide 20 gr, water(boiled or distilled) to 20 oz. (Imperial pint). No 2 Mixture. —-Soda carbonate 4 oz.' avoir., water (boiled or distilled) to 20 oz. (Imperial pint). For use take equal quantities of Nos 1 and 2. This developer is specially suitable for snapshots .generally and underexposure. If diluted with equal parts of water this developed will givo great latitude in development. .