State of the SLR - 1957

For its August 1957 issue Modern Photography magazine tasked Herbert Keppler and Arthur Kramer to examine the current SLRs.

 

 

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Here is a look at the Zeiss Contaflex IV.

 

 

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Here is a look at the new f/2.8 cameras.

 

 

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Arthur Rothstein's Ways and Means column looks at an ultra high-speed lens from Farrand Optical. Bennett Sherman, whose Techniques Tomorrow column ran from 1960 to 1987 was a project and research engineer for Farrand Optical.

 

 

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Norman Rothschild looks at improved color negative material.

 

 

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Here is this month's What's Ahead column.

 

 

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This article shows the versatility of the Rolleicord Va camera.

 

 

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Here is a report on the Leica IIIg camera.

 

 

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From Pop Photography we have an article on the 1957 British Photo-Fair.

 

 

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Here are this month's camera equipment ads.

 

 

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Here are this month's dealer ads.

 

 

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It was interesting to read about the British Photo Fair - no Japanese equipment on show because of import restrictions!

 

There's some old newsreel footage of the fair here

 

and here

 

There's no sound but commentaries were dreadful in those days - thanks for small mercies.

Nice look back. And a great history lesson on early SLRs. Keppler really explained the SLR thoroughly. Thanks.

Howard - Thanks for posting those videos. They were great even without sound.

 

Mike - You couldn't ask for any two better writers than Keppler and Kramer to explain SLRs. Kramer later went over to Camera 35 magazine and ran the show while Keppler stayed at Modern.

Not sure which issue (but I think it was Popular Photography), Keppler tells about his first SLR camera (a 120 Korelle, IIRC). He told of how he made extra money by selling photos of school events to his classmates (I think it was at a military academy or similar). The article even included a picture or two including one of his mother. Not sure of the year or month, but it was a really good article.

The SLR was coming, although even Keppler had some doubts. I like this bit in the Contaflex review: "Professionals and advanced amateurs may feel the LVS system to be unnecessary".

 

In Varden's column, we learn that Ampex officials declared that videotape would never replace film for TV purposes. I feel relieved.

 

Thnaks for posting these, Marc.

Thanks.

 

As always the "experts" tend towrd the conservative side of what they "know".

In the transition to the SLR and later to the dSLR, the chorus, sometimes even from Burt Keppler, was "it will take a long time before our beloved old "X" is replaced".

 

I also remember the "Apple ][ forever" transition. :rolleyes:

US Camera 1957-09

Edited August 14, 2017 by JDMvW

Thanks, Marc, an excellent post, as usual. Being rather a fan of the Contaflex family, I found the report on the Contaflex IV really interesting.

A more up to date example of the blindness of prophets is in the 25 December 1999 - 1 January 2000 issue of the Amateur Photographer. Towards the end of a review of the 35mm system, the author states "The real threat to 35mm is that, with the makers' help and support, most 35mm users will migrate to APS"!

Still vexed about that! Have a very nice and capable Canon Elph that did all sorts of tricks -- died with the film. I even have a few unexposed rolls left, but as far as I can tell, even if they were still good, no one develops them. If I recall, Agfa had something similar earlier version that suffered the same fate. At least I didn't get caught in that one.

Checking for something else, apparently Dwayne's, purportedly the last place in the world to develop Kodachrome, will still process APS.

Someone posted this about APS: APS = "almost profoundly silly"

Checking for something else, apparently Dwayne's, purportedly the last place in the world to develop Kodachrome, will still process APS.

 

I don't have any experience with this place but I found it online.

 

Process One - Mail order Advantix (APS) film developing