modified Canon F-1 , 250 bulk film chamber ?????

[detlef_pr_fert]

<p>Hi,<br /> anyone see this modified Canon bulk film chamber by " Epsilon Laboratories " Bedford Mass. before ??????<br /> <br />If yes, are there any informations about this items and from which Epsilon manufactur it was modified ???</p>

<p>Here are a pic of this unique item:</p><div></div>

[awahlster]

<p>Nope never seen one like that. But highly modified cameras are nothing new. Could have been used for any number of documenting processes. Heck the Post office used modified cameras to take photos of addresses.</p>

[dave_s]

<p>Interesting object. There is almost nothing about Epsilon Laboratories on the internet, so I bet they were gone (or assimilated into another company) by the 1990s.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA018058">This pdf document from 1974</a> points to Epsilon being a defense contractor, working on missile technology for the USAF. I bet your modified back was used for some sort of data collection. Does it have any unusual features?</p>

[mark_stephan2]

<p>The back seems to have some sort of data imprint including month - day - year - hour - minute. Was the data feature an Epsilon product or did the bulk film back come that way from Canon?</p>

[rick_janes]

The back's timing units are suggestive of a device used for remote surveillance over extended periods. At first glance it

might've been a pre-staged camera at a missile launch site, but with its shortest time interval in minutes that is very unlikely!

[bill_force]

<p>In March of 1954 I was a U.S. Navy photographer and was part of the photo team recording the Bikini Atoll "H" Bomb tests.<br>

Due to the range restrictions all the cameras were remotely controlled frm various distances both on land and on shipboard to record the effects of the blast. These cameras were virtually "one off" modifications of existing cameras of various sizes done by private contractors for the U.S. Govt..<br>

Maybe not the same period but it looks like a typical modification for a specific assignment or documentation project probably for the military.</p>

[ph.]

<p>I doubt that a 250 exposure back with minute resolution would be used by telephone companies (they used the cameras called "post" to record the counters connected to suscriber lines). If there was a timer with minute intervals exposures, that would only cover some 4 hours. It is also unlikely that in the absence of a time lapse recording, that there was a need for such time resolution to justify the bills written out on the basis of the recording.<br>

Some Alpas and Canon F1s were modified by Alos in Switzerland to serve for this purpose. Since they captured many counters on one frame they may not have needed the large back if operated manually once a month or so. These "post" cameras seem to have been delivered with the ordinary backs.</p>

<p>p.</p>

[detlef_pr_fert]

<p>the chamber comes from Canon and the features where modified by " Epsilon Laboratories" Bedford Mass.<br>

But which Epsilon Company or Lab. was it ??????<br>

i have problems to find a company history of "Epsilon Labs." in the net ???!!!!</p>

<p>It was no " Post" version !!!!!!!</p>

<p>regards Detlef</p>

[detlef_pr_fert]

<p>i will wait, till i get the item and perhaps i can see more then !!!!!!<br>

regards Detlef</p>

[cadillacmike]

<p>There is a little info out there, but not much.<br>

Mark S. the date imprinting was not a Canon original item. It was added by Epsilon, probably the primary or only reason for the modification to the back. Even Canon's data back could not record real time date / time info back then. <br>

As to what they needed it for - your guess is as good as mine. </p>